New-York tribune., 1909-04-01
NAVAL SCARES
.Angto-German RiUairy-The DecEa-
ration of London.
London. March %.

lio
Is abnvT1nally suspicious respecting Germanv-s
naval policy and IN futter over the evidence
that the intelligence bureau Of the Adn,,a1ty
has not known what going on ST RerIin
Kiel and Essen The naval experts and polit-
ical alarmists- who have been startled by min
isterlal confessions that they have only recently
been impressed with the rapid increase in Cor
man plants for the production OF Dreadnoushts
will be predisposed to believe that the govern
rnent has allowed itself TO be duped and over
reached in the International Conference The
Declaration. signed by representatives. of the ten
important maritime powers. will be taken up
cautiously and discussed with suspicion and re-
serve The thought upper1nost in every critics
mind Will be: What effect will II have upon
the coming war between England and Ger
many. mat conflict has doomed up within
Few days as contingency, which is to be guard
&c against by enormous expenditures for the
dominating type Of battleship- Germany means
business in challenging British supremacy in sea
power That is what men have said in and out
of Parliament, and every journal in the kingdom
has seriously discussed the necessity for nre
psTing for the greatest naval war OF modern
times The new code for the regulation of
helligerent operations and neutral commerce
must he critically examined when alarmists are
shrieking for eight Dreadnoughts annually IN
place Of four. and even economists are cIanor-
ing for additional taxation on q large scale as
indispensable 10 public safety
on the other hand. the Declaration will be
brought TO light when everybody in the Kingdom
Is thinking about a naval warfare and deeply
interested in the wide range Of maritime ques-
hons covered by the International Conference
The rlarIinets are preoccupied with the STRAIT
egic problem OF massing the first line of fighting
ships. sTooping down upon the enernys coast
soon as war is declared. and destroying the
hostile feet At the earliest practicable moment
Without doubt that will be the principal con-
fiCt for mastery in sea power IN the North Sea.
wherever a great naval war Is fought: and
there Is noc a clause a line in the new code
which viii interfere in the slightest degree with
this supreme struggle Of the belIigerents The
fighting ships viii not be hindered in doing the
work for which they were designed. They are
left TO fight il out as soon as they are within
firing distance. Ne restraints are placed upon
belligerent rights in obtaining a decisive COM
n1snd OF the sea by the capture destruction of
the eneny's feet. When that strategic advan-
tsge has been gained in the hypothetical war
between England and Germany. which Is now |
discussed daily in print and in conversation |
there will be another series Of operations more |
~ less prolonged in duration. and the new code |
viii have an important bearing upon them |
There viii be a coast to blockade: there will |
he commerce To be vigilantly watched and |
constantly held UP. and there will be serious |
risks Of drawing outside powers into the con- |
Fct II neutral rights are wantonly interfered /
~ith- The International Conference has made |
general survey Of these complex questions and |
provided a code for minimizing the evils of war |
The fact that Germany under these interns- /
tional arrangements will have a neutral base of
supplies in var time cannot escape the attention /
cf critics German ports may be bIoc5aded by |
Erifi %eS- zrf
has been secured. but Rotterdam and other
neutral ports can be used freely for the trans
.hirrrent Of goods which are not in the lists Of /
absolute and conditional contraband. War ma
terisl can be seized and the vessels carrying Il |
condemned and coal or hreadstuHs designed /
II specially marked for garrisons squedrons /
can be held CD: but the bulk Of the consign-
r-ents for Germany from America other /
countries through . neutral port like Rotterdam |
cannot be interrupted by British cruisers. The |
conference hv modifying the oldtine principles /
ct continuous voyage and irparting security 70 |
-eutral commerce has converted Holland into
base Of foreign supplies which will he Of the /
greatest use 20 Germany whenever her own |
ports are effectively blockaded- The quarter |
de-k n7artinets will not think well OF these ar
-snFeuentg They will assert defantly that
ration having the strongest navy needs 10 exer- /
else beIligerent right SIS fully possible in time
- v-sr and viii he placed at a serious disad- |
vzntage by the new code. They forget that |
beligerent raids upon neutral commerce would |
Inevitably be resented by foreign powers and /
would increase the risks Of drawing other fleets /
into the conflict
While the insular kingdom would not have IN |
tine % war the corresponding advantage OF a |
neutral base Of supplies with short lines Of |
transshipnaent by land. II would be highly |
favored IN many respects by the proposed reg
1ation Of belligerent and neutral rights. a dec |
lsration OF var with Germany would temporarily |
double or uIladruple the prices of food in Eng
land cut of the cotton and other industries |
from regular supplies of material and in |
terrupt the carrying trade with the empire and |
the world. The effect OF the Conference code |
would speedily be produced and the disturbance |
caused by war would be mnmized AS ef- |
rsctive blockade OF the British coast would be /
i71practicable. even II command Of the sea were |
lost by the main feet of fighting ships, there |
would be free passage Of breadstuffs. cotton |
and other staples. and the export trade would |
rot be permanently interrupted Cotton and |
other articles on the free list could be seized
IN any circurn stances, and food supplies essen |
tlal 70 the existence of the population could not
ne diverted from their destination unless they
were definitely tainted as conditional contra t
band by being directly connected with squadron |
or garrison. The Declaration OF London, with
out materially impairng beIligerent rights.
tablishes safeguards for neutral trade which /
will be OF inestimabe value TO England in
war for power. 1t Will help protect her
against high prices Of food and against starva-
uon. and 10 keep her industrial population en-
ployed and her foreign commerce ahoat
For the moment Englishmen are preoccupied