Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-10
Industrial Papers Jubilant.

Industrial Papers Jubilant.
| But also in another less sensational
part of the German press Is there rejoic-
/ ing. The papers in the great industrial
centers OF Germany are jublant because
the strikes are sapping the strength of
British industry, which already had all
1t could do to hold its own in compe-
| tition with the German.
| During the last generation British in
| dustry has been gradually forced to the
wall everywhere by the smart. energetic,
frugal Germans. who have understood how
articles little more elegant and a lit
| tie cheaper than the English could make
| them 1t will then be a very severe test
| for the British industry suddenly to have
the shape of higher wages, but also OF
increased domestic freight rates. Many
are the captains of industry in England,
therefore, who hold that Great Britain
stands face to face with a great catas-
trophe. that many factories and corpora
tions will have to shut down, simply be-
cause they are unable to continue with
profit under the new conditions.
In English Industrial circles the lib
eral government is being sharply crttt-
| cised because 1t did not at once crush the
strike tendencies with iron hand. Serious
accusations are raised against the gov
eminent because for party reasons 1t
dares not oppose the labor party.
1t Is a very great question, however,
whether stern reprisals would have done
| any good or II they would not rather
have tended to increase the calamity. 1t
| is very easy to talk about crushing"
the worker by the use Of police and
| troops. but the results that follow such
crushing on the part of govern
ment are very seldom gratifying.
Condition Serious.
That the condition in England is very
| serious anybody must acknowledge. but
| the question is whether the responsibility
for the miseries must not be sought else
| where than in the love of grumlAng and
cupidity of the workingmen. The sins
Of the past MANY impartial observers
! here willingly admit are to blame for
| most Of the miseries Of the present crisis.
| While all the rest of the world pro-
crossed England alone remained station
airy. especially industrially, and permitted
| herself to be left hopelessly far behind.
In the modern race of industrial and
commercial competition. In which the
| Germans easily got head and neck ahead
of all other European nations, England
manned satisfied in living on her old ira
ditions. Now the scales are falling from
our eyes and we are suddenly beginning
| to realize that those old traditions are
| old fashioned and worn out; that, like
| China, we have been asleep on our lit
| tie island, and the result is that British
| industry commerce and shipping are not
| strongly enough prepared to meet the de-
tmands Of modern times In regard to high
| er wages.
| This is the real crisis in English COM
mercial life at present. and 1t is crisis
which Is of the utmost seriousness and
importance.
Pride in Submarine Power.
Heroic efforts are being made by the
British admiralty to outclass any other
power in the world In the number and
efficiency of submarine vessels.
The most modern submarines now being
butt here, known officially as the e.
class, dsplace 500 tons: they are. in fact
though not in name. small cruisers, ca
pable of travelling either on the surface
| or under the water.
They are 176 feet long. with a maximum
breadth of % feet. In the original type
of submarine the speed, both on and un-
der the water. was slow. but result
Of the cooperation Of the admiralty with
Vickers Son & Maxim, who have been
SO largely responsible for many Of the
improve ments In the design of British
boats, speeds have been increased The
new e. class will be able to travel on
the surface at fifteen knots-as fast. In
/ fact, as our swiftest cruiser of few
decades ago-while beneath the surface
the rate will be considerably higher than
has hitherto been attained. The e.
boats are being given the most powerful
engines ever yet put into submarines. and
they are of a new type. using heavy oil
under conditions of absolute safety. There
can be no repetition Of the disastrous gas
explosions which occurred in the earlier
vessels.
There arc seventy-five British subma-
rines built or building. The later ones
are such good sea boats that they can
make long voyages. One fotilla has re-
Gently been dispatched to Malta and the
other has just arrived at Hongkong. a
matter Of 5000 miles-after a stormy
passage, during which the craft were not
damaged and the daring crew suffered no
injury The submarine is now a most
valuable naval arm, for use not merely In
coast defense but for oversee opera
tons The success already achieved has
given purpose and direction to the ef-
forts TO render these amphbious craft
even more devilish in their warlike quail
ties Slowly ship is being created.
stage by stage, which will render de-
| stroyers Of the old types obsolete.
Torpedo Tubes Increased.
| The vessels of the e. class mark the
apotheosis Of the smbmersible ship. They
will have more torpedo tubes than the
craft now in the service, and the torpe-
! does will be Of far greater capacity-a
/ higher speed and greater endurance. al
4 lied with n far heavier explosive charge.