The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-26
Divers Views OF an AngiO-rrahco'
American Understanding.

a cordial Understanding Wlhcn shou'u
contemplate cooperation in certain con.
tingenoies on the part of the United
States, Great Britain and France has
. been received with considerable salts
faction by some French and British
newspapers and has been deemed
worthy of discussion by some OF our es-
teemed contemporaries on this side OF
the Atlantic. There are obvious rea-
sons why it should be welcomed less
promptly and effusively in our own
country, which has not yet entirely adj
justed or, as the French say, oriented
itself to the new international relations
to which our growth in wealth and
population and our acquisition OF trans
marine dependencies are irresistibly
impelling us.
II narrow and selfish interests are
chiefly to be considered it may be
admitted that England would at first
sight have most to gain by the sug-
gested combination. By Britons them
selves it ia cknowledged that for their
island kingdom absolute mastery Of
the sea is the sole palladium Of safety
In no other way could such mastery be
80 impregnably established as through
the formation of an intimate friendship
with France and the United States.
With such an invincible armada as those
three Powers could put upon the ocean
it would be impossible, now or ever, for
the rest of the world to cope. The mere
knowledge that the three Powers named
would act together for reciprocal de-
tense, as well as for the furtherance of
far reaching philanthropic purposes,
would suffice to. discourage all other
countries from progressive outlay on
their fleets and thus effectually stop
the tendency on the part of the League
Of Friendship also to ruinous expendi-
ture on naval ornaments. Many war
ships England must doubtless have, if
only for the protection of her globe en-
circling commerce, until the millennium
is much nearer than it is now, but she
would naturally like to perform the po-
Icing of the seas as cheaply as possible.
A reasonable limit to her naval dis
bunements could soon be fixed if she
were able to rely in time of need on the
assistance OF the French and American
navies. 1t is not only the fear Of an in
vasion that Englishmen desire to see
dispelled, but also the dread lest the
regular conveyance Of their food sup
plies from transmarine purveyors should
be interrupted even temporarily. They
would cease to be haunted by either of
those misgivings were the species Of
moral coalition which has been mooted
TO be brought about.
Next to England, it must be owned
that France would derive directly most
advantage from the triune understand
ing proposed. She would thenceforth
have the assurance that under no cir
cumstances could she be deprived of
her colonies in Algeria, central Africa
and Indo-China, in which she has in
vested vast amounts Of capital and
from which she hopes for adequate re-
turns. Nor IL that the only benefit that
would accrue to Frenchmen from an
Anglo Franco-American understanding.
The wealth Of France, great as it is, is
materially less than that of Great Brit
ain and still more inferior to that Of the
United States. By league of friend
ship with the two countries which alone
are richer than herself she would secure
for her own Government ard withhold
from her enemies access to at least
three-fourths Of the worlds accumu-
lated treasure. The knowledge that
France in an emergency could depend
upon being backed by the omnipotence
Of the purse would safeguard her against
aggression on the part of Germany or
any other Power and knit indssolubly
the ties Of interest by which Russia is
already bound to her The truth of
course is that, in view of the appalling
cost Of modern warfare, all talk Of
quarrel with any member of the sug-
gested triple combination would have
to be renounced at Berlin at Toxic and
At St. Petersburg. Everywhere peace
would necessarily prevail, simply be-
cause the sinews of war would thence
forth be unattainable.
In such contamination will be recog-
nized, soon or late, the principal ground
on which an Anglo-Franoo-American
understanding may commend itself to
our own people. There are among us
q few conservatives who would rather
have US abandon the Philippines, Hawaii,
Porto REQ and the Panama Canal strip
than see us impelled by exigencies insep-
arabic from transmarine dependencies
to put aside, the prudent maxims of
aloofness and isolation by which our
republic In the days of its infancy and
!eebleness was guided. There are
others who would look on such course
as entirely unworthy Of high hearted
and puissant people, as pusillanimous
avoidance Of responsibilities and oppor-
tunities, but who hold that any definite
and lasting understanding with foreign
Powers would be superfuous; that
sufficient unto the day is the trouble
thereof, and that II at any time our
Possessions were put in jeopardy II would
be easy for us, should our own strength
seem inadequate, 10 find an efficient ally