New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-22

to the whole course o. your foreign and colo
NAL policy. The British Empire is. in truthas
Napoleon III said quite falsely OF his empire
the British Empire - peace " means peace
and II needs peace. For the last twenty years.
still more during the last twelve. you have
been laying your hands. with almost frantic
eagerness. on every tract ~ territory adjacent
10 your own or desirable from any point OF view
which YOU thought 1t desirable to take
That has had two results dare say it has
been quite right Oaughter): hut 1t has had two
results The first is this-that you have excited
10 an almost ntOerable degree the envy of
other colonizng nations. and that. in the case
OF many countries or several countries rather
which formerly friendly 10 you. you can
reckon. In consequence ~ your colonial policy
whether right or wrong not on their aC
tive benevolonce but on their active malevo-
lencc. And. secondly. YOU have acquired so encr-
nous mass ~ territory that II wifi be years
before You can settle It or control It, or make 1t
capable II defence or make 1t amenabe TO the
arts II your administration. Have You any no
ton what ii Is YOU have added 10 the empire in
the last few years / have taken the trouble TO
make computation which believe to he cor
rect. In twelve years YOU have added q the
empire. whether In the shape Of actual anneXa-
ton or dominion or what IS called a sphere OF
influence 100000 square miles OF territory
| observe you Sigh. Uaughter) Whether ii
Is with sense Of replction or relief NJ hearing
you have much undgestcd empire about YOU
| will not stop 20 inquire. but just compare
these figures. II VIII shoW you more complete
ly what you have done. While the area Of the
United klrgdom-Engand. Scotland. Wales,
ireland. the Channel Islands and So forth-his
l2uUD square miles therefore 10 the 10000
square miles Of the United Kingdom which is a
part NJ your empire you have added during
the last twelve years twenty-five areas as
large as that United Kingdom itself Cheers)
| say this, that that marks ont for many years
a policy from which YOU cannot depart II YOU
would. You may he compelled 10 draw the
sword hope You may not be-but the for
egn policy ~ Grea; Britain until its territory
is consolidated filed up. settled civilized. must
inevitably be policy of peace.
Who doubt that Lord Salisbury has recog-
nlzed clearly this need OF the British Empire
for peace. In all his recent foreign policy-not
only in the abandonment OF the Armcninns ana
In the Cretan hasco, but In the disavowal ~ the
Jameson raid and In yielding to the demands
OF the trucuent old Roer President. as well as
in the demand for the arbitration of the Venez-
uean boundary dispute? The same necessity
stared him IN the face when he surrende red the
policy OF the open trade door and consented to
Russia's occupation Of Port Arthur ard when
he yielded his opposition - the establishment
OF spheres OF influence in China with an acqui-
escencc in Germany's influence IN Shantung.
Mr. Chamberlain doubtless foresees the other
colonizing Powers united against Great Britain
by their almost intolerable envy in the coming
settlement of the dispute with France over the
Niger territories.
Whether the Colonial Secretary's invitation
is 10 an alnaicp 10 preserve the peace which
Lord Rosebcry thought needful or whether
looking 10 that time when Great Britain may
he compelled to draw the sword. is a question
hut tho belligerent tone OF the Birmingham
speech seems to invite to aggressive action
against the worlds ant-British coalition and
for relief from Great Brtain's splendid" but
har pressed isolation
But II hardly needed to he demonstrated that
the British Cabinets rapprochement was not
solely dictated by an awakened sense OF kin
ship between the peoples one hears the con-
tentlon made that that IL no reason why the
United States should decline an alliance which
would be OF mutual benefit. Great Britain Il
Is pointed out. has steadily refused to be q party
to Joint diplomatic pressure this country IN
the interest OF Spain. Is " not probable that
OF European Intervention In behalf OF Spain?
Is there any likelihood that Europe could unite
upon any question OF International policy except
opposition to Great Britain? II Is significant
that the first suggestion from Russian sources
OF anything but the strlctest neutrality between
the United States and Spain comes In a news
paper comment on Mr.. Chamberlain's speech
Perhaps II entered the astute mind OF Mr.
Chamberlain that his ostentatous parade OF
British friendship for the United States would
tend to ALLEVIATE the European governments
from us and encourage some of them to less
strict regard for their neutral obligations thus
increasing to our eyes the value of the proffered
alliance. But the formation Of an alliance to
provide against danger which hnds Its incep.