Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-17

nary ~. 164S. BY this treaty no new
fortresses could be established by the
United Provinces, but at the same time
by article IA the Scheldt was authorized
as closed as a favor to Holland.
The question was reopened In 1880 by
the separation of Belgium and Holland.
The great powers. Austria. France. Great
Britain. Prussia and Russia. met in con-
dependence OF Belgium by the treaty o.
October. 1881. The congress proclaimed
at the same time the free navigation OF
the Scheldt and Its Observation-Disclosures.
of the river for which Belgium paid tolls
to Holland.
Article 10 OF the treaty OF The Hague
November ). 1872 definitely arranged the
navigation Of the Scheldt.
Regulation Belgium was to establish
of Scheldt. pl,o,ase at Flushing.
would have pilot station at Antwerp.
These rights OF tolls were purchased OF
Holland in 1851 by King Leopold I.
The powers guaranteed the perpetual
neutrality and inviolability OF Belgium
April 10. 1899. and. although the Neither
lands were not included. the guarantee
extended 10 the west and south coasts
Of Holland.
In 1870 the principle was adopted that
no small state should cause its defenses
to be paid for by another. From 49,.
the Netherlands elaborated a plan Of de-
Tense which consisted of a line OF bikes
on the east, strengthened by other works,
and the west forttications, on the sea
front. The Belgians have done nothing.
and for this reason Holland would re-
vive the conditions o. the treaty of Nun
ster and would close the Scheldt and
fortify Walcheren.
The question of the Scheldt is made the
subject of an article i'm the Temps or
Paris with reference to the actual discus
sions In the Belgian parliament. The
theory maintained by Belgian writers.
and notably by NJ. Ernest Nys. professor
Of law in the University of Brussels, Is
that the Scheldt is absolutely free to
navigation whether in war or in peace.
the right of Belgium having been az
frmed by treaties well as purchase
Holland. on the contrary. bases hef ac-
ton upon the convention of March -.
1891, between Belgium and the Neither
lands. Article IL says that the govern
ment of the Netherlands will see that
the lights, buoys and tide marks are pre-
served in good condition and that they
shall not be taken away except by con-
sent of Belgium.
An additional article. however, dated
November 30. 1891. adds that 1t is under
stood that the second paragraph OF article
IL does not 1nCluue case OK Wal VI
threat of war Holland. therefore. claims
the right to remove the lights. buoys ana
tide marks under actual conditions.
The opponents i'm parliament OF this
theory maintain that Belgium could not
sign a convention of that nature with
out taking counsel of France. which pos
sesses two interior ports on the Scheldt.
and is thus directly Interested In the
free navigation of the whole river. Bel
gium besides, had the right to appeal to
ho r aod her neutral
fly. and imposed upon Belgium and Hol-
land the freedom of the Scheldt. The
advocates of these ideas demand the re-
vision Of the convention of 1891. The
question is one OF international interest
and will be the subject OF further dis
cussion in the Belgian chamber.
\
Another subject OF grave interest. In
case OF war. is being discussed in naval
circles-the comparative
Naval sea-fghting value OF the
c41 French and German fleets.
Strength. which have just been re-
viewed at Toulon and at Kiel.
Briefly resumed. the status of the
two fleets. eliminating from the count
all ships of over twenty-five years or
age and all non-sea fighters. is as fol-
lows: Armored ships. Germany. %;
France. %. Armored cruisers. Ger
many. Il; France. 16.
France is thus two units Of ships OF
the line less than Germany, with this
that the tonnage OF the
French ships is less, being 4l5.oU tons.
against $4,000 of the German.
The German fleet has augmented the
effectiveness of her fleet from lSO0-1sll
by ID armored ships armored cruis-
ers. ordinary cruisers and 81 contre-
or contre-torpedo boats
h. OF
anti militarists Of the French chamber.
who succeeded in Withholding the sur
ficient appropriations on the iliusory
deception of a millennium OF peace
preached by Jaures and people or that
class.
Nevertheless the disparity is not so
great, due to the ceaseless care and
persistence of those who. conscious or
the risk. obtained part of their de-
mands.
In Che matter of the defensive naval
force there is decided advantage IN
favor Of France. For example, armoreh
coast guard ships. 1s1 torpedo ooats;
IS submarines and part of the ~
contre- torpedo ships for defense or
ports. etc Germany has Of the above
class armored coast guard SHIPS. ~
torpedo boats. submarines ana a part
IF her 90 contre- torpedo boats
The French ironclads are all armed
with not less than four cannon OF
thirty centimeters. while the GerHa German,
are armed with cannon or twenty -eiSne.
The speed of the French is declaeoiy
greater than the German.
NJ. Charles Bos. former deputy, writ
ing in the Vie Maritime on the con-
centration and review AT
Comparing Toulon, says: we nav
considerable force IN
Types. this fleet. which will make
a. good appearance anywhere me
Patrie type is better than the Deutchs-
land type the Suffren better than me
wittelsbach. Five Of the French
armored cruisers are as strong as eaca
of the German cruisers, excepting the
Rlucher and the Wonderland FROM
this time on the mastery of the deol-
terranean cannot be contested or Wruhs
from France by any nation
NJ. Nail, deputy of Lorient. chairman
of the naval commission. in MS recent
report to the chamber. SAID:
"France has lost her place IN INC
maritime scale. She should retake ls
nv her alliances, by equilibrium. ana
nv the peace of the world. An lm-
nortant fleet is no less 1ndispensaple
than a powerful army.
.'The pacihst propaganda taught the
horrors of war, but the day has not YET
come when International conflicts VIII
no arranged before The Hague court
without guns and cannon.
II of us await the dawn, and then
We NAV be pacifists without forgetting
tbe duties of the present hour and the