The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-08-21
international Complications
May Result From Attitude of
Lumber States.
FACTS ABOUT BRITISH
NAVY QUIETS CRITICS
Extraordinary Mobility and
Equipment of Fleet Renders
Fault Finders Speeches..
BY PAUL LAMBETH.
Special Cable to The Tribune.

SpcCldl SdDlO u lnC
LONDON, Aug, 20.-Not only in Lon
don but also in every foreign office in
Europe the course to be taken by the
United States in regard to the little
negro republic of Liberia is being
watched with the keenest interest. 1t
is the impression here that it is pur~
posed in Washington to establish some
kind of protection over Liberia. Eng
land would not seriously object to this,
but it is thought here it is likely to
cause complications with Germany and
to weaken the American Monroe doc
trine materially so far as Europe is
concerned. The situation as it is un-
derstood here is thus:
A debt of $500,000 at per cent was
contracted in 1871, but the interest has
been regularly paid, and though only
comparatively small sum is needed
to place the finances In order the credit
of Liberia is nil A loan will now be
raised under United States auspices to
pay off this debt. which is mostly due
to British subjects, and the United
States, France and Germany will par
emily being excluded.
The career of the Liberian republic
of late has been unfortunate. There
have been serious frontier difficulties
both with Britain and France, and re-
Gently the Llberians approached Ger
many and endeavored to obtain from
her promise of support against Brit
am, Germany proposed to the United
States Joint German-American action,
but sustained a rebuff. Now the United
States has solved the difficulty by it,
self practically accepting all respon-
sibillty for the somewhat unruly black
republic.
Before King George has gone far in
has reign 1T is among the possibilities
that he and Queen Mary will hold court
not only. in the United Kingdom and
Ireland but in Canada, Australia, In
dla and South Africa as well.
HIS majesty is strongly impressed
with the idea that it would promote the
interests of the empire if this were done
ana evidence ls not lacking to show
that when the king has made up his
mind to a thing, he holds to it until it
is accomplished. Witness for example
the lords veto conference which at is
generally admitted is the direct work
of the king.
Navy Makes Good.
The critics of the administration of
the British navy have for time at
least been rendered speechless by the
recent naval maneuvors. The feet was
on war footing. 1t containd every
element and quality necessary to en-
able IT to achieve without any delay the
purpose for which it has been pro
vIded. 1T was an instantly ready fleet
Every vessel, rs Mr.. McKenna said
a Few days ago. has her complement at
full strength. The magazines were full.
the coal bunkers and oil tanks were
hlled up, and the stores and provisions
were complete on board each ship. The
only boundary to the fleet s area of
operations hes In its fuel supply, but,
as the coillers to- accompany the ships
were ready the limits of it's scope are
wide, There were even floating renair
ships attached TO the force, capable of
dealing with all but the largest de-
fects.. in n word, the feet was self
contained, ' 'i
BY far the most formidable pather.
ing OF warships ever brought together
IT'S attribute of mobility demands the
closest attention. A few years ago ia
"ouid nave been impossible to bring
together IN home waters a fleet constf
tuted as this In strength and speed and
numbers, and to be assured thar il wos
not only efficient In its several units
but instantly ready for effective ser,
vice. .i
The importance of this factor of mo.
billty cannot be overrated. But there
was another quality which attaches to
this fleet. and. which should be men.
toned. Not only could every unit, if il
separates from the main body, continue
to communicate with the remainder of
the ships, but every unit could also be
In continuous communication with the
Admiralty. l remember what the inter.
communication of the units Of fleet
was limited by distance at which their
highest sails could be seen on the hor-