The herald., 1893-12-27
RNMITY OF FRANCE AND ENGLAND
NAVAL SUPREMACY.


little isle, for centuries has bee y
posed to be the natural enemy off, ~
Crspeau, and the ilI-will to "periia ,ds
Albion" has been returned in "heaped
measure filed full and flowing o'er."
This rivalry reaches back to Crecy and
Agincourt. At the beginning OF the
present century England was in great
and continuous state of agitation, with
France as the objective point of her
bile. Fortunately for England, during
the heydsy Iof the ascendsncy of the
First Napoleon-who at one time occu-
pied every other capital of
Europe-the channel ran be-
tween France and that country.
Prior to the battle of Austerlitz Ma
poleon formed a camp at Boulogne,
from which he th reatened England.
He broke it up suddenly and moved on
the allied emperors with speed which
has ever since been the admiration
OF the world, and which laid Prussia,
Austria and Russia at his feet with one
blow. Waterloo gave England her re-
venge, that country having maintained
her immemorial usage OF subsidizing
other powers to do the fighting, and
hanging on the fianks of her allies. In
this respect Wellington simply re-en-
acted the role of Marlborough.
But under the premiership OF Lord
Pslmerston in England and the Empire
of Napoleon the Third in France i vas
supposed that the two nations hs1 at
last reached an approchement. France,
England and Sardinia entered into an
alliance with view to curbing the am
bition of Russia. The fall of Sebasto-
pol, under the joint assault of France
and England. knocked the ambitious
schemes of Russia in the head, and sent
the Emperor Nicholas into an embit-
tered grave.
From that time forward the union Of
England and France was like that of
two lovers. In 1857 the improvements
on the harbor of Cherbourg we're COM
pleted. This great work had been
designed under the FIRST Napoleon and
was completed under the third. Sixty
years and sixty millions of dollars had
been spent upon the creation of this
artificial harbor. 1t was insugurated
with eclst. The queen of England
sraced the ceremonies, and, stopping
from her royal line of Guelph dignity.
she affixed the ribbon of the garter to
the knee Of the man whom Victor Hugo
had called Napoleon the Little-the
Augustulus to the Augustus of the
Roman emperors.
What has occurred, since then, to
diminish the cordiality of the two
nations? Absolutely nothing, with the
exception that, since then, France has
become unfortunate. Since then her
armies have not uninterruptedly car.
ried their standards to victory. There
is one interesting trait of England that
il nayer lacking viz, aha nevar fails to
desert q friend in misfortune. She may
true status OF her friend or enemy, as
the case may be, but she always applies
the most selfish and matter-of-fact
standard in her international relations.
Just now both counties are intensely
interested as to the status of their
respective navies. Mr.. Gladstone has
airily assured the people OF England
that their old naval supremacy has been
maintained without doubt; and that
the flag that, for thousand years, he's
foated in the battle and the breeze,
still proudly sweeps the main. Bul
while Mr.. Gladstone has been too much
in debate for Lord George Hamilton, il
ia only too evident that the English
people are not in the mood to accep
these airy assurances. The demand il
for more and heavier ships. The high
est naval authorities of England hav'
asserted that it is question as Il
whether these big armored vessels are
worth anything in actual warfare. On'
OF the leading English admirsls, in
leading magazine, has asserted tina
these big battle ships are worse ths
useless.
Meanwhile, both France, England an
Russia are starting out to augment thei
navies on the old and cumhrous lines
We are tempted to parody the words O
Holy Writ, and to say that an adultel
GUS and libidinous generation are look
ing for sign as to the modern arms
ments; and that, as yet, it has not com
to them in any clear shape. Away dow
in South America word may come to u
any moment in the shape of collisio
between the ships of Mello and Peixot
that will throw more light on moder
naval warfare than anything that hs
occurred since the battle between tn
Monitor and the Merrimac, off Hsmpto
Roads, in our civil war.
1t is certainly fortunate for the Unite
States, in the upbuilding Of her nav,
that she has had pioneers and instruct
ors in naval architecture and in moder
naval warfare. tis our own fault if "
have. not profited by the mistakes, an
| benefited by the skill and enterprise,
, contemporary nations. We have had
forget nothing and ought to have profile
by the experience OF the great nav
powers of Europe. To these lessons "
: should very shortly be in condition
| consider carefully the result of sens
, tional naval battle in Brazilian waite
| AS nation, we may say of ourselve
L L i l L