The sun., 1897-07-19
rnr ,roNrn or ExaEAKD.
a Rrcnoh view er the Susiiee asa the spcc-
tacninr neusonntr ration ut spithead.


taoninr DEMONSTRATION at spithead.
Erom TIE courrssr des Etaf, Unts Of Saturday
A Paris newspaper, the Rtprblique Ffdnfaise
remarks, in reply to recent articles In the Lon
don prcss concerning the strength OF England,
that the celebration of Queen Victoria's jubilee,
that apotheosis of glory, wealth, and enthusiasm,
comedies precisely with the moment when
Englsnd's influence shows signs OF decay. Even
tho Spithead rcview. by which she has daSzlod
tho Imagination by exhibiting herself as In the
past the sovereign Of the seas, has deceived
only simplo-minded people who are unable
to penetrate the realities which lurk bohind
this sumptuous Suggesting OF strength ana
greatness In fact, was It anything but ono OF
those fairy spectaoles which Venice could yet
produce in the time of her decadencoi
The fleets which ny the British nag. even
in the most remote parts Of tho oarth. this In
cessant activity Of explorers, OF agents, OF Eng
lish soldiers, OF Bible societies. are merely tho
visible signs Of an immense empire. but mono OF
them gives any evidence to that empires
solidity. Those who do not permit themselves
to bo intoxicated by appearances arc not slow to
perceive that tho British Empire has outgrown
the capacities Of the nation which has created It,
Hence the more and moro practical and utilita-
rian character Of the statesmen of the United
Kingdom, tho inertia and indifference with
tics, tho unimpeachable evidences Of q
weakness that is III concealed by the
display OF q factitious power; hence, also,
the need they have Of assocating In their
action the Anglo-SaXon element outside Of Eng
land. But the devotion Of tho latter. in spite OF
tho brilliant phantasmagora produced BY tho
presence in London of colonial troops and colo
nial Prime Minister'S will not pass limits which
are lkoly soon to be reached. Tho day when
the burdens exceed the advantages, tho day
when the colonies find themselves involved In
quarrels which interest them only remotely,
will demonstrate that the ties binding them to
London possess, in fact. little elasticity. and
that such domination requires Of them sacri.
fees which. in these times of unlimited competi-
ton. no nation willingly make.
Glorious Is England always. no doubt but it
Is mt at this jubilee epoch that we must place
the apogee of British power; that occurred forty
years back, when England's strength dared to
confront Russia In the Crimea. Since then she
has participated only indirectly in tho great
movements which have transformed tho old
Continent; and. always prudent in her dealings
with the strong. she has held but small place
In international prescriptions. In the eI-
treme East. where she now finds herself In tho
presence Of the more and moro active rivalry
Of the Germans, her influence is everywhere do
clining. At Constantinople she plays no longer
any role except that Of o mute hgurante. and
she submits to her part. In Southern Africa she
is held in check by a small but energetic and
tenacious nation. When the United States
speak sharply. she quits. Under tho influence
OF Germany, she no longer attempts to resist tho
prodigious march of Russia across Central Asia
In India the existing troubles, according to the
admissions of her own newspapers. are building
up sympathy, full of peril for the future, 10
tween the Hindoos and tho Mohammedans. who
alike are exasperated against pitiless and sell
fish administration. And in all this there In por-
tent OF coming impotence which Ill accords
with the surnptuous triumphals by means OF
which the English nation has Just celebrated
itself while ,eting its aged sovereign.
There is another cloud on tho horizon IN the
rivalry and always increasing hostility Of Ger
many, whose trade interests arc creating o
moro and moro active competition with Great
Britain's. 1t is truo at present, and It will bo
true for long time to como. in spite Of tho
feversh efforts of William IL, that England
has nothing to fear for her sovereignty of tho
seas. the pledge and guarantee of her CONNER
cial supremacy. All tho Same, even from this
point of view. her commercial supremacy Is not
out Of reach Of any surprise; for. not being able
to strike at it directly. Germany has taken
another course. In assuming the functions of
military tLtor to Turkey and to China, whose
armies arc at present under the exclusive direc-
tion of Prussian officers, she has given to Eng
land terribly dangC rous neighbo against whom
all The powerful squadrons of the United King.
dom would be powerless; and this proximity
ought to be all the moro disquieting to her be-
cause on one side 1t concerns Egypt and on the
other the Indian Empire.