The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-04
A GLANCE AT BRITAIN THROUGH
SCOTCH EYES.

the world as the great power-commer-
cial, manufacturing and naval? Re-
cen figures and opinions in newspaper
have all looked that way. 1t is admit
ted that'the British percentage in ships
grows less. for Germany, Russia n
h United States are increasing their
navies more rapidly. In 1895, the tom
nage was 5000 tons less han it was in
1856. Germany has grown from 1,5OO,-
900 tons to 1000, 900 tons in ironmaking
while Britain stood still. her highest
being 100000 tons against 10. 500, 900
tons for the United States in 1900. In
steel our country made last year TO-
$3.50 coo tons, against 5000, 900 for Bri-
tain. Britain exporting less and i'm
porting more. In 1899 it imported 80
millions of sterling. an increase of 5
millions while it exported 102 millions
against log millions in 1891. In finance.
Britain is also falling off. Mr.. Andrew
Carnegie. the multi-millionaire Scots,
man, in an instructive paper in the
English Nineteenth Century and After.
says Of Britain, that eve spend in two
years as much upon what was ex-
rected to be a mere parade as the re-
auctions made in the national debt for
fifty years; and the war is still costing
one M one-half million sterling per
week., soon to be increased by new
levies at increased pay. We have just
added IL millions per year to our taxes
when America, by a singular coinci-
dence, has just reduced taxes by that
amount. Britain thus handicapped
more. n our rival'sweight lessened
for the industrial race"
He says that New York population
Increased in the last decade 50 per cent.
while London's only increased 7 per
cent. But we are persuaded from sta
tistics that hat is an error. London's
reputation is about $500. 900. or 1000. 900
more than he gives 1t. In five years
exports of manufactured goods from
the United States have trebled British
manufactures AVE not increased,
while it's imports have increased 90
millions of pounds.
Captain Lee. of the British army,
writes that the American recruits ARE
UNNECESSARILY superior to our ordinary
AAN5. lie says " 4 LdISuOWI w
found $4,000 of recruits unfit.
Mr.. Carnegie makes a correction
that may surprise Americans of the
boastful kind. He sa~ that the wealth
of man for man in the United States
does not approach Great Britain.
With nearly double the population it
has only one-fffth more wealth in the
aggregate. No other nation is in the
race for primacy with Britain, even
in aggregate wealth. Not much cause
for pessimism here, lurely."
Britain has suffered in loss of credit,
and he holds that this is serious" It
is expanding "four times more than its
increase of While taxes for
five years have yielded but Is millions
of pounds increase. the expenditures
have been no less than % millions ster-
ling each year. Britain is paying the
penalty of all aggressive nations who
eovet the earth. Vast outlying possess
lions must necessarily cause great ex-
penditures, and great expenditures
bring inevitably upon the people much
higher taxes. Mr.. Carnegie is a can
ME Scotchman," and he sees precisely
where the financial shoe pinches. He
says with sagacity tht British
people will soon be compelled to change
the policy of seeking increased respon-
sibilities throughout the world. of pro-
voking wars, and a-ntogonizing not only
the governments. but-a new and por-
tentous fact-the peoples of other coun-
tries, a policy which inevitably de-
mands the increased expenditures
which nave already lost for Britain her
proud boast of supremacy in credit
a loss of genuine prestige"
Great Britain is yet a very rich, pow
erful nation. but it has taken upon its
broad back much more than it can
bear. The price of Its consol (bonds)
has~been greatly affected. They were
selling over 100. and now fetch but 80
Hereafter, the great national debt has
been a source of strength whereas now
it is g. source of danger. Formerly
w~ell-to-do British people hurried to in
vest in consols at 8 or 4 per cent. They
knew they were the Safest of all bonds
n would be good as long as the Brit
ish Kingdom survived. But when they
decline five or eight per cent. it be-
gins to look rather shaky. Too many
wars, too much conauering, too great
expenditures are bringing about the
natural fruit to be looked for.
The British foreign trade, Mr.. Car
negie insists, is not really declining,
and his figures hardly sustain the con
tention it approves. His language is
this:
"Exports are one branch. imports an
other; the former has decreased per
capita. and the latter increased. The
two combined show that British for
eign trade is not declining. From 1889
ssS, ten years, exports per head declin-
ed from 81 lbs. lid. to 81. les. I'd, and
imports increased from Ill. los. Id. to Ill
las. Id. These were mostly years Of
low prices; quantities did not decrease