The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-02
AVE WE DEGENERATED g?

The Pail Mall Gazette, of London pre-
sents a novel and striking view Of lie
way in which the Spanish-Americ~n war
IS TO affect the relations Of the nations
of the earth towards each other ana Incl
dentally of the way it is to affect inc
relations beteen England and America
1t says:
The war between the United states anu
Snain is "A CODY on a very reduced scdie'
"a v,itb some slight notifications, OF a
,,-ar betyeen England and France. III Is
moi my purpose IN this article 10 WoIh
ont , detailed comparison. i can ouly
suggest 1t. The great British supeIloi"y
H., 6ottle-lips and unarmOred cruisers as
AGAINST France is faithfully REPRODUCED
a. the American navy as against SPAN.
The great French Advantage IN arhoIeu
cruisers finds its parallel IN the spanish
navy. Even In torpedo craft the huineil-
cal equality which exists between bhs-
Iond and France Is repeated with some
"ar,octness in the TWO combatant navies.
Thus all conditions are faVorapie 10
trial of our race; upon the conduct OF
Admiral Sampson and commodore
Schley's officers and bluejackets depends
not merely the honor Of the lhlteu
states. but the very existence OF the
pritish Empire. II the men who are
hourly expecting battle in the Caribbean
falter. II they show any want OF oour-
age or sailmanship-which GodH iOrplu
then let us be certain that an attack VIII
he delivered upon England by her enc
mics who will conclude, and not un'
iustlv. that the military qualities or the
knelo-Saxon have declined under the
donressing burden OF civilization. And
as this is the greatest problem 10 be
settled I'm the war. so we shall nope ana
nrav that our race may emerge with
glory from the test.
The idea that Continental Europe IS
watching our fight to see whether the
Anglo-saxons's game and endurance have
diminished under the softening influences
OF modern civilization, resolved to assah
him If il is. but TO be wary Of him il It
As not. is novel and startling, but there
may be more in it than casual observer
would credit to il, nevertheless. our own
opinion that we have repeatedly express
ed Is that Continental Europe wishes 10
attack both England and America, be-
cause each is the home OF democracy
and free institutions. and are threatening
the longer existence of its semi-feudal
despotisms. and that it is restrained
from making the attack solely by fear Of
what might be the consequences to It 81
the attack should be made.
The Pan Mall Gazette's idea may not
be in its ultimate analysis very different
from ours. Each OF us credits Europe
with fear TO make the attack, and each
supposes that Europe desires TO make
IT, We give the reason why Europe de-
sires 10 make IT while the Gazette does
not. but the Gazette may think the cause
OF the desire is the same that we think
II.
But. however. this may be. II Europe
is holding off her attack until she learns
from this war whether the Anglo-Saxon
a. losing his ririllty or not she will
never make It at all. Neither Eng
land nor America has ever had gamer
men I'm the field or ahoat than tho Amer
leans now have in front of Santiago and
upon their ships about the mouth Of that
Citys harbOr. lIobson's exploit VIII
rank with the most gallant actions that
the world has ever known. and Hobson
y.ns by no means the only American naval
officer there really 10 undertake the af-
fair though all knew II meant almost
certain death. There was a great III
valry amongst the officers for the post
and practically the whole body of sea-
men were ready to offer themselves for
the sacrifice Bagley and Bcnadou
and Juneen and every other American
officer or seaman who has had an op-
portunity so far to show the mettle that