The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-14
AUSTRIA TO THE RESCUE.

AUSTRIA TO THE RESCUE.
The announcement that Austria in
tends to build Immediately three bat
tleships Of the .Dreadnought type, and
that she has also decided to almost
double her naval expenditure, is GER
tainly not calculated to quiet the
nerves of the excited Britons. to
whom the recent revelation that Ger
many's giant strides in shipbuilding
threaten England's supremacy of the
seas came as a shock and acted as a
scare. The magnificent manner in
which her colonial kinsmen rallied
around the old country in this. her
hour OF perplexity, II not of peril,
caused the utmost enthusiasm in Eng
land. and press and people were loud
in praise Of the devotion and patrio-
tism thus displayed. But this later
development of serious situation,
when the dual empire OF Francis
Joseph springs suddenly and unex-
pectedly to the forefront, comes as
decided and significant offset to the
offer OF the British colonies to con-
struct and equip three monster bat.
tlsehips for England's use. and must
impress the average Briton with the
difficult task his country has in main
taaning her naval supremacy and sug-
gest the gravest danger to the integ-
rity OF the empire.
OF course, 1t II manifestly apparent
that Austria's action has been prompt
ed by the kaiser. Austria and Ger
many are not only allies. but friends,
and when, recently, Austria proclaim
ed the annexation of the provinces of
Bosnia and Herzegovina. the friend
ship and approval of the great mill
tary empire over which Wilhelm
reiens was promptly given expression
in the warning to the other powers
that Germany was. and is. determined
to support. BY force, If necessary. Aus
trta's palpable violation of the treaty
OF Berlin. Gratitude and policy alike
demand that Austria act with Ger
many in everything. and this sudden
n Termination to increase her navy
Shows that the Foreign Office at
Vienna thoroughly realizes it's obliga-
ton.
The navy of Austria. which is COM
paratively small. is strictly for coast
defense. She has no colonies to de-
fend and her commerce on the high
seas does not warrant the mainten-
ance OF . large. much less power
fully constructed, navy. She has no
docks large enough to berth ships of
the Dreadnought type, SO that the YES
sells she proposes to build must be
locked outside.
For keeping her new battleships
seaworthy in time OF peace and effec-
tive in time of war, Austria Is entirely
dependent on the good will of her
neighbors. And In view of the recOg-
nizcd laws Of neutrality there can be
no particle OF doubt that before Aus
tria determined to build Dreadnoughts
she had absolute assurance that her
big boats would be able to find docks,
either in peace or war. For all prac-
tical purposes the new Austrian fleet
will be division of the German navy
There seems to be little doubt that
such is the purpose for which it is to
be built.
Austrias action is serious devel-
opmont In a serious situation and
looks bad for the maintenance of the
peace Of Europe. Every battleship or
other craft added to the Austrian
navy is . ship virtually given to the
kaiser--a unit added to the fighting
strength OF the German fleet. And the
annoying fact 1t is that England can
enter no protest She must know and
feel that her supremacy Of the seas is
being challenged, but a protest to the
court Of Vienna could and would be
met by the retort that Austria has q
perfect right to construct as many
warships as she pleases. and that. af-
ter Ill. the matter is none of Great
Britain's business.
And thus the well-defined plan or
the kaiser's advisers will work to the
detriment Of England. English states
men and English editors may de-
nounce It. but meanwhile the building
Of mighty leviathans OF war will be
rushed forward, protest or no protest.
II these circumstances the outlook for
England 10 neither pleasant nor reas-
surfing. A strong Austrian fleet in
the Adriatic-an the fleet win grow
stronger rs the years 60 by-would
threaten her supremacy In the Medi-
terrancan. the gateway to India. and
renAer flask attack ON her eastern
pcoBessions entirely feasible, while to
guard against German attack from
ne baltic 81 North Sea would require
IN the war vessels that now cruise
within her territorial waters. or
cOufes, her answer to the threat
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