Washington sentinel., 1899-11-25
ENGLAND.
The BoER WAR AND THK POWERS.
London Spectator,

Will the Powers attempt to intervene
in our quarrel with the Boers2 That is
a question which is being very widely
asked just now. IF we are to answer 1t
shortly, our answer must be: "No, but
they would very much like to-" But
though we feel little anxiety on the
subject, we are not the least surprised
that the matter is being eagerly dis.
cussed at the present juncture, for there
are plenty of suggestions of foreign
Intervention in the air, To begin with
the foreign press is full of rumOrs as to
mysterious doings in the European
Chancelleries Of exchange of views
between this and that government. and
Of dark sayings by leading diplomat.
lists Indeed, II we are to believe some
OF the continental journalists, England
is on the eve Of coercion by a great coali-
ton, which will act as the combined
Governments of Russia, Germany and
France acted after the war between
China and Japan. We shall be allowed,
that IS, to fight as much as we like with
as we can, but when 1t comes to settling
the final terms we shall be told that the
Powers will not consider it consistent
with their vital interests that we shall
alter the status gHO in South Africa. In
other words, we shal! be warned 10 leave
the republics alone. IN support OF the
view that something of this kind is likely
to occur, aud that the game played SO
successfully against Japan will be tired,
men point TO the great scale on which
our military preparations have been
carried on. and Still more to the TACT
that we are virtually mobilizing our fleet,
or az any rate putting the best part Of it
on war footing, There would not be
all this to do, they say, unless the Gov
ernment knew there was danger OF
foreign complications.
To deal first with the point about the
preparations. We admit that the prep.
aratiOns are Of a kind which would be
excessive il we aud the Beers were the
only Powers IN the world, but at the
same time we do not think that they
must in any sense be taken as sign that
the Government believes that interven-
ton Is likely. Rather we should say that
the attitude of the Government might
be expressed something after this man
ner, "The difference between making
preparations just adequate and pTepara-
tions on the higher scale is not very
great, and therefore 1t is best to do the
thing thoroughly. 1t has besides this
great advantage. Even il we got into
serious trouble IN South Africa we shall
not, if our preparations are thorough,
offer any temptation to foreign Powers
to put unfriendlY pressure upon us. TheV
will now be able to say to their Chauvin-
ists II IS true England is embarrassed,
but then her modified fleet and the
great increase to her land forces make
her stronger than ever. She is mo blized
already, and could, therefore, il threat
ened strike with all her strength tort
night before we could II is clear, then,
that il pays us 10 be ready, although
there IS probably no danger" Who can
doubt that prudent men would argue
something in this way, and agree 10 give
no possible excuse for a ChauvinIst wave
carrying any OF the foreign Powers of
their reetp But though we think tha
our high state of naval efficiency woulC
be sufficient to keep the powers iron
debating terms to us, we hold that ther,
are other reasons even stronger whlcl
will forbid them from entering int
such a scheme. To make It worth whil
Tor them to take hostile action, the
must feel absolutely certain Of beating
us, and beating us, remember, to tn
ground, Il must be a war Of the defend
est CaythGRo kind; tor, needless to say
they would not expect that their de
mands would be acceded to. We ar
not Japan; and after all they do not reall