Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-01-07

average Engiishman, remembering the
disasters which marked the early part
Of their last year., would secretly re-
joice at an opportunity for this country
to recover the prestige which was lost
at that time.
A recent English writer, in compar-
ing the preparations of Germany and
England at the present moment sums
UP the situation in these words:
Germany puts her destinies into the
hands of warriors; we leave ours in
the hands of politicians. Germany
acts; we talk. Words count for moth
ing in the game of blood and iron.
The strongest evidence of Germany's
designs against England is to be found
in the extraordinary measures which
are now being made by Germany to
get into readiness her entire army and
navy.
The recent diplomatic activities Of
England are most significant. King
Edward and his counselors have
strained every nerve to establish al
liances and ententes cordiales with
continental countries ostensibly in the
| interest of peace, but invariably at
| bottom aimed at the isolation Of Ger
many. The alliance consummated with
Russia was opposed by large part Of
the English people. 1t was branded
iniquitous and wrong, but it was ef-
fected, nevertheless. Then there is
the alliance with France and the ALI
ance with Japan. Ell
1t is one Of the dire elements Of the
situation that European war at the
| present time could not possibly be
fought but between those two nations
without involving other nations, and.
so widely spread and intricate is this
web Of international alliance that It
might easily throw practically the en-
tire world into turmoil. ki
England's internal difficulties are by
no means confined to the British Isles.
The vast Indian empire, with its pop
ulation Of 00,000,000, Is slowly drifting
| toward a great crisis. The awakening
Of the far East has been one Of the
historical phenomena Of the last two
decades. Japan was the first to assert
herself China has since been rapidly
forging to the front, and now India, the
last Of the great nations of the east,
stimulated by the success Of Japanese
arms over one of the supposedly great
armies of Europe, Is beginning to plan
her own future independence. 80
Sedition and Unrest.
Sedition and unrest ruffies much Of
tine surface Of that vast empire, and
slowly, but ever surely, the teachings
of the party of India for the Indians"
are percolating through the masses,
and having their effect to the distress
of the British government. Within q
fortnight two prominent British off-
cials in India have been assassinated;
within twelve months attempts nave
been made upon viceroys, governors,
magistrates and other officials. Britain
entertains the precarious situation In
India in her plans for the near future.
Thus the trend Of events in far-Oh Ilf<
dia has its effect upon the possible
conflict between England and Germany.
Rord Rosebery, in a speech delivered
short time since, took occasion to
comment upon the warlike preparations
which both countries are now making.
There never was," he said, ''in the
history of the world so threatening and
trr %
England was to have built two bat
tleships this year. When her states
men began to give expression to their
fears for the future the order was in
creased to eight, which will cost the
British people close on to 100000 900.
This is the largest number Of ships
that can be constructed with the pres
ent comparatively restricted facilities
of the government.
Germany, on the other hand, is has
tening the building Of her ships and the
completion of her equipments to such
on extent that the forces of workmen
employed in the various construction
yards nave been greatly increased and
are WOThlil6 udy anu HiSHt.
DazzIes Imagination.
Indeed, the magnitude of the Ger
man navy preparations fairly dazzles
the Imagination. When completed, the
present programme Of Germany will in
clude a fleet of 40 battleships Of the
Dreadnought and super-Dreadnousht
class. So strenuous has been the Ger
man endeavor in this direction that
working at high pressure, Germany can
now turn out one super-Dreadnought
a month, fully equipped and armed. 1t
would tax tine resources of England to
the utmost to keep pace with such an
output.
All this effort mas not been made for
the protection Of German commerce,
or for use against the navy of either
Russia or France. 1t Is aimed at the
naval supremacy of Britain, and at
nothing else in the world.
But the Germans have not confined
themselves to the building and arm
ing of battleships. They have forti-
fled Heligoland, and are working night
and day at harbor there. They are
widening the Kiel canal. They are
constructing, or have constructed, sew
enteen docks capable Of holding ships
of the largest class.
The German method has always
been to prepare secretly and thorough
ly for war, while protesting peace.
Germany is now preparing for war up
on a greater scale than she ever before
attempted, and Is at the same time
protesting peace. Germany behaved
in the same way to Austria and to
France, and when occasion served she
fell upon her victims defeated them,
and annexed their territory.
Time Is Uncertain.
In the history of dynasties and en-
pires, the time element always Is one
of complete uncertainty. One Of the
most distinguished editors in America
recently stated to me that he had no
doubt that the Anglo German crisis