The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-11
What Could an Anti-British COali-
tiOu DOc

Notwithstanding the outcry in Germany
against the seizure OF the Bundesrath and
the Herzog and the searching OF another
German vessel at Alden, We find 1t hard to
Lelieve that Kaiser WILHELM II. will de-
part from the position OF neutrality which
he has deliberately adopted. Suppose,
however, for the sake Of argument, that he
were driven by popular clamor into an
alliance with France and Russia, what
could such a combination accomplish
against Great Britain:
On paper, the three great Continental
powers possess a larger number OF battle
ships than does Great Britain, but they are
not ready for action. a. most Of England'S
are, and NJ LOCKROI, the eX-Minister Of
Marine. haslately admitted that the French
vessels at all events could not be made
ready in time for effective cooperation. We
may, probably, take for granted, therefore,
that England's fleet would prove in
vincible, SO far as naval operations
ON a large scale are concerned. Ii seems
equally certain that England's CARRYING
trade would be seriously INSTRUCTED by hos
tile commerce d~cStroyers. and that, for her
food supplies, she would have to rely
mainly upon neutral vessels. and. cspc-
cially, on those flying the United States flag.
The anti-Brltish coalition would. of course,
desire to treat food as rontraband Of war.
and would contend that England has her
self furnished the precedent for such treat
mcnt by Selling American -four in a neutral
Dutch vessel bound for a neutral Portu-
guese port. II would he argued that, u
tOrtiOri, -four should lie sei1able in transit
under a neutral flag to an enemy port.
The United States. however, would not
he bound by an unfortunate British prec-
pdcnt, provided Our Government should
have protested against the principle
That food is contraband Of war, "a also
against the theory that adequate compensa-
tion for seizure may be deferred until after
war is over. II W now take, promptly and
firmly, a sound position in relation to these
questions we should b" qualified to demand
that our neutral rights should he respected
by an anti-British coalition, and respected
they undoubtedly would he. lest we should
be driven 10 uphold them by cooperation
with England. Under such circumstances.
tho practical effect u a prolonged contest
between England and a Continental alliance
would be, 50 far ~ ocean Is con-
cerned, to reverse the consequences Of our
(iv,l War, and place the greater part of Eng
lands carrying trade under the Stars and
Stripes.
On the other hand, il is probable that
Germany would lose not only the whole Of
her ocean commerce. but also all of her
t~ransmarine acquisitions. The same fate
would b"fall the French export and import
trade, and all Of the French insular POSSESS
sions, with the poSsihl" exception of NADIA.
Gascar, France, however, would be in r
better defensive position than Germany,
because n large part Of her colonial empire
- continental, and shielded from invasion.
and England has no land force avail
able for tn" conquest of Algeria, Tunis.
West Africa, siam aud Tonquin. The loss,
however, of the French West Indies md 81
the islands in other parts Of the globe, upon
which France has relied for coaling stations,
would be n sufficiently grave disaster,
while the virtual humiliation Of the French
and German merchant navics, which have
been iostcred by subsidies, would be an
economic catastrophe.
How could the allies strike back at Eng
land We do not believe that they would
attempt TO deal a blow at her commercial
interests in China by further and sweep
ing mut'lation Of the Middle Kingdom, for,
by such an act. they would he likely 10 arouse
the enmity Of the United States, a thing
which they must wish to avoid. There are
two points, however, in which Eng and ia
vulnerable, and at which she might be-
nssailed without ailordlng any pretcxt for
American intervention. We rrfer, ofcourse.
to Egypt and India, both Of which coun-
tries may be reached by land. An anti
British coalition could undoubtedly count
upon the subseryience Of Turkey, and n
branco-German force could be despatched