The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-11

Suez. II would he invulncrable to at
lacks from the English fleet and would
Itself render the present English chain
OF communications with the Far East
uutenable.
OF this great scheme Csupposing il
10 he, as many claim. the veritable
secret policy OF the Triple Alliance) tho
undisputed possession of the Balkans
by tho Triple Alliance Is the most i'm
portant single factor. If the Triple
Entente did not interfere Austria would
crush Servia and make the Triple Al
lance the dominant influence in the
balkans. II IL did act. even II it acted
promptly. Austria could surely occupy
the Balkans quickly enough to render
the position of immense advantage in
the general war, for the Balkans cover
the rear OF the Triple Alliance.
AS to n general assault upon the
Triple Entente the Triple Alliance has
long seen two obvious methods, both in
the opinion of many likely 20 be sue
cessful; the one, n long waiting game
where the rapid growth Of the popula-
ton in Germany, Austria and Italy
and the decline of the rate OF growth in
France, England and Russia would in
a
derance in numbers; the other. short
quick blow at some moment when the
Triple Alliance could bring all It's
strength to bear and when the Triple
Entente could not The former meant.
not improbably, many years OF walt
ing. and in those years much might
happen,
Thoroughly alive 10 the situation. the
Triple Entente had already under exc
cution the prclmlnaries of so vast an
increase of offensive force and showed
such a determination to maintain a
naval and military preponderance that
there would be no alternative but wait.
ing, once these schemes were perfected
The French and particularly the
Russian army was to be increased not
only in slzs but In efficiency and equip
ment, and an influential minority In
| England, with apparent popular sup
port. was agitating CONSUMPTION. The
| English navy was 10 be much In
creased in fighting force by manning at
war strength in the near future a much
larger proportion Of ships than ever be-
fore. Chlefest Of all, the Russians were
building in the Baltic a really formi.
dable fleet, capable of contesting tn,
| Baltic with Germany and OF threaten
| ing the rear OF the German fleet in the
Atlantic to such an extent that united
fleet action in the North Sea would be-
come an imposslbility.
| If they were 10 fight at all, they must
! fight now. Next summer might be toe
late. Now the actual offensive force OF
| their rivals was proportionately less
than II might be again for ten years
and their difficulties at home We're col.
lectively and individually greater thar
any of the three has seen for a genera
ton.
So far as the fulfiment OF the scheme,
of Pant ermanism is concerned tn,
moment is more than opportuns an,
will not return. Part OF the objective
Of the -Germanists IL the control OF
the trade of the Far East and the lion:
share in the development OF China
Africa and South America. Already
they threaten England's control of tn,
Suez route. and II general action witt
Germany seemed likely In the NORTH
SEQ the English might so weaken the
| Mediterranean fleet To insure pre-
| ponderancc In the Channel that Italy
| Austria and Turkey might sweep III,
| Mediterranean clear snd take Sucz
Then, assuming that all went at leas