New-York tribune., 1898-11-11
IOPD SALISBT RVS SPEECH.

LORD SALISBT RVS SPEECH.
Not many days ago Sensations mOngers posi-
tively announced that Great Britain had for
maIly proclaimed prOtectorate over Egypt.
The story WIS OF course, a deliberate fabrlca-
ZION. made either through wanion marplotry or
for speculatiyr gain ON "Wednesday afternoon
last London paper positively announced that
Lord Salisbury would that evening in his Guild
hall speech make public declaration of the cs-
tabliShment Of such a prOtcctorate. That was,
of course. IL mere guess. reckless. lll-niOrheu
and. as it proved. entirely wrong. For that
evening the Prime Minister explicitly and EN-
phatlcally declared that Great Britain had not
established such pr0tectorate. did not intend.
exuect nor desire to establish one. and. in fine.
would not establish one unless forced 10 do 50
hy now unforeseen acts of other Powers. That
seems 10 have given some dissatisfaction III
England. Just why does not appear. II GER
tainly does not mean that British occupation or
Egvp is 10 be ended or that British control Of
Egyp is 10 be in the least relaxed. On the con
trary. Lord Salisbury expressly stated that the
present status is to be maintained. subject only
10 the changes made necessary by the recon
quest Of the Soudan which changes are assured
~ not in the direction OF weakening or with
Prime Minister in brief. made it clear that the
strongest kind of a proteciorate now exists IN
fact and is TO be maintained in fact but is not
10 be called by the name just because such no
menclature would probably prove needessly ir
rtating to France. That is a sensible and
statesmanlike policy.
The Prime Minister'S statement concerning the
apparent war preparations was no less direct
and authoritative There had been danger OF war.
remote but actual enough 10 render necessary
preparations. Happily the danger had been
avericd hy the sound sense of France. But II
WAS jmpos sible and indeed undesirable 10 stop
i'm an instant the preparations which were al
ready under way. That is why such military
activity continues The British Government
realizes the fact that more depends upon lis
ravy than upon any other navy or army in the
world If France Wcr" defeated in war on sea
or land she might survive it, as she survived
the Terrible Year. SO might Germany or Rus
sia survive defeat and become presently as
strong and as prosperous as ever. But II II
I were once vanquished al sea. The British En-
,,ire would be irreparably destroyed and Great
! Rritaip herself would be reduced 10 the rank of
n second rate State. That is the consideration
which imperiously impels Great Britain 10
maintain her navy al Il strength greater than
that Of any possible combination against her,
and TO keep it at all times ready for instant ac-
ton and now and then 10 mobilize il in full
battle array when the menace Of trouble is
small and remote
These topics are Of interest 10 Americans.
But of far greater and supreme Interest is what
the Prime Minister said about this Nation. its
! relation 10 the affairs of Europe and Asia and
IT, share In tie disposition of The worlts issues
of peace and war. He perceivcs clearly enough
the vast significance Of the latest step taken in
this Nations consistent policy of progress and
cxpausion which makes il not merely Cont
mental but world Power But he does not
challenge It's wisdom nor deny its potential
/ bcneficence True. he says il may not conduce
TO The interests Of peace. For thai remark he i>
being taken to task 10y critics Oh both sides OF
the sea Perhaps he might as well have omitted
it, II 50. that T. because II is 50 obvious a trr-
/ ism rs 10 BE- SuperfuOus. Let us recognize
! frankly that il is quite true. Why not: The
n nr may bc sad Of any act the Nation may
perform. The Declaration Of Independence did
not "cOnducr TO the interests OF peace, al Least
not ~ the immediate interests. The very exist
ence OF a nation preSupposcs the possibility of
its becoming involved in war and therefore
may not coudUoe 10 the interests of peace
II there were no nations there would he no in
terna tional war. that is certain. But the avoid
7 ancc of the possibility OF not conducting ~ the
/ interests Of peace is more OF an academic ali
stracton than Of a practical principle of govern
| ment.
The true explanation. or application. OF those
words of the Prime Minister may be- found in
! the immediate context. "ln any event" he
/ said "it'-the American policy-"is likely IN
, conduce to the interests Of Great Britain" Pre-
ciscly And the Interests of Great Britain coin.
eide with the interests OF peace. There Is moth
/ ing more obvious than that. The British policy
| is to maintain peace and To extend peaceful
commerce and 10 promote the peaceful progress
OF the world That Is the American policy
/ That is the policy which this Nation has in
I mind 10 carry forward in the steps it IL now
taking If II does not conduce 10 peace that
will be because some nation hostile 10 that pol
: Icy opposes II with violence. and that We do
not for a moment believe will be done. This