The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-29
A BRITISH INTERVIEW.


not only from a moral standpoint. but IN
its commercial significance as well. The
latter Is shown in the great advance IN the
price OF coal, and the situation Is one
which demonstrates what we have pointed
out before, namely. that Great Britain de-
pends upon the other nations Of the world
for her supplies. excepting coal and iron,
and even in these her position is not ad-
vancing as rapidly as that of America
The effect OF this war mas been to bring
clearly home to the minds OF the British
popuiace that they are neither as strong
nor as important as they imagine, and the
comprehension of this fact has produced
Gallo excitability that does not do credit
to the British nation. It savors too much
of panic to see the whole Of London going
mad when an army Of twenty-five thousand
Beers retreats from Pretoria in the face
of a British army nearly ten times as
great. If this heroism and courage, says
Mr. John Jay Chapman, is expended on the
Beers what will Great Britain have left
to do in the matter of bravery and self
sacrifice when she shall find herself at war
Win Russia ana t-d1lCc Gilu ft11iSiiIa.
THE practical question: says Mr. Chap
man, sis not how many guns a nation has,
but who will go 10 war with her? Does
the American want to so to war with
England? That is serious matter. If
You can make them not want to, you are
secure. a war with the United States
would break her down, and a. war between
England would be popular in both coun-
tries the instant it got started Nj.
Chapman goes On to say that "as soon as
England has had time to open her mail
from the East she will find out that Russia
has been doing pretty much whatever she
wanted to in China and Persia The radius
of British influence has in eight months
shrunk eight per cent. 1t will be slow to
exnand again. because it rested upon an
imaginative basis, which has been Destroy
ed For eight months England has had
no hand free, even for a menace. and
meanwhile the famine in India makes its
silent comment on British rule
We have pointed out on several occasions
the fact that Great Britain has not 1T her
command sufficient force in India 10 place
any large force in China, or for that mat
! ter, one comparable to the Russian, Ger
man or japanese army. Nor will Great
Britain be able to hold down The Transvaal
except with an enormous expenditure OF
energy, even after the overt war is closed,
unless she adopts a far different policy
from that now advocated by many of her
o;oIS
Jean De Bloch both have written articles
in the North American Review recently,
saying that the Beers would be obliged to
conquer in the long run because they had
an impresnable country and a more pro-
life race. For our part. we see no ending
for the war except a triumph for the Brit
ish army, but after that comes the need
for broad minded craftsmanship, and at
present it seems as if the British were go
ing to be driven by spirit Of revenge into
forcing such terms on the Beers as will
OF necessity keep alive the bitterness row
existing between the two races.
We of the South know what hard terms
can be made, and yet we were of one ] luod
and one speech. Of the same history and
in a. great measure the same ideals. Ard
yet it took generation to heal a breach
that IS not yet entirely closed. Great
Britain will do we'll to profit by our exam
pie and mean while she does we'll TO de-
sire above all things alliance with
America, extensively and defensively. Such
4 union Will mean that America will help
England with food and fuel in the great
war that will some day be Wased between
the Slay and Saxon. And, as our Interview
points out, the value OF this alliance is
more highly regarded in Briton, where its
need is felt, than in America, where it is
not. Mr.. Gladstone once said: Il hope
that England will never seek to extend the
Empire by either violently Wrestling or
fraudulently obtaining the territory Of
other people" and if the American people
ever become convinced that the war in
South Africa was not actuated by high
and pure motives on the part of Great
Britain, they will be very slow to axten1
cordial hand to their English brothers. As
final comment on this situation, it is
Interesting TO note that the Russian and
German papers are both sneerlng at the
British failure to a make speedy settle
ment in South Africa.
The Novoye Erenya, of st. Petersburg,
and the Tages Zeitung. Of Berlin both
point out the inability Of the British Gov
eminent to supply troops IN sufficient
quantities for the Chinese crisis, and the
former adds: THE impotence OF Great
Britain is getting daily more apparent. and
1t is to be hoped that the Powers vii take
this fact into due consideration. bcth
Russia and Germany are Great Britain S
bitterest enemies. and it was not 10 be eN-
pec,ed that either would offer any cordial
support. The Japan Advertiser, Of 1oko-
homa. takes a very rosy view, and says
| ,ha. there Is no cause for alarm or appre-
hension and that Great Britain was never
| in better condition than Fl present. Japan,
| however, looks to England -tr an Alliance
and support that will give her Corea, and
| so the matter stands. England has wealth
| cred more hard storms han any otter
Power in Europe, but if :he present East