New-York tribune., 1908-02-10
THE MAINTENANCE OF EMPIRE.

The rethrashing of old straw is Il common
enough practice in both public and private life
though it is seldom profitable or edfying.
especially when the original thrashing and
winnowlng We're as thorough they were at
The Hague last year and concerning the con
ference there throughout the world. Yet we
must make notable exception TO this rule as
now and then We must TO many another rule
The process was resorted TO last week in the
British House of Commons, probably for
chiefly partisan purposes. Its result was TO
call forth from the Secretary for Foreign At
fairs speech more weghty and impressive
than even his usually are. The government
had been subjected to criticism for having op-
posed, and thus having compassed the defeat,
of the proposal TO exempt private property at
sea from capture in war. the same as similar
property on land. and Sir Edward Grey spoke
in vindicaton of the governments course
1t is assumed that the opposition hoped by
raising this controversy to develop a certain
rift within the governmental lutte and to get
the Foreign Secretary TO express some dis
sent from the policy of his colleagues concern
ing naval expansion. With that phase of the
incident we need not occupy our attention; it
is a matter of British domestic policy. Neither
would It be pertinent or profitable to split
dialectc hairs over Sir Edward Grey's logic
His view is that the exemption Of private prop
erty at sea might and probably would operate
10 the disadvantage Of Great Britain or to the
advantage of her foes in case a naval war
went against her; or that It might increase the
danger of q war going against her. 1t is,
of course. conceivable that such would be the
case and there can be little dispute that if
there were prospect of its being the case the
British government would be fully justified IN
Withholding its assent from the proposal in
question. On the other hand, many will argue
that it would be to Great Brtain'S advantage
TO have her vast mercantile marine, and
especially her food carrying fleets, exempted
from capture, and thus not in danger of deten-
tion or in need Of protection. But that too,
is matter for Great Britain to determine for
herself.
What Sir Edward Grey made plain as the
chief burden of his earnest remarks and what
h0 himself doubtless considered of chief inn
portance. was the fact which Tennyson made
the keynote of one Of the most spirited political
lyrics of his later years, that 1.-The feet of Eng
land is her all in all" That should be entirely
obvious without Il word of any statesman's
oratory but il is so essential and preponderant
a fact as TO deserve the reiterated emphasis of
the most authoritative. 1t is her command of
the sea which gives Great Britain security. The
fact was appreciated in brakes day and in
Nelson's, and that is why Trafalgar is esteemed
above Blepheim or Waterloo. That command
once lost, no immunity of private commerce
could save the kingdom from invasion and
from danger of conquest That is the consid
Grafton which makes thoughtful statesmen like
Sir Edward Grey Insist that, whatever else is
done or is left undone, the British feet shall
be made and kept strong enough TO hold the
sea against any hostile combination that may
be formed.
That doctrine, too. is Of chief interest to
connection with it the speaker gave uterance
TO another thought which is to be commended
TO the mind of every nation of large and widely
distributed interests That is, that the nations
greatness imposes upon the government obli-
cations and responsibilities commensurate with
that greatness, for its Safeguarding and unim-
paired transmission TO succeeding time: and