Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13

u
Grey. minister of foreign affairs Of Great
Britain. on the subject of
Stirring Ensland's foreign policy
sr..oh.. and the speech Of Lord
Roberts in the house of
lords and also before the National Service
League on the invasion of England. pub
lie sentiment in England and on the con-
tinent is very much stirred.
Lord Roberts speech has been accentu-
ated by a speech at Dover. reported as
"sensationaP' in recent dispatches, by Ad-
miral Finnis, who, abiding to the dense
fogs which have reigned in the North
sea Of late, affirmed that a hostile army
Of 10000 men could easily have disem-
barked under such cover on the Scottish
coasts. Admiral Finnis declared that be-
cause Of the manifest possibility of such
an operation England should be provided
with powerful army. In the opinion of
that officer such an army should be COM
posed of men from eighteen to twenty
five years and bound to serve for not
less than two years.
Lord Roberts speech in the house of
lords Is all the more important because
Of the following resolution. which was
passed by majority of forty-two votes:
HdL III the opinion Oh tHiS IouSc thc
defense of these islands neceSSitateS the
Immediate attention of his majesty's gov
eminent to the provision Gh addition to q
powerful navy of an army so strong IN
numbers and so efficient in quality that
the most formidable of foreign nations
would hesitate to attempt landing on
these shores
And Lord Roberts appended to the fore
going that in view of the altered strategic
conditions in the North sea the govern
ment following the precedent set by MI.
BalfOur in 1905, should make statement
on the invasion problem, stating definite
ly its conclusions as to the recent inquiry
made and reported by the imperial de-
Tense committee.
Lord Roberts. in defense of his resolu-
ton, said that the present situation Of
England in case Of a war
Eear1ul with Germany would be
e;4r,,4;. fearful III you are
ready to ignore" he said,
that England's naval supremacy is
being disputed, to neglect to do all In
your power to get this country placed
in such state of defense as would
make even the. most powerful foreign
nation hesitate to attack it, / canOt help
feeling that terrible awakening may be
In store for us at no very distant period
The conclusions of the committee on
imperial defense cited by Mr.. Balfour in
speech in the house of commons May
IL, 1905, We're based on data furnished
by the admiralty with reference to France.
because. he said, lit is the great nation
which is nearest to US and from which
invasion would be the most easy.
Lord Roberts declared that while this
data may have been correct as to France
9 n
In 1908 Germany possessed vessels
available at all times in their northern
ports as result Of their new service
law" and capable Of transporting 100000
men. Germany also possessed railroad
facilities for bringing to her several ports
such number and Of embarking them
in much shorter time than that stated
as to France. In other words. said Lord
Roberts, with the various mechanical
appliances which now exist the disembar-
kation of German troops could be carried
out far more expeditiously than had been
thought possible in the case Of French
troops. His researches had proved that a
force OF 10000 Germans could be trans
ported In the same number of vessels that
Mr.. Balfour had been Informed would be
needed for half that number OF French
soldiers, and that the embarkation and
Decentralization would occupy much
shorter period than was supposed to be
necessary for the smaller force.
The distance was greater from Germany
to England than from France to England,
but German ports were
Comparative really nearer to the Brit
r;.4. ish east coast. places
which would be more
likely to be selected for the disembarka-
ton of an invading army. Besides the
German base was, in fact, double base
because it included both the North sea
and the Baltic. connected by the Kaiser
Wilhelm canal.
A German invasion would be always in
the nature Of a surprise and when as at
present England was totally unprepared
for 1t. The German government Is me-
thodicaI it controls telegraphs, railways,
ports and the press so absolutely that 1t
would be impossible to ascertain what
was occurring.
And Lord Roberts reinforced this argu-
ment by the statement that there were
at this moment in the United Kingdom
1000 German trained soldiers. who were
employed in English hotels and railway
stations as servants. II a German
force said the speaker. got into Eng
land it would have the advantage of help
and reinforcement such as no other army
or. foreign soil had ever before enjoyed"
- Is possible that Germany did not have
such a considerable force likewise en-
ployed in France Immediately prior to the
Franco-Prussian war. Fancy the adj
ministration Of such an army of spies
and the manipulation Of the consequent
correspondence! Fancy, also, the cost of
such an administration.
Lord Roberts groups his arguments
under two heads. First the invading ma
tion need not be the mis-
Roberts tress of the sea, but have
Areum.r+ only temporary control
He cites from the text
book 1.-The Duties og the General Staff"
by Gen. Bronsart Won Schillendorf, who
writes:
''The advantages Of gaining the COM
mand of the sea, at least for a time, and
thereby making possible the transport of
troops by sea may Justify the loss Of
our own fleet"
These words conveyed lesson and a
warning which Lord Roberts hoped the
country would take to heart. The second
head was the temptation, despite strong
navy, to Invade an enemy having no
army. To maintain itself against 10000
highly trained continental soldiers, the
citizen army must be composed of a
million men,
And Lord Roberts then represented the ac-
tual situation thus: The strength Of the ter
ritorial force. say. 100000: the strength Of
the special reserve, 10000; the net surplus
of regulars, $4,000: total available for
home defense. 1853 600; sick, absent and
unframed recruits, 113 900: leaving avail
able 240, COO For arsenals. garriSonS and
naval bases. 100000. leaving for actual
home defense 10000.