Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-02-06
ABsURDrTY OF WAR TALK.

Mr.. William F. Hick, for tour years
associate editor of the Army and Naval
Journal, who is 10 Lynchburg on a
business mission, gave cut yesterday the
following interview anent the rumor of
war with Japan. He said
can this talk from Washington about
war with Japan you can put down as
mere bosh. My reason for saying this
is found in our naval strength in .he
Philippines. Immediately after the
Oyster Bay naval review on last Lsbor
Day. the four armored cruisers West
Virginia, Colorado, Maryland and Penn
sylvsnla we're ordered to the Philippines
to take the place of the 6attlesbips Ore
gon, Ohio and Wisconsin, which were
ordered home. Those armored rTu sS's
with two mouitors and four prniec'sd
cruisers, represent our entire navel
strength in the Philippines. Before sll
the battleships were ordered home there
was talk of friction with Japao. Now,
why were those bsttleships sent home to
be replaced by four armored cruisers? ?
Why have no battleships been ordered
to the Asiatic station since this trouble
broke out with Japan about the schools
"The answer is very plain. Becauss
there is an understanding between
Washington and London that in case OF
a rupture between this country and ia
pan, England will actively espouse our
cause and lend us the support of her
overwhelming naval strength now in
Asiatic waters. With Englsnd's great
est feet iu Chinese waters and within
easy call, Japan would not dare to fire a
gun.
"Bnt, it is said, England will remain
ueuirsl in case of war. This is absurd.
Blood is thicker than water and the
Anglo Saxon will stand by the Anglo
Saxon. More than thst, England has a
stronger interest than blood in support
ing the United States She holds hun-
dreds OF millions OF our railroad and
other bonds and stocks, and it is the
sheerest nonsense to suppose that Great
Britain would sit by and permit an open
declaration of war that would immediate
ly cause a slump in the market value of
American securities.
"a rupture between Japan and the
United States would result at once in
the breaking of the Auglo-Japsnese al
lance, which is Japan's greatest politi-
cal asset. Japan cannot afford to have
such q thing happen, even if England
I should do the almost impossible thing OF
remaining neutral.
eff the Washington authorities admit
that there is danger of war with Japan,
then they virtually indict the Navy De-
partment of lack Of foresight, even Of
down right stupidity in having only four
cruisers 10 the Philippines with which
to face the present situation. II, how.
ever, they count on the active aid of the
English fleets, there is complete ex-
planatioD of the seeming apathy of the
Navy Department.
American sailors like those on the
battleship Ohio will tell you that it is
commonly understood, taken for grant
ed By the officers and sailors of the EGG
lish wsrships that have visited Manila,
that in case of war they would be fight.
ing on the American side
'In the Spanish war England did
not offer US her Asisiic feet for the very
good reason that Commodore Dewey's
feet oui-classed Montojo's ships at
| Manila, but when the powerful Germans,
with Admiral Diederich's fleet, threat
ened Dewey at Manila, Admiral Cbiches-
ter, of England, let Die1erich under
stand that he would let loose the British
ships if be interiered with Dewey. The
same thing would happen now with
Japan"