New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-24
ERENCH NIIlL PLiNS.

Radical though II j.. Socialist though its crit
les call it in lis tendencies. the new French Cab
met is asSuredly committed 10 the non Radical
and anti Socialist principle Of naval expansion.
rhn, was evident the moment NJ Lockroy n"-
ccptcd the naval portfolio. That stern old Gar
ibaldlan Red Shirt Of Marsaa believes in Il
great navy. His experience with TIL" Thousand
gave him that belief. and his many long visits
to Hugo at Guernsey confirmed him IN It,
Years ago he fought the battle for the navy
with NJ Rouvicr The latter contcndcd that
France must choose between army and navy.
She could have either She could not have botlL
NJ. Lockroy contcndcd that she could and should
have both. and, moreover that she must have
both If either was to be of the highest ELI
cheney an opinion in which he was exactly
right To-day he proposes to carry his IDEAS
into practical effect.
At present he is deyoting his attention 10
naval bases more than 10 ships. He has learned
lesson from the United States. He has no
ticcd how this country built ships in advance of
docks In which 10 repair them when necessary
and "A navy in advance of acquiring cOalng sta
lions for IT, He does not mean that France
shall make such n bundcr while he is In the
Navy Office. Or, if such Il bundcr has been
made, he means that II shall be corrected right
away. He has asccriaincd that some S2Oo.OOO
n year. appropriated for colonial coast defence
has been used for road building, and insists
that II shall hcnccforth be used for the purpose
for which 1t Is designed. Good roads are well,
but in his opinion secure coasts are more i'm
portant. Then he wants SSOO0OoO more for the
Improvement OF coaling stations and the acqui-
sitOn Of new ones.
He declares that at present the colonies Of
France are ms open TO attack as those of Spain
were ut the beginning OF this war. Two of the
most important coming stations are Dakar and
Martinique. These two at opposite sides of the
Atlantic at It's narrowcst part. are Of incstina-
BILE strategic importance. Properly fortified and
made the bases for fleets, they would. NJ. Lock
roy thinks, command the passage from the
North TO the South Atlantic. interceptlng some
OF the most important trade routes. II the Sucz
Canal were closed as ii is hkcy to be- in any
great war in which France is engaged. the eff
fectve possession OF these places would he of
iDestlmable value. Yet to-day any one with
thrd-class gunboat could seize Dakar and Fort
de France. while fairly strong AT. the Scaward
side IL utterly indcfensbe al the andward
side against an expedition sent from Santa
Lucia 10 the other side Of the island and thence
overland Another thing Of which VI. Lockroy
complains Is that France has not "A satisfactory
port on The North African coast between the
Strait of Gibraltar and Bzcrta although the
bulk of that coast Is hers and is the front Of
her most extensive colonial domain There Is
not well-fortfed port III Corsica. Diego
Sunrcz Is undefended though II has ihr natural
markings Of n Gibraltar. And there are other
places elsewhere that need forlihcations
To such an imperial scheme NJ. Iockroy gives
himself. aud carries the Cabinet with him.
Whit the Chnmber will think of it Is another
matter 1t Is supposed 10 De- under Radical con
troll. and Radicals are on principle opposed 10
imperialism. But If n Radical Cabinet such "a
the present demands an imperial programme to
be fulfilled? We shall see. At present IL u not