The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-05
WAR ECHOES

New York Herald: Admiral Dewey. ranking officer of the American navy, declared after hearing of the war news abroad. that he believed this country
 was on the threshold of great oppor- l tunity and that it's destiny was pecu- liarly in the hands of Providence.
 He Is stopping for the summer at the
 oriental hotel, Manhattan beach. where
 he was informed by representative of the Herald of the declaration of war sia The admiral has come in contact with all the navies of the world in his long career and he knows well the na- val forces of England and Germany. l He has followed the news of the war very closely in the last few days, for, having regained his health in the invig- orating airs of the beach in the month l that he has been there. he finds a new aest in life. Sitting on the piazza of the hotel he gazed out over the sea. watching the coming and going of the making of history
 i Owing to his official position the ad n1iral refused to discuss the impending struggle of the fleets of the powers He said. however. that now is the great opportunity for the United States to build up merchant marine.
 Now is the opportunity" continued the admiral. If Congress acts, for the United States to have it's share in the carrying trade of the world I thor oughly approve the proposal of the President to have the ship navigation laws so amended that vessels of foreign build may come under the American flag. The present statutes are very severe and some modification of them would undoubtedly be necessary.
 "In recent years this country has had n riactically no merchant marine. It's transatlantic steamers have been con- fined to such vessels as the St Louis and the St. Paul There are coasting vessels to be sure. If the opportunity opens for this country to obtain ocean carrying trade there are thousands of we'll trained and vigorous Americans who could man the steamship. There has not been enough inducement lately for them to join the merchant marine. With a change in tho law l have no doubt there will be great increase in cur carrying trade and that many ves- sels will soon be under the stars and stripes.
 'One who follows American history continued the admiral. cannot but be impressed with the fact that this coun- try is in the hands of God. We are in the present situation free from foreign entanglements. At this time our gran aries are filled with one of the great est crops on record. The United States has before it the opportunity to re- esi ablish her once great mercantile ma rine. It is an opportunity which should be grasped"
 Admiral Dewey sat for a moment looking over the blue water as though turning over in his mind the course of events.
 q have lived many years" he said, q have followed the history of this country in many phases, and to me the thought has come that this land was set aside for the realization of high destiny. It's mission no doubt is to provide a home of freedom for the op- pressed of all lands.
 Kansas City Star: For 45 years the guiding principle of French statesmanship has been embodied in the maximum that Germanys extremity would be Frances opportunities. Events seem to show that France believes it has.
 The German empire and the French Tapub1io in bo smoke and flame of the terrible battle of Sedan. There the French empire went down with the fortunes of the last Napoleon. and there the mighty Rismark laid the steps of the Kaiser's throne.
 The Franco Prussian war of 1870 was ore of the most swift and terrible in history. Louis Napoleon, seeking to steady his unstable throne by keeping alive the traditions of the great mili- tary empire of the first Napoleon had hurled his challenge at Prussia. The immediate pretext was the candidacy of -Hohenzollern prince for the vacant Spanish throne. Prussia, seeking the unification of Germany, welcomed the contest and struck with a suddenness
 
 government at Paris
 By rapid and simultaneous move ments the Prussians crumpled the two wings of the French army mobilized On the Alsation frontier, defeating them in the sanguinary battles of hours of carnage in which the Germans Marshal McMahon and Marshal Bag a'ne. commanding the two French ar mics, attempted to form a junction and retreat to the Moselle but Prince Fred- erick Charles commanding the Prus- sian advance, defeated the execution of the plan and drove Bazaine back upon Gravellotte where. on August IS, 1870. took place the decisive battle of that name, the second only of importance in the war. The Prussiarr had 200.000 men and the French 130,00O. In nine hours of sarnage in which the Germans lost 10000 men and the French 13000. Pazainc was utterly routed and forced back upon Metz. where he was quickly surrounded and bottled up by the vic- | torious Prussians.
 1 With Bazaine shut up within his Qualifications and McMahon held in check four German armies converged swiftly upon Paris. Napoleon III. who had remained in his capital confidently lexpecting the news that his marshals had invested Berlin hurriedly ap- lpointed as regent the Empress Euge- VI