The Irish standard., 1898-04-16
GREAT BRITAlN's WEAKNESS.


Great Britain has more to lose and
less to gain by war than any other nation
in the world. says the Dublin Freeman's
Journal. Defeat in e. struggle with any
hrst-class power. or combination of
powers. would mean irreparable disaster
for tho British empire That fine old
phrase about its integrity" would van
ish from amongst the catchwords Of po-
litical cant Tho hugo vulnerable fabric
would be shattered, and thereafter divid-
ed by the victors with as little regard
for the feelings Of our "kith and kim"
etc, as the English colonizers them
selves showed to the rights of the alb
original races. When these facts are
borne in mind. the pacific character of
British foreign policy for many year.
is readily understood. France and Ger
many and America found that British
statesmen would yield when pressed
rather than fight. or even run the risk
OF fighting. Why, Dom Paul. in Pretoria
recognized the essential facts of the situ-
alton and managed to secure his cwn
defiant way. Graceful concessions" in
Madagascar and West Africa, in Tuns
and Siam. in Venezuela and the Far East
followed each other with ,nonotonous
regularity. Time was when it would have
been political ruin for British foreign
minister to yield once as Lord Sails
bury has weakly yielded g dozen times
But tho wiser heads who control affairs
in London realize the weakness OF their
empires position. and the silly shout
ings CT irresponsible lingo Journalists
were unlleaded. Britain is powerful;
but sho is the most vulnerable of the
worlds great nations. Sea-borno COM
merce is absolutely essential to the ex-
istenco Of her people at home. Mighty
as is her fleet. it is quite impossible to
feel certain that it would DO able to
protect the coasts of England and Ire
land. to guard the colonies against in
vasion. to conduct offensive operations.
and to save from the active cruisers Ut
other powers the great fleets of merchant
shipa which must be ever on the sea
bearing: food to tho 100000 people
who inhabit Great Britain Thus the
risks attending war were terrible, and
English statesmen submitted to all the
rebuffs and all the contumely rather than
face tho possibilities of struggle for
life and death. With an army
that hardly deserves consideration when
compared with the large forces that obey
tho war lords OF the continent Lord
Salisbury and his advisers were wise in
their generation when they surrendered
at every point. But graceful CONFESS
sions" can be carried too far Resistance
invites g struggle. Surrender spells sui
eide in the end--and the browning defeat
sustained by British diplomacy in the
far East within tho past ten days was
tho inevitable sequel to tho series of
concessions" wrung from Lord Sails
bury during his tenure OF office. The
nations have learned to view Great Brit
ain with contempt.
We shall soon know what the cabinet
mcanH to do. Russia has defed and
flouted them. Germany has secured all
sho wants In China. France has put for
ward claims which will be favorably
considered by tho tiabby. helpless, and
worthless Chinese government Al. three
powers have taken up positions which.
IL the accepted British policy in China
were insisted upon would not be tenabe
for day. The integrity OF the Chinese
empire was to be upheld-"even at the
cost of war" loudly cried Sir Michael
Hicks Beach. Russia has laughed at
all threats. and has gone on its way,
never needing British buster. The par
tition Of China has been fairly entered
upon by the powers with as little regard
for Britain's protests as might he dis
played towards n whining little boy by
band OF bigger lads dividing the pro-
ceeds of an orchard robbery. If the Eng
lish take their whipping tamely now. we
have arrived at the beginning of the end.
British prestige has been sinking rapid
ly. One Of these days it may come down
with crash. Thus the political situation
stands at this moment 1t need not lie
said that tho struggle between the rivals
will be watched with keen interest by the
Irish nation. We may be vitality con-
cerned in tho issue.