New-York tribune., 1905-01-29
LONDON NOTES.
sognd NaUal Criticism - French
srf-The Westminster Chanel
London. Januarv 1s


!. not only familiar with all the details OF Ad
,.,ralty routine and the science Of naval archi-
...,ure. but he also knows the Empire and It's
.ourc.s OF strength and weakness His speech
- night at the Eighty Club is the most au-
.,o,tatlve review OF recent naval policy which
=. english taxpayer has received, and II can
=, fal 10 attract much attention abroad. He
s.ras hat the three-power standard could be
,lied tc the British navy In expenditures
,rriug and rev construction. The current
.,-snses OF the Admiralty exceeded by S23-
eaeeo0 those Of France Germany and Russia
s.-.bsued: the permanent force OF The British
~ had been increased from year TO year dur
= ,hs last decade until II was virtually equal
- .he aggregate musters OF officers and men
: ne French, American and German nsvies;
= ,,,e construction account last year was only
ergIO0o0 below that OF The Russian. French
- German neets. The figures were so elo-
-, that Lord Brassey did not need to en-
rhas,ze the moral that reductions OF the cost
:, sss mower might be effected without loss OF
,s,,epcv. The three-nation standard might
-. been practically applied when there were
T--onean coalitions against England IN the
.tgb,eenth century or under the first French
E,,,re. but how anomalous II now sp-
-.,rs az the bacls Of enormous burdens on
t.sr hsf destroyed by the japanese during the
,sst wear, the possibility Of coalition Of Russia.
Germany and France against England might be
dismissed as a vagary OF 6 disordered imagina-
tim: and surely nothing short OF morbid love
~ eiphering can induce the sober minded Britor
n add together the muster rolls OF officers and
men n the American, French and German ma
YES and 70 force an equation upon the Ad-
rsirslty herei AS the American government
never has made European alliance since the
xsrnisg contained n Washington's Farewell
address 81 would seem more profitable for
British statesmen 10 advocate the friendliest
possible relations with the United States. as
Lord B.sssey did not fail &c Co. rather than TO
include the American navy IN fantastic three
newer coalitions against England.
Sir John Fishers scheme for the retirement
Of al Ineffective vessels 10 the list Of the re-
ssve ard for the fun equipment OF the fighting
the Of the navy, Lord Brassey warmly COM
Tsndsd as sound in principle. but he considere1
It possible TO reduce the expenditures for man
nlng he feet when this wastage OF force on
obsoste and condemned vessels should be cut
Of and he looked also for retrenchment in new
obstruction and z longer tenure OF warships
On the effective list When battleships built
twenty wears ago are now condemned as un-
available for the first line il is certainly oppor-
tune for economists 10 rsise the question wheth-
srh Is necessary TO multiply new types before
the problem Of the survival of the lttest has
been worked out satisfactorily. and Lord Bras
ssy viii have practical men on his side when
be shows that the cost OF construction per unit
is greater in England than IN Germany. Italy
or the United States and that government dock
wards lack the driving power and control over
rsv materials possessed by private yards. and
should be reserved for repairs and maintenance
rather than new work Excellent as Lord Sell
borne's administration has been and useful as
s-s the reforms introduced by Sir John Fisher.
one Of the sblest men in the service IT is evil
cent that many economies can be effected with
out loss Of efficiency. especially n the closing
Of dockyards and coaling stations where they
are 10 longer needed. and in the concentration
Of force upon the fighting line. which In an
emergency must strike the decisive blow with
out delay When all thesA minor sources OF
leakage and waste have been stopped no mate
rial retrenchTnent Of expenditures can be car
red out so long as new construction is ordered
on the accepted theory that the British navy
must be equal in every respect 10 the combined
rsyies OF any three powers. whatever may be
The inprobabities Of a coalition against Great
Britain II that standard is to be maintained
a. any cost 10 taxpayers the reformers at the
Admiralty may increase the efficiency OF the
feet. they ere now doing. but retrenchment
VIII be an Hlusive cuckoo song.
LONDON IS favored this winter with exception
SLY good art shows. The Watts exhibition at the
Academy and the International Society's show
At the New Gallery ] have already described in
ostsiL and the Whistler memorial exhibition in
February promises 10 rival them In artistic in
isTestl and meanwhile there is the best collec-
ton OF the French art Of the period which has
been seen here IN many years Messrs. Durand-
Ruel Sons OF Paris. who havaapDened in ths
Grafton Galleries an exhibition of over three
hundred paintings, pastels and drawings know
how 70 arrange and group pictures. and the
works q nine French painters are brought to-
gsther with such consUmn1ate skill and taste
nat the spectator. beguiled by the harmonious
arrangement finds Il difficult 10 believe that
as-g Of these oils and pastels have caused
sa'ie and controversy and divided the art world.
OsGiainly be VIII have no suspicion OF the truth
o. entering the galleries and looking at Boudin's
HA'nes There are nearly forty Of these harbor
s'e coast scenes. all painted with simplicity Of
hoHFe ard effective realism. without a sugges-
ua In suuJect OF treatment that the painter
'a n'ea4dng aEay from recognized convention
eal Hpsetttng current ideas Of the painters
vocation. I; is not until Boudin's fishing boats
-1' Aalling craft, breakers and high tides. fish
A0nsa EDo bathers are left behind and
--Sae1s portraits, subject pieces and landscapes
~ critically examined that the visitor is re-
--laso that he has entered controversial zone.
10 even then he finds himself wondering what
critics were quarrelling over. and surnises
- there would have been less strife II the
.salef had been less sensitive to what was said
@ ,al MS work and not so ready 10 fight duel
az any body who laughed at him for sacrihc-
y oeauty 70 literal truth. There are nineteen
= 'hese Aanets including portraits OF Miss Eva
'-sles. Zachsrie Astrue and PeTtuiset the