The sun., 1903-07-19

When all these facts are considered. Mar.
Doyle finds 1t not surprising that Great
Britain found IL impossible TO overcome the
resistance OF America. She could not
make head against the greater part OF
Europe combined against her In active
or passive hostility. Mr.. Doyle comedies.
| however--this is much for an Englsh his
torlan to concede--that. apart from all
military difficulties, one may doubt whether,
even II the British arms had been success
Iul, there were not political hinderances 10
enective and permanent control Of the colo"
MES more inseparable still. For awhile.
AT least. government would have had TO
take the form OF armed occupation, and II
IN not likely that armed occupation would
ever have passed into a peaceful civil
administration Loyalty accepted by the
| oolonists."
! The chapter on the War OF lsl2-i5 10
penned, az we have said by Mr.. II. w.
Wilson OF Trinity College, Oxford. He
holds that Great Britain was anxious 10
avoid the conflict. In despatch TO Sir
g. Provost, the Governor OF British North
America In 1912. the British Ministry avowed
| its desire to preserve peace with the United
States and to pursue uninterruptedly,
with the whole available force Of the nation.
the far greater interests At stake in the
war with Napoleon. On the other hand,
| TO withdraw the Orders In Council and TO
abandon the right OF search, would have
been to surrender two weapons almost
Indispensable for the successful prosecu-
tion Of the struggle. Nevertheless, on June
23, 1872, five days after the declaration
Of war by the United States, the British
Government did revoke the Orders In
Council; but the news, which did not reach
America for some weeks, arrived too late
to avert hostilities. Mr.. Wilson opines
that, with able management, II IL just possi-
bic that war with the United States might
have been averted; but on neither side
was the diplomacy able, and. in spite Of
their wish to avoid war, the British Ministers
were swept into 1t. This result caused
very grave embarrassment to England.
Mr. Wilson adds: But for the disasters
Of the Russian campaign. followed by the
crushing defeat at Lsipzig, the War Of
1912 might have rung the knell OF freedom
In Europe for generation. The winter
Of the year 1928 was the crisis Of the
gigantic conflict; and tho feeling that at
such q moment they were being assailed
by their own kindred undoubtedly accounts
for the peculiar bitterness which the British
displayed toward the Americans in this
war" This, and the fact that, in April,
1918, the Americans having taken York,
now known as Toronto, burnt the Parlia-
ment House in that town, are the only
excuses that can be offered for the acts of
vandalism committed by the British cap
tors OF Washington, acts presenting a
painful contrast to Wellington's chivalrour
| refusal to permit the PrussianB when
Paris was occupied by the Allies, to blow
up the Pont dIena. After noting that
General Ross entered Washington on Aug
cult to approve the acts which followed
though they wore afterwsrd justified
as retaliation for the destruction Of Cana.
dian private property, and were within
the strict letter OF the laws OF war as in
terpreted at the time" The public build
ings, including the Capitol and the Presi.
dent 9 house, and one or two private houses
we're burned and quantity of stores
destroyed. Having done all possible DAM
age, the British force withdrew.
Referring to the victories gained by
American war vessels in duels at sea-
there were, OF course, no engagements
between neets-Mr. Wilson repeats the
stereotyped apology for British defeats
"The tAmericanl frigates were OF the
largest size, with batteries superior TO
those on board British ships OF their own
class, and with much stronger hulls. For
this state OF affairs British officers were
to blame. Captains of the Royal Navy
had inspected one OF the American frigat es
in British harbor, and reported to the
Admiralty that she did not differ In any
essential from British frigate, thus failing
to grasp the preponderance in the vital
elements OF naval force which che pos
sessed Yet, after two or three actions,
we And the British Navy protesting that
American frigatea were really ships Of
the-line in disguise"
Eventually, the British Admiralty issued
an order directing captains not to engage
American ships Of superior force. MIR
Of the United States were giving 40 good
an account OF themselves, this depredations
committed by American privateers on
British shipping were producing state OF
evaporation among British traders. mo
less than 500 British merchantmen were
posted in Lloyd's list as having been capt
ured during the seven months Of war
from October, 1912, to May, 1919" During
the last named year the effects Of Ameri-
can depredations ON British commerce
were painfully felt In the United Kingdom
American cruisers of all kinds appeared in
British waters, and rendered even transit
TO Ireland unsafe. In fact, "whie British
ships were blockading the coasts OF the
United States, something approaching a
blockade Of the British Isles had been
established by those audacious antagonists
using the French ports as their bases. The
Admiralty appeared to be quite unable to
expel the intruders and the force OF British
cruisers In home waters was much below
strategical requirements. Premiums OF
13 per cent. were paid for the insurance OF
British ships, even on the Irish Sea: the
rate on vessels trading to America increased
by 80 per cent. To be safe it was necessary
to sail under convoy. Lumber and cotton
articles, for which the British consumer
depended mainly on the American pro-
ciucer, rose to enormous prices"
Mr. Wilson acknowledges that on the
British side the war was conducted with
no great capacity, though no doubt this
was due in part TO the fact that attention
was fxed upon the continent OF Europe,
even after Napoleon's fall. -Twice at least
great advantages were thrown away by
armistices with the object OF patching up
peace The navy was not skilfully en-
ployed; and the failure to provide for the
security OF the Irish Sea and the English
Channel was inexcusable. The Importance
of obtaining and holding the command OF
the Great Lakes was not perceivedi and
when the close of the war with France
placed at the disposal Of the Government
the pick OF Wellington's army, this force
was not used to the best advantage. The
raid on Washington exasperated America
the great force assembled in Canada during