The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-05-20

ment and simply passed through the scrap
| heap and the mills into the new tonnage.
| No great fact can exist without a great
reason.
In recent years Germany, on a large
scale and in a systematic way, and this
country, On a small scale and in a spas
modic way, have put forth efforts in the
direction of sea power.
England instantly takes alarm To her
the growth of any other sea power, even
If its scope be comparatively small and
It's extent comparatively feeble, is a peril
second only to the landing of an invading
army in Kent
England is determined that she shall be
not only the supreme sea power, but also
that except within limits set by herself
there shall be no other sea power at ALL
She will tolerate the growth of any 9TH
er sea power only so far as the point at
which 1t begins to affect her naval SUI
premacy or dispute the ocean monopoly
of her merchant marine
The moment any other national aspira-
ton toward sea power reaches that point
England must be prepared to crush it.
She Will crush it by intrigue, by cajolery,
by treaties, if she can. She will crush it
by preponderating force if she must
Ever since two frst-class American
ships were put in the transatlantic trade
under American management every device
or foul play that selfish ingenuity can in
vent and every resort that INSCRIPTIONS
rivalry can suggest have been exhausted
by the English press and the English ad-
ministratlon to defame and discredit them.
English officials abroad, from ministers
and consuls down, industriously reproduce
in the newspapers of Japan, Chill, Argen-
tine and Brazil the misstatements of the
English press about American vessels.
The British postoffice delays the Ameri-
can mails for days in the slower ships of
the Cunard line, rather than send so much
as one letter by the American line.
Our postoffice responds by liberal allot-
ments of it's European mails to all the
British lines.
The result of all this is that while this
country has never known such industrial
stagnation and such financial distress
England has never known such Industrial
activity and financial prosperity as now.
Does it not occur to men who look the
least bit below the surface that the war
fare for ocean-empire and the strife for
commanding sea-power which England
forces upon the rest of mankind have
reached stage so acute that her pros
perity unalterably means the misery of
everybody else, and that everybody's loss
is inevitably her gain?
What is the response of the United
States to this tremendous exertion of
English energy and resource to the az
grandizement of her sea-power?
To the English estimates for the current
year for further increase of her navy
amounting to eleven million nine hundred
and five thousand pounds sterling GIL
100000, say S57, 1884, 500 and a program
involving 10S new ships in all stages be-
tween laying down and completion. the
United States responds by sudden halt
IN even the comparatively feeble program
htfully pursued since 1885, and a fat
collapse of the policy of the new navy as
a whole.
10 the 1.3SO.0OO tons of new merchant
shipping built by England during the na Of
year, what will be the response of tha
United States?
Now the future lies wholly in the hands
of Congress.
FROM that quarter comes no sign.
A tariff bill framed to produce revenue
and at the same time to promote and en-
courage American industries. is to be pass
ed. To greater or less extent this tariff |
IS calculated to promote and encoura pe
every American industry but two-ship-
owning and ship-bulding.
AS | have already said. this ceaseless
ebb of gold without compensation is the |
tribute this country pays to England. and
it is paid through English ship-owners.
The United States has never been able
to get any Of it back except by borrowing |
it on bonds.
England is keenly alive to these great |
economic facts and their results.
Is the United States to be forever blind |
to them and their significance?
These are the questions which confront |
us. Very respectfully,
CHAS. b CRAMP.