ENGLAND'S NAVAL STRENGTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 46, 26 February 1900, Page 3

ENGLAND'S NAVAL STRENGTH.

LORD CHARLES BERESFORD'S OPINION. The Paris Matin publishes an interview with Lord Charles Beresford on the war and England's position as a maritime power. The first question asked by the correspondent-was regarding thy possibility of England restoring her lost pies ige by a war with Fi-ince. "I°tliink such a supposition," declared Lord Charles Beresford, "quite unfounded. England is not a warlike jUtivn, She only fights when, forced. |

In England ...the commercial - interest J is supreme. In other words, we are a nation of shopkeepers, nnd war between France and England would ruin thousands of people. On both sides of the Channel the forces are much stronger than those who make for war." " As to France's colonies ?"

[ "We don't want them. To add them to our immense Empire would be 1 dangerous." "But Mr. Chamberlain recently made threats," interrupted the interviewer.

" All men make mistakes, and it cannot be denied that Mr. Chamberlain's speech was a break. It was blamed here by men of all parties. You must not pay too much attention to a single phrase. Mr. Chamberlain is of a fighting nature, and as a politician, therefore, likely to express himself with a certain force which he does not mean as a menace."

"Do you think Mr. Chamberhin will remain long in power?" asked the interviewer.

" Certainly," was the reply. " The nation has great confidence in him and does not hold him responsible for what has happened. He is a strong man, a very strong man." "But, if England did not desire war, why did she act in the Fashoda affair with such brutality ?" "That affair," said Lord Charles Beresford, " was not in the domain of ordinary diplomacy. We warned France that any attempt to occupy Fashoda would be regarded as an unfriendly act. We felt as you woald feel if an English officer occupied Indo-Chinese territory." " But if Russia, France, and Germany combine against England ?" asked the French journalist. ; " I believe the English fleet is able to beat the fleets of the three Powers," was the answer. "It is probable that we would crush each fleet separately before they could effect a junction. Allied fleets are never so homogeneous as is that of a single nation. Our resources in msn and money are enormous, besides the interests of England and Americans are so entangled that union with the States seems to me a necessity. This will be the work of to-morrow. Our colonies will then be militarily organised and capable of lending he'p to the Mother Country. In 1888 France could have defeated England. Her ships were insufficient, and her arsenals empty, but all that is changed now. Our fleet," continued Lord Charles Beresford, "is stronger than any other, because it is constructed en practical lines. Our idea was to be able to struggle successfully against two great Powers combined, and we will continue to build in order to maintain our supremacy. As regirds our army, things are very different. Our army is organised by politicians and financiers, well-inten-tioned, but incompetent and without real responsibility. No one will attack at the present moment the men at the bead cf the army, but after the wa- we will go into the question of responsibilities. After the war the army will be reorgaLised. "Do you think conscription will come '{" asked the interviewer.

"No," replied Lord Chailes Beres-. ford. " Conscription is so utterly opposed to the epiilt; of tho English peopl"*, that I think the reorganisation of the ai my on a practical basis, with an augmentation cf the number of men, will fcuffice."