AMERICA AND JAPAN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 12, 9 October 1907, Page 5

AMERICA AND JAPAN.

PACIFIC CRUISE. DEFENCE OF THE ATLANTIC. PEACEFUL INTENT. By Telegraph.—Association— Copyright. Nov; York, October 7. The cruisers'Tcnnessco and Washington start for tho Pacific on tho 12th. Sixteen battleships and six destroyors leave about tho middle of December, calling at Trinidad, Rio Janeiro, Punta Arenas, Callao, Magdalona Bay, and San Francisco. The Secretary of the Navy declnres that tho battleships Indiana, lowa, and Massachusetts will romain in tho Atlantic. Seven other battleships aro being constructed, and of thoso tho two last will bo completed in oighteon months. London, October 7. The "Times's" New York correspondent declares that tho majority of soberminded Americans do not believe in the possibility of. war with Japan. President Roosevelt certainly does not ontort'ain such an intention; ho honestly believes that tho cruise of tho fleet in the Pacific will do the fleet good, and possibly accelerate further naval appropriations. DEFENCE OF THE ATLANTIC COAST. ' In connection with the transfer to tho Pacific .of the United States fleet, the question of tho defence of the Atlantic, of course, arises. Kven if the cruise in the Pacific is only temporary, it seems clear that moro big ships aro wanted; and tho tenor of recent cablegrams and of the .President's last speech i 3 that they must, be forthcoming. Some people have suggested an alternative, or at all events a temporary alleviation of America's situation, mthoshapo of an understanding between that country and Germany; and somo littlo time ago it 'was rumoiyed that an understanding had beon* arrived at, under which the latter Power would, by means of its fleet, guaranteo the integritv of the Atlantic const of the States. Tho AngloJapaneso treaty,; it is argued, tends to "drive the United Stales to such a course. The "Fortnightly Review" considers the possibility serious enough to make tho following comments:—' "The 'New York Sun' has made sovoralromarkablo references in the last few weeks to the action of Germany in the Cnlifornian imbroglio. Tho Emperor William is said to havo offered to conclude a formal treaty with Washington, anil,to placo the Gorman fleet at America's' disposal in case of trquble with Japan. This statement is perhaps not e-act, but wo think-it is not unfounded. Germany has been prepared for the li-st two years to mako almost any sacrifioo that Arould secure, an alliance with tho United States. Tho Koiscr has every right to pursue that policy, but it is improbable that he will attain his ohject. Tho twentieth century would' indeed 'belong' to the Germans' if tho two English-speaking Powers could ■bo induced to destroy each other. Any such treaty as is suggested would have to be laid beforo the Senate, nnd would stand .little chanco of being accepted by that assombly.' Jt is natural enough, though saddening to all tho saner and moro far-sighted among English-speak-ing men on both sides of tho Atlantic, that some Americans, in tho contemplation of. extreme difficulties with Japan, should have turned ' their thoughts to the only alliauco available. ' The prime business of statesmanship in London and Tokio alike is to mako that alliance unnecessary. "Tho 'New York Sun,' which'lias been most in favour of it, now declares that it is neither possible nor desirable. This poworful and respectable journal adds that the Emperor William is none the less entitled to tho special gratitudo of the AmeHcan people, and its comments have taken a tone of steady unfriendliness to this country.' So the history of tho Spanish-American war is forgotten by a number of people upon the other sido of tho Atlantic, and ono diplomatic nail knocks out another. Something has happened to Anglo-Ameri-can, relations. Though tho German interest in disturbing them is obvious, and German efforts in that direction havo been, to a certain extent successful, i'i is clear that tho United States and tlio British Empire stand equally to lose. Mark Twain's reception, spontaneous and touching as it was, has shown tho depth and strength and sincerity of : the fraternal feeling between the two peoples. There has be,en no chango on this side; we do not read 'The Jumping Frog' in translations; nrid wo have a greater interest in preserving peace upon the Californinn question than has the United States itself. That is what counts in this case, and that is what cannot be said by any other European power."