The Dominion. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1918. TRAFALGAR DAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1889, 18 October 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1918. TRAFALGAR DAY.

, It is altogether right and fitting that the great events in our national history should be held in everlasting remembrance. Nelson's victory at Trafalgar in 1805 is undoubtedly one of the glories of the British Navy, and Mb. C. W. Palmer (secretary of tho Wellington Branch of the Navy League) will have the sympathy and support of the public in his request to schoolmasters that special reference to Nelson's memorable achievement may be mado in the schools on Tuesday next, October 21, the anniversary of the battlo. The closing years of the Eighteenth Century and the beginning of tho Nineteenth form one of tho most stirring periods in the history of Europe, and for some time past celebrations of the centenaries of the epoch-making events of that time have been taking place. The French Revolution shook the nations to their very foundations, and it was followed by the Napoleonic wars, during which kingdoms fell in rapid succession, and the Continent became a huge battlefield. Eight years ago the British Empire celebrated. the centenary of Trafalgar, and the question of commemorating the hundredth anniversary of Waterloo in 1915 in a manner worthy of the occasion is already being discussed. In Gormany during the present year the centenary of the War of_ Liberation ia being celebrated with all due pomp and ceremony, and the German people can certainly look back with patriotic pride on the wonderful things their nation has dono both in peace and war since the defeat of Napoleon at Leipzig in 1813. The Kaiser has every right to claim that it has been a period unique in history, full of glory and self-sacrifice; and though Germany is Britain's most formidable rival, we can heartily sympathise with this great sister nation in its rejoicings over deeds that havo won for it a foremost place in modern civilisation. It would bo mean-spirited indeed to be grudging in our recognition of the splendid achievements of the Germans in tho fields of literature and art, science and industry, oommerce and war.

Though we cannot .for a moment ignore the continual increase of German armaments on land and sea, nor lose sight of the possibility that they may one day bo turned against ourselves, yet we need not shut our eyes to the fact that the Gormans havo been fellow-workers with ourselves in tho cause of culture and progress. Wo have a right to remember, too, that Britain played an even more glorious part in the torriblo struggle which ended in the overthrow of Napoleon, and can also point to peaceful triumphs during the last hundred years which no other nation can surpass., Thanks to our Navy, the French armies which overran the rest of Europe never got a footing on British soil, and the country was saved both from invasion and starvation. Napoleon felt that he could never be secure until ho had brought Britain to her kncea; but, although at times British statesmen felt that tho position was well-nigh desperate, all efforts to transport French troops across the Channel were frustrated. In sketching the events which led up to Trafalgar, Mr. Hannay, in his little book on "The Navy and Sea Power," states: •

From 1803 to 1805 were the years of the trnxsat of invasion, of the camp at Boulogne, and of tho attempt of Napoleon to concentrato in tho' Channel such a superior naral force as could give cover to the passage of his army long enough to allow him to land his troops. . . . The concentration scheme could havo succeeded only by a truly marvellous combination of quality in the allied fleets and capacity in their chiefs. With utter ineptitude in their chiefs, it broke down in .May. and oh Ootober 21, 1805, tho main allied fleet was shattered by Nelson, who died in the battle.

Even before the battle Napoleon was compelled to withdraw his army from the French ooast owing to the activity of his foes on the Continent, and the idea of invading England had to bo abandoned.

A battle like that oi Trafalgar, which probably saved our forefathers from the humiliation of lying at "tho proud foot of the conqueror, is well worthy of an annual commemoration, and on such an occasion every British schoolboy should hear the story of how Nelson and his gallant men in the brave days of old met and defeated tho enemies of their country. Wo do not celebrate theso deeds that won the Empire with the intention of stirring up ill-feeling with any other nation. Far from it. It would ill become us to degrade our Trafalgar Day rejoicings by insulting references to the great French nation with whom our country is at present on terms of closest friendship. Tho object is to remind oui young people of the great sacrifices which their _ forefathers made in order to maintain, extend, and consolidate the Empire in which we now livo in peace and prosperity, and to impress on them tho fact that the heritago they have received is a great trust which they must bs prepared t9 defend and hand on undiminished to the 1 generations to pome. The lesson of Trafalgar Day is duty—duty to one's country; and the value of sea, power to Britain and -to the Oversea Dominions. The present moment is a critical one in the history of our Empire. The burden of naval defence is pressing heavily on the Motherland, and the time has come when the younger nations of the British raoo must make real sacrifices in order to relieve her of part of the responsibility. It is only by a high Benso of responsibility and a willingness to make sacrifices that a nation can become truly great. The story of the German Empire is a standing witness to this fact, and this is one of the keynotes of the centenaries of the War of Liberation. Tho Germans are convinced that tho Fatherland is well worth all tho sacrifices which have been made for it. We have a still greater Empire, and even more inspiring traditions; and we cannot expect to maintain them without bracing ourselves to tho task. Tho Oversea Dominions havo begun to develop the senso of nationhood and are showing themselves ready to shoulder their share of the burden of defence. They are not content with a mere payment of money, but they are eager to co-operate in a more direct and personal way with the Motherland in 'controlling, manning, and maintaining tho warships of the Empire. Tremendous changos havo taken placo in tho British Navy since the days of Nelson, but the same spirit prevails, though the old "wooden walls" have given place to iron Dreadnoughts; and every Britisbsr Ws that tbq Queon Elizaluth—tha world's most jjovrorlul

Dreadnought, which has just been launched at Portsmouth—will give as good an account of herself in tho day of battlo as the Victory did at Trafalgar.