The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-21
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King George and Queen Mary Make
Regular Court Visits to Impor-
tant Provinces of the Brit
ish Empire
London. August 2O.-(Special) Mot only
in London but 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 impress
sion here that it is purposed In Washing
ton to establish some kind of protection
over Liberia. England would not serious
ly object to this, but it is thought here it
is likely to cause complications with Ger
many and to weaken the American Mon
roe doctrine materially so far as Europe
is concerned The situation as it is I'M
derstood here is thus:
A debt of 100000 at per cent was con-
tracted In 1871, but the interest has been
regularly paid, and though only a COM
paratively small sum is needed to place
the finances In order the credit of Liberia
is nil. A loan will now be raised under
debt, which is mostly due to British sub
jects, and the United States, France and
Germany will participate In floating it,
Britain apparently 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 recently the Ii
ored to obtain from her a. promise of
support against Britain. Germany pro-
posed to the United States joint German
American action, but sustained a rebuff.
Now the United States has solved the diff
ficulty by themselves, practically accept
ing all responsibility for the somewhat
unruly black republic.
1t will be most interesting to follow the
developments of this new man as world
power Of the United States.
Before King George has gone far in
his reign it is among the possibilities
that he and Queen Mary will hold court
not only in the United Kingdom and Ire
land, but in Canada, Australia, India and
SOutn AITlCd as We'll.
His majesty is strongly impressed with
the idea that it would promote the in
terests of the empire If this were done,
and evidence is not lacking to show that
when the King has made up his mind to
thing he holds to 1t until it is ac-
complished. Witness, for example, the
lords veto conference, which it is gen
orally admitted is the direct work of the
King.
The critics of the administration of the
British navy have for time at least
been rendered speechless by the recent
naval maneuvers.
The fleet was on a war footing. 1t
contained every element and quality nee
essary to enable it to achieve without
any delay the purpose for which it has
been provided. 1t was an instantly ready
fleet. Every vessel, as Mr.. McKenna
said a few days ago, has her compile
ment at full strength The magazines
were full; the coal bunkers and oil tanks
were filled up and the stores and pro
visions were complete on board each ship.
The only boundary to the fleets area OF
operation lies in its fuel supply, but, az
the Golfers to accompany the ships were
ready the limits of its scope are wide.
There were even floating repair ships at
tached to the force, capable of dealing
with all but the largest defects. In a
word, the fleet was self contained.
BY far the most formidable gathering
of warships ever brought together, its
attribute of mobility demands the clos
est attention. A few years ago it would
have been impossible to bring together
in home waters a fleet constituted as this
in strength and speed and numbers, and
to be assured that it was not only effi-
cient in it's several units but instantly
ready for effective service.
The Importance of this factor of mo-
bility 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
1t separates from the main body, con-
tinue to communicate with the remainder
of the ships, but every unit could also
be In continued communication with the
admiralty. remember when the inter-
communication of the units of a fleet
was limited by the distance at which
their highest sails could be seen on the
horizon, and that was no Improvement
upon distant signalling in Nelson's time.
Now all this is changed and King George
may take his fleet to sea for days out
of sight of land with the knowledge that
at any moment he can speak to his m<~r
listers at home, and that the object of
the naval machine he Is handling can
be easily changed in accordance with
the demands of the political situation as
any simple evolution he may wish to
order can be performed.
Turning to the constitution of the force,
there were embraced in the home, At
lantic and Mediterranean feets-that is,
nearly all the effective vessels not on
foreign stations. On the occasion of the
maneuvers more than 100 vessels. We're
placed on a war footing In few hours
and left harbor for specified rendezvous.
Those Ships with the ships which are
already supplied with full crews, have
gone through three weeks OF strenuous
work and arduous exertion, and only two
out of the whole number, the Grafton and
the Sutlez, have been reported as nav
ing met with mishaps to the machinery.
The force under Sir William May
was remarkable because. while IL serves
10 nresent in a concrete shape the de-
yelopment of naval material 1t did not
contain a single ship which can be
strictly described as absolute. There
were actually in this force So battle
ships. 23 armored cruisers, and six pro-
tected cruisers. In addition to these
az vessels there were some 4S destroy
ers with their parent ships and scout,
submarines of the latest type, and fleet
auxiliaries.
Links with the past are compare
tiyely numerous, but 1t Is astonishing
to find that there are many people
alive with only three handshakes be-
tween them and King Charles H. Sew
eral remarkab BILE instances are given
-. oorrasnondapte in tho Times Th a