The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-07-25
ENGLAND's WEAK POINT.
A Frenclman's Notion as to the Conduct
of War by France.

Emile Duboc, former French naval
officer now retired. has just published
pamphlac entitled 'England's Weak
Point" which has created considera ble
excitement both in England and on the
Continent.
N. Duboc played distingu ished part
in the Franco Tonquin war, when he re-
ceiVed the Cross of the Legion of Honor.
His most courageous action was per-
formed in February, 1885. when, by
means OF torpedo boat, he blew up
the Chinese frigate Yu-Yen, armed with
twenty three Krupp guns. and manned
by 600 sailors. For this act NJ. Duboc
was at once promoted to the Cross of the
Legion of Honor, though he had only re-
oelyed the first degree in the order four
| months before.
NJ. Duboo's object in his recent publi-
cation is to show his countrymen what
tremendous odds would be against the III
II. in the case OF general European war,
Great Britain were to join the Triple A l.
lance. England has feet of seventy
two ironclad besidess 203 smnIlsr craft
without counting torpedo. boats. In
| presence of this fleet Frances inferiority
|
French unite with the Russian fleet this
lnferiority still exists.
But II the powers in the Triple ALI
ance were to add their navies to Eng
land s fact the odds against France aud
Russia, III. Duboo declares, would the n
be two to one with the further disadyan-
tage that England and her allies would
have the new Kiel Canal to prevent the
junction of the French and the Russian
fleets. Moreover, the writer remarks
the English will undoubtedly, at tho be-
ginning of the conflict, be masters of he
English Channel, of Gibraltar, Malta,
Suez and Singapore; in other words, OF
the principal strategioal points in the
| world, all in communication with each
other by splendid system of cables.
A naval war, then. between France
and Russia on the ono hand, and the
Allied Powers on the other, would he
almost cut of the question; and the ex-
pense necessary to put France on an
| equal naval footing with Great Britain
would be quite beyond her financial re-
sources at the present time. To create
such a navy, ten or fifteen years would
have to elapse, granting that in the
meantime England would sit calmly by
with arms folded.
The question then that N. Duboc puts
is: Once the French feet is blookaded in
every direction, what remains to be
done? In putting his question, M. Du-
boo seriously looks forward to the posi-
bility, and in the near future, of wal
between France and England. He an
swers the question IN very clear man
ner. frances only hope lies in q mercl-
less war against British commerce IN the
| 1rst place, and in the occasional de-
struction of British men-of- war by means
Of specially constructed torpedo boats,
regularly commissioned for the time Of
the war. What NJ. Duboc recommends
is nothing more nor less tran privateer-
lug OF the kind that was SO successfully
put in practice during our war OF 1872
AS a proof of the SUCCESS that would re-
suit from suoh warfare, NJ Duboc
cites the example of the successful fight
which the Alabama Wnged against the
Hatteras. Further, IA. Uuboc argues
that as in land war, acquisitions from
unoffending private citizens are perfectly
permissible, the same rule should hold
good on the sea M being one OF the IN
eyitabls evils of warfare.
The bomb, says Nj. Duboc, which ex-
plodes in besieged city IS blind, and
does not kill the soldiers on the outposts,
but rather the women, children, and
old mon. Will public monuments
| churches, museums, libraries. and hos
pitfalls he spared by the proioctiles fiji ed
with the sole obi"ct of producing moral
effect upon the b sieged?
N. Duboo further argues that it IS per-
fectly legitimate in time OF war, TO
| strike at the enemyFs very heart, it's ma
| tional wealth, in other words; and what
is national wealth, but an agalomeration
of private riches? 1t Is the height Of
folly. says NJ. Duboo, to forbid the cir
culation of ammunition and fooL sup
plies by land, and yet to allow them free
circulation by ssa.
M. Duboc's theory ia, in case of a
war batween France and England, that
it will suffice for the Frenoh to direct
their efforts against British commerce,
not only to sap the source OF the coun-
try's wealth but TO reduce her through
| famine.
Great Britain's prin cipal wealth Is de-
rived from the manufacture of raw ma
terinls irto articles CT daily use. On the
other hand abe imports tremendous
quantity of raw material and articles of
food AT the beginning of the century
corn for the wants OF the population GER
tainly for nine-tenth of the total num-
ber But since then all this has been
changed, and England now imports
wheat to the yearly amount of $3.50, 900,
600. So that it can, with perfect truth,
be said that England, deprived of her
commerce, would be like stomach
without hands to feud it.
England Is, in this respect, twenty
times weaker than was the case a CEN
fury ago, and for this reason NJ. Onboo
urges the repeal Of the treaty made after
the Crimean war, which aid away with
priyateering.
A certain portion of the French press.
always bitter in their hatred against
England, has eagerly seized upon NJ. Du-
boc's pamphlet and urges the gosernm ant
to repeal the treaty. The bitter feeling
of envy which France bears toward Eng
land is very aptly shown On this ooca-
sion, and illustrated by Paul de Casssg-
nae, the well-known French journalist,
who, in the columns of lAutorite, de-
clares that patriotic FrenchInen hate
England above all other nations; with
Germany, he says, peacsa Bile arrange
ment might be made, as Alsace- Lorraine
alone divides them but with England
it is different, and between her and
| I,~