The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-04-30
tions between the United States and GER
tain GREAT Euronpan nnrtS


tain great European ports
! have seen VI. Lockroy, formerly
French Minister of Marine, and this is
what he says :-''The conflict about to
take place is calculated to cause us all
much consideration and even anxiety. [
don agree with those who believe or af-
feet 10 believe and who state in the news
papers that the game may be played out
in few weeks when once hostilities have
begun. Assuredly no man Of sense can
contest the overwhelming superiority of the
material resources Of the United States,
with its population four times as large as
that OF Spain; its enormous wealth, with
taxable resources hitherto almost untouch-
ed, with a merchant navy capable of fur
nisbing the elements Of powerful war
feet, and with a State militia which proved
during the war of secession that it could
easily be transformed into an admirable
army.
SPAIN NOT TO BE DESPISED.
The United States has many elements
of success, but one must not lose sight Of
the defensive resources of Spain, of her
few vulnerable points, Of her legendary
tenacity, her better organized, better
equipped and better trained army and navy;
also her special qualifications for a guerilla
warfare, i'll which she has always been
successful on land, and which she will
naturally try to carry on at sea, and which
may be indefinitely prolonged.
DO you then consider that privateer-
ing can be carried on without the interven-
ton of the neutral Powers. or that they
would submit to the Inconvenience in
VOWED in the right of search 2
Il believe that the question is extreme
ly complicated, and | consider that some
understanding should be come to, but [
don't see how Spain can be prevented
from using her best, if not only means of
defence without acting toward her with a
partiality equivalent almost TO forcible in
tery ention and to her detriment. Besides,
what steps can be taken? Can one go so far
as to consider as Il casus belli, or at least,
an act emitting third party to heavy in
demnity the fact Of having subjected to
search Il vessel hosting a neutral flag :?
By virtue Of the convention Of 1886. to
which neither Spain nor the United States
assented, this is hardly probable. More
over it would be interesting to see what
would become of the convention itself in
the event of war between two European
Powers. In fact. England is the only
nation whose interest it is to maintain the
convention. for with her thirty six theus-
and merchant ships, twenty thousand of
which belong to London, she would run
the risk Of starvation whenever they were
confined to ports by the menace Of priya-
tecrs belonging to Power, even enc in
capable of resisting British feet in line
Of battle, This has already narrowly
missed happening. 1t any rate, the effect
of the menace could have been estimated
by the formidable rise in the rate of marine
insurance in London when Russia prepared
to arm her fleet at the moment when Il
dispute threatened over the construction OF
the Afghanistan Railway. "What do
you think is the feeling Of England i'll re-
gard to the United States war
ENGLAND AMERICAS 5 NATURAL ALLY.
4 think that England, who is always
practical and quick to profit by the mis-
fortunes of others. will eagerly turn to ac-
count the closing OF the markets against
the United States in consequence oi the
war. but it is none the less true that the
similarity of interests and atfinities OF race
will be likely to make England hold back
from the European concert, as she clearly
manifested her intention Of doing when
the question of common diplomatic action
was raised few days ago.
Don you consider the new tenden-
cies danger to general peace?
AT any rate, they are matter fol
serious consideration. Apart from the
war itself and its varying phases, the con-
fict seems certain to develop diplomatic
questions of the highest interest to the
Powers of the Old World. Apart from
the fundamental princip les Of the treaty
OF Paris, such as the protection Of the in
! terests of neutrals, the definition of con
traband of war and the maintenance Of al
effective blockade, diplomacy will be con
fronted with series of problems, the So
| luton of which will demand the exercise
Of the greatest care on the part Of all.
hope that both in the present and in the
future diplomatists will prove equal to the
task. In the present state Of affairs this
! i the hest hone [ can venture To firm