The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-12

TO threaten q war 10 doubtless without
foundation. Engiand once held Madagas-
car. bat 10 vas returned to France By the
Congress Of Vienna ~ the close Of the
Eapoleonie war;. There are $4,000 En-
giish Protestant converts on the island
TO 50. 200 Roman Catholic converts. Half
the exports Of Madagascar 60 10 Great
Britain and 8 much larger share of the
imports are English manufactures. Out
side Of few officials there are few French
men on the island. The traders are
English, the printing presses are ali
English missionary presses and al the
commercial activity and material interests
of the island are in English hands. Never
theless in 1870 Lord Salisbury recognized
the French protectorate over the island
The English papers have generally
agreed that after Lord SaIisbury's con-
cession there was nothing left but 70 let
Madagascar pass under the French flag.
and IL is therefore entirely unlikely that
the recent conferences in the English and
French cabinets were due TO any new
aspect of the Madagascar question. IL is
altogether more likely that the situation
in China called for some prompt exchange
Of views and decision.
Outside Of all this, however. England 10
the last country in Europe Of the great
powers TO desire war unless il vas unduiy
thrust upon her IN some unavoidable way.
England once was termed by John Ran
dolph ''the gsmecock Of Europe" but that
day Is long past
DR.. Heinrich Gsffcksn. professor of in
tsrnational Law At strasburg. discusses In
the October Foram the duration of the
British empire. he begins by assuming
what every Englishman viii grant that
England's grasp upon her vast colonial
possessions Is entirely dependent on her
supremacy at sea, and then expresses his
confident opinion that the naval ascend
ancy of Great Britain is at present very
questionable and probably would not out
last the frss war with great European
power.
During the Napoleonic wars England
not only vas literally mistress OF the sea.
bat she had so, 900 foreign anxiliaries in
her pay on land Today the conditions
are entirely changed The enormous
standing armie. Of Europe are now MAIN
tanned By . system Of universal service
and Great Britain could not therefore
assemble by enlistment any formidable
force
In event Of war with the United States
Canada would be doomed, as her 5000. 600
of gallant people could not be expected TO
long withstand the onslaught of nation
Of C. ooo, 900
In is0s the importation of grain into the
United Kingdom was but 3 per cent. Of the
consumption: now IL represents 90 per
cent. and every bushel must be brought
By sea. English manufactures would be
paralyred If the Influx of raw materials
Was stopped. For these reasons Prof.
Geffcken believes that even il England
were as powerful on the sea as she was in
1910 she could not protect Canada from the
United States: she could hardly defend
India against Russia. while her obtaining
OF food supplies and raw materials would
be q task of insu9erab!e difficulty.
But IL is no longer true that England
maintains the same relative maritime
supremacy she did during the Napoleonie
wars. In 1907 England bad 207 battle
ships, While al other powers put together
bad but iso. Ia $50 she had but IS real
battleships. while France had 50 and Rus
STA Is OF frst class cruisers in Isao En-
gland had Is. the Two other powers 0 and
II: OF Rrnored coast defense vessels abe
had II. Of which s. however. are stationed
permanently abroad, while France had IA
and Russia l6
In April, 1884. the British parliament
voted $50. 600 ooo in order to make her
navy strong enough to face the coalition
OF any t~o powers. bat, OF course, IL can
not be expected that France. Russia and
the other great powers will in the mean
tirne neglect 20 strengthen their navies
Even If EnEland's navy should he as
strong as that Of any two great powers
combined. naval supremacy could only lie
secured by concentration that would be
most difficult TO secure. To protect her
colonies and commercial interests il would
ee nscesssFy 20 scatter her aeet. while
France keeps the greatest part of her aayy
concentrated as Bgsst and Toalon.
According to The EnTiish admiral, SIR
Godfrey uornoy. ali the ironelads Of
EaSlsnd would not be able 10 blockade
T0alon. The actual efficiency Of the Ea-
glish battle aeei has not yet been tested
in war. Her Armstrong and Wociwieh
guns have proved inferior 20 the Preach
"a n.~~a.- v{w~.s - fs~~. o.tsk.- -
lisions have been frequent In the ms
neuvsrs of 1891 osly three ships Of the
defensive sqaadron escaped Injury Of some
kind, and the quality Of enlisted men is
said to have Getsgioratsd.
In event Of a great war POT GeFcken
thinks two great defeats woald be fatal
70 the naval power Of England. and shs;
the disrap;ion of her empire would iollow.
England does not want was: neither. for
that matter. does Germany OF Russia, aud
vet the political situation Of armed Earops
Is susA Is 20 justify the Statements that
Europe is a powder magazine thai 8
siuSle spark might hlov up tomeFres.
The sasscious statesmen Of England knos
this perfectly well. and they mean 20 main
tain peace With homer.
The Eaglish royal family have inter
married With those Of Germany and
Russia. ana is is nos likely that II Russia
should ever again push Coz coassantsnople
that Ezgssna would repeat tae dangerous
sxpsrsnssnt Of SAVING the throae Of the
Sultan frern the grasp OF the Victorious
MascovitG