The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1893-12-11
THE WEEKLY BUDGET,
A rEltFECr NAVAL PANIC PHE-
vAILING IN ENGLAND.
-Four First Class BRttIeshIps and
ono Firrt-Ctnss Cruiscr 10 tic
Buiit--situntion in scrvin Daily
Becoming worsc---Notes.

a fear amounting to conviction has seize
certain Englishmcn. who believe the com
ing spring win see Great Britain at wa
with ono or more Of the great powers
The sources OF Information and TIE iudg
ment Of Some OF these persons enun
their opinion to respect, They Include
some prominent members OF the conser
vatiye party and editors OF certain leading
newspapers.
Some slight weakness in consols this
week suggests that the Impression may b,
spreading to financial circles whethe,
these sinister forehodngs are based sole.
~ upon facts and reasons known ot ali
men, it Is Impossible 10 say. Some ground
for apprehension mist exist when the
conservatism OF English Journalism Is SC
far overcome rs to lead the management
Of at least one great London daily to UNI
dertake extensive preparations for Eu.
rcpean war the coming spring. More than
one editorial office in Fleet street is get
| cling ready for campaign.
| No editor has yet been foolish enough
to express his fears in print. They con
fine themselves. especially the Tory Jour
nails, to describing in the gloomiest Ian
gnage the dangers which would impend
II war should find England unprepared
The situation in the newspaper world
proves at least the sincerity Of the alarm
ing Tory press in promoting naval
| panic. This agitation and probably other
| causes have already had an important ef-
feet. The government has denied that a
few days ago it placed large loan Tor
naval construction PURPOSES bGt has not
denied the report that orders have been
sent this week 70 five naval doctyards for
beginning work Immediately on four first
class hattleshlps ana one first-class cruis-
err There is of course no thought OF
Great Britain being the aggressor in the
apprehended quarrel The prophets OF
war profess to believe that Russia ana
France viii take advantage Of any PROV
ocation to draw the sword against Eng
land and viii seek to crush her by II Sc
ries Of sudden blows before Germany or.
the triple alliance can find en- excuse for
going in the melee They say that in
spite Of Englands professions OF nentral-
ity, both Franee and Russia are con-
WINGED that she viii on some pretext 60
to Gefmanys assistance when the inev-
liable Continental war breaks out
Therefore. the new allies argue that
they might as well deal with England
first and alone If possible Ii Is further
argued that the whole tendency OF the
Franco Russian policy of the past ak
months has been clearly anti-EngiIsh and
ttiat only hostile intentions cen logically
De Inscribed to the three countries. These
are OF course tnadeauate, but IL any
others exist they are well guarded.
Not a aay passed tllis week wifhoutIa3
" $50 y ~ ~ afl 35zffiost OF them were de49
iflisI alHiost Us soon SO printed and Others
We're not worth denying. 1t has been
France against Italy Russia against Tur-
key, Russia in the East, France and Rus I
sitl against everybody.
Central Tracy who sailed today on the /
Paris, mas been studying the Enrorean 7
situation, especially naval affairs, with
great interest during his visit here III
the nnsHsh press represents public opin- I
ion, he said yesterday, the English /
people are IN q state Of semi-panlc over
The Franco-Russian alliance. IL We com /
pare the British and Franco Russian naval /
forces the result viii depend on the date I
fixed for comparison II We take the (
situation today l should regard the naval 7
strength Of England, judged as a single /
neet, greater than that OF France and f
Russia eombined but by Jantarv ts9s /
the case Will be far different The num- /
Der and efficiency OF the warships Of a (
nation Is not q true criterion of It's naval (
strength. We must consider the work the +
navy If required to DO in case OF war I
English aiarniists now regard I&ussia as /
more dangerous factor than France \
0plnlon is divided as 10 whether her ag- I
sfsssion Il most TO be feared In the East (
af "a me balkans, u If regarded as q 7
matter OF some Significance when a strict 7
press censorship allows prominent Jour 4
nal IN st. Petersburg 20 say this week
that affairs in the far Eust seem 10 be 80
fraught With danger IA to compel Russla .
TO abandon her passive attitude
TO Illustrate the United States mnin- I
tains navy 70 protect coastwise cities
It's naval power is sufficient. II shDng
enough. to overcome any forces sent
against =, In case OF war between the
United STAKES and England It would be
Impossible for the latter 10 concentrate
even hair OF hor naval force on HE coast
OF America. She could net detach her
feet from Chiua, the Mediterranean and
the English channel at the same time In
case OF war between England and France
and Russia tho British naval force must re-
main disided Granting therefore that I
the entire English force IS Ereater fian
the combined fleets of France ana Russia
1t Is doubtful II she could concentrate d L
feet liz the Mediterganean equal TO nc
lsraneo-llussian heeiH
navy argued. the British navy win be
vastly interior 70 the Franco Rnsslan neat
The true test 81 strength, he said, is the
battleshlps Of the type built since 1876
England has now twenty-nine OF 337,521
tons, anu France and 1sussia swenty-aight
o. sfi,sq0 tons The British force 81 there
fore superior but II must remain inferior
n the Mediterranean Tor the reasons above
stated, and the allied neet have the ad-
vantage i.here Of operating near their base
Of supplies aud With a fortified harbor
AVAILABLE
France and Russia, before 1895. win
complete twenty-five more ships OF $50
100 TONS and England two ships Of n a1
IonA General lfaey,s manner OF pointing
out the British deficiency l. more foreibie
thnn that OF the English alafmsts who
are now stirring up The country
Some French replies 70 the bellieose
fears Of England are interesting. Emile
Mcyl, the Well known naval critic OF the
Paris nebats ipsiunaies apparently Ia
sober earnest ihat b IS really the In
crease In the unltel stains navy which II
-frrftt ftHl MI .s1atI IN.