The sun., 1902-02-25

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benefit has been conferred upon Brit
lsh commerce by securing to il perma-
nent access to the whole of the Middle
Kingdom. Unquestionably, that is a
gain; but Is IL not gain for which, under
the circumstances. England may have
paid too dearly by definitely blocking
the territorial ambitions OF Russia,
Germany and France in eastern Asia
and compelling them to seek satisfac-
tion for their land hunger In other quar-
ters Of the globe?
What field is there now left for Rus
sian. German and French expansionists?
We have rendered South America taboo
by our assertion of the Monroe Doc
trine. IL we except Morocco, Abys-
sinia, Tripoli, a part Of the Sahara
and Liberia, the whole OF the Dark
Continent has been parttioned among
the Christian Powers Of Europe. So
have New Guinea and the other great
islands of Malaysia. So have the isles
Of the Pacific. Barred permanently
out Of China, as they are by the Anglo
japanese treaty, Russia, Germany and
France can henceforward hope TO ex-
pand only at the expense Of England's
colonial empire. They could divide 1t
among each other with the utmost ease,
II they could master England on the
ocean; and they could shake It to It's
foundations, could they gain command
Of the sea long enough to permit the
transportation Of considerable armies
TO Cape Colony and to Egypt. With a
German foroe at Cape Town and a
French force controlling the Suez Canal,
England would experience great diff
Guilty in sending troops to India, even il
she had any troops to send.
Is triple alliance OF Germany, Russia
and France against Great Britain incon-
ceivable7 There is no proposal that
would be welcomed with so much en-
thusiasm by the masses Of the German
people, and 1t Is certain that England's
friends among Frenohmen and Russians
are few and far between. Could the
three Continental countries named rea-
sonably hope, however, to cope with
England on the ocean, Touching this
pOLIlJ W0 bllOuIu DCttI III tiluJ even
the most sanguine believers in England's
naval strength have never asserted that
1t would prove match for more than
the combined strength of two other
Powers. England might. the optimists
have said, face France and Russia to-
gether. or France and Germany, but
they have never contended that Eng
lands naval power would prove equal
TO that Of France, Russia and Germany
united glance at naval statistics
will show that on paper, at all events,
the three Continental Powers would
be, should they cooperate, decidedly
stronger than Great Britain. Moreover,
the excess of strength is continually
increasing. England is spending this
year about one hundred and fifty mil
lion dollars on her feet. Germany is
spending one hundred and sixty million
dollars, to which must be added the
great sums devoted to a like purpose
by France and Russia. According to
statistics, such a coalition as We have
named ought to be able TO crush England
on the ocean to-day, and it is certain
that the task should prove far easier
a year or two hence.
There is probably some basis for the
made on Tuesday by one of
The SUNS correspondents. that, when
England entered into an alliance with q
Power and took the first
step, and long step, toward blocking
forever the territorial ambitions of Rus
sia. Germany and France in eastern
Asia, she obeyed the counsel Of despair.
There may have been naught else for
her to do, but, in doing it, she may have
taught the three great Continental ,
Powers that there will be no room for
their expansion on the narrow earth,
until England has been swept out of
their path.