New-York tribune., 1909-04-11
NAVAL RIVALS
Dreadnoughts and Risks Of Var Be
tzceen England and Germany.
London. March 81

seriously discussed by rejecting men rather
than panic makers since Sir Edward Greys
mastery speech in the Commons. He brought
the broad issue OF ultimate conflict or sea
power definitely before the nation while depre-
eating the exaggerated alarms of the moment
This was the situation which would pc produced
by the completion of the German naval pro-
grsmme There would be sooner or later feet
of thrty-three Dreadnoughts under the German
fag-the most powerful sea force the world has
ever seen Not one OF them has yet been com
mlssioned but the resources for building and
arning them rapidly have been acquired; and
the necessity is imposed upon England OF
matching them with superior force of Dread
noughts and of rebuilding the whole Of the Meet
at a vast COST The work Of constructing d
navy more forrnida bic than any feet now adoat
is already cut out for the British Admiralty, and
the only debatable points are the time required
for this colossal undertaking and the margin OF
power sufficient for acceleratlng shipbuildihg
and gun mounting under pressure Of emergency-
AS Sir Edward Grey explains the situation II IS
only a question of time when these two for
mfdabIe fleets will be massed for national de
fence on the North Sea- Is the rivalry between
the two powers so intense that war will be
inevitable when the fleets ready for action?
This momentous question is discussed by Sir
Edward Grey in a more philosophical spirit than
the panic mOngers have displayed They nave
asserted that England ought to declare war on
Germany without delay and to destroy the rival
navy before it is reinforced with the new Dread
noughts They choose TO consider the German
naval programme. a hostile act directed
against British supremacy on the high seas
and urge an Immediate campaign as the only
effective measure Of safety. They do not per
ceive the wanton immortality Of a declaration OF
war based upon German activity in shipbuild-
ing Sir Edward Grey knows that public opin-
ion IN England would not sustain a govern
ment which struck a rival power iG bullying
and provocative spirit. He Is prepared 10 admit
that it is a legitimate ambition fOT country
which has a growing commerce TO have pow
erfuI navy and that it would be a crime against
civilization make war upon her simply be
cause she was building ships rapidly and scien-
tifcally He goes further and declares that II
will be possible for both countries 10 get on
peaceabIy together when they have built their
rival fleets and are ready for decisive combat
for sea power This conclusion will be shared
by all rejecting minds. The two fleets when
conDIeted will have cost so much in taxation
and sacrifice that neither rival Will be eager TO
take the risks of a supreme conflict OF sea
power Each navy will he a costly policy Of in
surance against war.
that way He shows how two extreme courses
may nroduce A conflict and how wide margin
of intermediate space there is where both na-
tions can keep the peace. The extremes are
domination and isolation which will cause re-
sentiment and attack. If either power attempts
to isolate the other from alliances and good
feeling or to dictate the policy Of the Continent
without consulting the other trial Of strength
on the high seas will be inevitable That is a
forecast by a great statesman which is worth
remembering There has been much idle talk
during recent years about the isolation Of Ger
many. and it has probably increased the brill
liant soverefgn's ardor for naval armaments and
theatrical strokes like the one which has sud
denly brought peace 10 the Balkans through
pressure upon Russia and Austria There is
likely TO be as much foolish discussion about
German domination on the Continent now that
the coalition of armies in the triple alliance has
been shown to have superior cohesion To the
coalition of amabiities and compliments in the
triple entente. Genuine peacemakers like the
King and Sir Edward Grey do not excite re
sistanCe by repeating mischtevous vagarieS
about rival powers isolation or passion for
domination. They avoid extreme courses and
endeavor 20 convince friend and foe that a re
course to armaments is a catastrophe for the
world and that there is q wide field for spirit
of neighborly accommodation.
One thing that counts heavily against peace is
the Jealous scrutiny of naval ornaments now
conducted in London and Berlin. Germany is
developing her naval resources with scientific
thoroughness: the processes are secret and are
constantly undergoing change, construction is
accelerated and contractors are encouraged to
I improve their plants by large orders: and the
tonnage of battleships is increased, the batteries
. are strengthened and the turbine engines and
other mechanism are steadily improved. Sus-
plcion is excited by these persistent efforts to
create first line Of battleships which viii he
a more effective striking force than the main
British fleet Official statements are not cred
tied the right of the German government 10
interpret its own law is questioned. and there is
a growing conviction that armaments which are
clearly in advance of the defensive requirements
of the merchant marine are leveled against
England on the other hand. every detail of
the construction work in England is closely
watched i'm Germany and the panics agitations
and faction feuds are followed with compla-
ccncy and satisfaction The struggle for supe-
riority in armameuts may easily promote hos
tilitv between two jealous nations. The compe-
tition is already SO strenuous that danger
period has opened in the relations of the two
countries An agreement imposing limitations
! of ornaments is clearly inpracticable. AT ex-
change of information between the two ad-
rniralties which would enable the experts to
know what was going on would be equally futile.
The naval armaments themselves which are
draining the financial resources Of the two most
progressive countries in Europe. may have a
pacific tendency. These fleets Of Dreadnoughts
are at formida bic in their long range.
concentrated gunfre and vulnerable from the
number and complexity Of the engines encased
in heavy armor that the admlralties shudder at