The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-07-26

There 10 no doubt that In proportion TO hsr
merchant chipping and 10 her coast line
Germany 10 putting far more energy into
the expansion OF her war feet than Is Great
Britain. Hitherto the German navy has
been looked upon In England from TIVE
points OF view. On the ode side is the view
point OF the party OF naval reduotionists,
who systematically belittle the strength OF
Germany at sea, With the object Of. securing
some diminution in the British navy. The
policy OF the other party in England is to
e~xagRerate the strength OF the German
feet and to belittle the strength OF Britain's.
This party has been labelled the "blus
Funk school, but Mr.. Hislam holds that
II it be q sign OF blue funk to aspire TO a
position OF unassailable superiority at sea
or to agitate for such strength as shall en-
able Britain to meet any possible enemy in
overwhelming numbers. then surely every
British statesman and every British seaman
ought to be q "blue funker."' For II the
former were content with a doubtful SUI
periority at sea he would be no statesman,
and II the latter did not strain his every
nerve to bring a crushing weight OF numbers
tdbear on his enemy he would be no strate.
giat. Our author complains that as a mat
Ter OF fact the Lords Of the Treasury. who
are the final official arbiters OF Britain's
naval policy. are neither Statesmen nor
strategists, put simply bookkeepers, and
the British navy suffers In consequence.
! MrsHislam has endeavpred In the book
before us to steer between these two schools
Of thought. being actuated by the con-
victfon that the rise of German sea power
IL a factor in international politics which
England can neither with safety ignore
nor with dignity overrate. but that 1t would
be better to sacrifice dignity than safety.
At the same time Mr.. Hislam fully recog-
nizes that the naval rivalry Of Great Brit
ain and Germany. II 1t Ii allowed to con-
tinue on its present lines. will go far to
impoverish both nations INC may even
lead in one or both cases to something
approaching national bankruptcy before
the test Of superiority 10 made. The fact
is recalled that in 1884 England and Ger
many combined were only spending f1s.-
7s2, ass on naval ornaments. whereas in
1905 the total has risen to e4o. 200. 800; and
IL the proportions Of last year are main
tanned the figure will stand in 1911 at a75.-
600, 600, for Great Britain will then be SPEND
ing no less than esq. ooo, 900 aiyear on her
feet.
Our author Is alive to the impossibility
of looking forward with equanimity to such
a state Of things, yet he can see but three
ways In which escape from 1t might be
compassed. The first way would be the
accordance Of an international agree
ment for the limitation Of ornaments.
but such an agreement has already been
twice attempted and discredited, The SEQ
ond way was indicated by Herr Bebel.
leader OF the German Socialists, In a de-
on tho navy act amendment bill Of
1907. Herr Bebel pointed out that Eng
land might do. to Germany what she
did to Denmark in the war against
Napoleon; she might annihilate the German
navy before it should have attained sech
a strength as seriously to threaten Eng
lands maritime position. This WOULD be
of course q drastic remedy. and our au-
thor admits that few Englishmen would
care to see It put into execution. A third
road out Of the morass would be to fight
Germany's naval ambitions by a reform
Of the British tariff, by which Is meant q re-
turn to the policy Of protection. Nothing,
he says, is moro abjectly feared In the
Fatherland than that Great Britain. by
the imposition Of a tariff on manufactured
imports into the United Kingdom. will pat
a check upon h marvellous commercial
development which alone renders Germany
capable Of improving or even Of maintain.
ing her present status among naval Powers.
Our author does not presume in the pages
Of the present work to discuss the details OF
a tariff aimed against Germany. but hei
insists that Englishmen cannot afford to
ignore any weapon that will assist them in
keeping the command OF the sea. That
the continuance OF the present system OF
free imports into England 10 vital to Ger
man ambitions is a fact which Is keenly
realized in Germany but which has scarcely
received O proper share OF attention in
Great Britain. Mr.. Hislam sees clearly
enough that the substitution ora protec-
tive tariff for free trade in the British Isles
would lead 10 international complications
and possibly to a conflict. but a. he believes
that the conflict must come soon or late
he thinks that the sooner 1t comes the
shorter and less costly it win be. The only
other road-and 1t 10 n that leads not out
Of the mofass but moro deeply into it's
for England to 60 on building ships and
adding millions OF pounds sterling to her
annual naval expenditure until such tims
as Germany chooses to attack her.
The twelfth and Anal chapter OF this work
is allotted to a comparison OF the navies
Of the world. including not only those Of
the United States. France and Japan but
those also Of Italy. Australia hungary. Rus
sia. Spain and Brazil. The inclusion OF
Brazil is due 10 the fact. which the author
admits to be inexplicable. that the Rio do
Janeiro Government has placed orders in
England for the construction OF three battle
ships. which are to have 1875 inch guns
instead Of ~ inch weapons. The change
marks a tremendous step in naval con-
struotion and armament. The piercing
power Of o shell fired from suoh q gun will
be greater than that OF any shell now In
use. Needless to say Mr.. Hislam adds.
few people believe that these vessels
will ever reach q South American port.
The question which 10 occupying the mind
OF most persons Interested in naval affairs
is: Into whose hands will they ultimately
find their way' They would prove a for
midable addition to the naval force Of any
Power"
LEAN YEAR FOR CHURCHES.
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