The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 24. GREAT BRITAIN AND THE NATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 37, 24 May 1910, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 24. GREAT BRITAIN AND THE NATIONS.

We have at various times endeavored to show that the German threat to obtain command of the sea is the merest "moonshine." The reasons given were, that although Germany is trying very hard to approach the maximum weight of British naval armaments, its naval training and personnel are incomparably weaker than those of the British. Navy. In effect, the German Navy is a recent invention incapable of striking a blow strong enough to affect the prestige of the supreme Navy. Mr. Archibald S. Kurd, a journalist whose life study has been the strength of the great navies, and wi» has previously written many illuminating and powerful articles on the subject, has lately been using his great skill in dissecting the reason*'for the apparent "scare" that exists in some British circles in relation to the probable defeat of the British Navy. In an article in the Nineteenth Century, Mr. Hurd draws attention to one fact «£ supreme importance, in considering th« (position 'of ihe world's navies, which is almost univensailly forgotten. During the last ten years Germany has lost allies, and Great Britain lias gained them. Twenty years ago Germany h«A not entered .upon her world policy. She •was in the happy position of having many friends, among wihom Great Britain was perhaps the most conspicuout, because hhe friendship 'was becoming closer. The British nation recognised is Germany the greatest military Power of the world, and the German people recognised, without bitterness', that Great Britain was supreme afloat. After "twenty years, Germany has overtaken and passed Italy, Russia and- France in the race for but the British people certainly have no reason for lamentations. Germany has-, lost more tihtan she gained' in. tibia struggle for naval ipower. In these days memory i» short: it is apt to be forgotten that 'when the German naval movement was in its infancy England was not oaly without a close friend, but .was iurrounded by powerful and bitter enemies. At her very gate she had France and Russia, the two next strongest naval Powers, in the world, in definite allianea, and in affiance against her. British relatione with rhhe United States wert strained', andi in a spirit of desperatios Mr. afterwards Lord, Goschen boasted of our "splendid isolation." At that time Germany was a very real anil serious menace to the British Empire, because England stood apart and along in "splendid isolation," faced by th« great armada® of Russia and Franee, then at their highest in popular esteem. Twelve years ihave passed; the Russian fleet hla® .practically disappeared in the whirlpool of the .war in the Far East. France has lost her former position on the seas. France, Russia and England have formed a 'triple entente. The comjminity of sentiment betnvwn these three people is steadily increasing; it is based on enduring) elements; the triple •entente is no,t a. political manoeuvre; it is the consummation of a definite po- '% of friendship, and is based upon the predominant need? of fho three Power?-fta'ancJal ; Commercial and indus-' trial.. Along the shores of the Mediterranean' the British fleet passes, exchanging cordial greetings, with this Power and. that. The retortions between Great Britain and Italy have steadily improved in the past ten years. And, looking beyond the confines of Europe, the situation has. also im.pro.ved. There is no longer a dark cloud in the Far East threatening the peace of the world. Japan has ceased to be a counter under the influence of any ambitious Power. Japan, the only Power wdtlh a battle fleet cast of Suez, is. our ally, and will (remain so until 1915, and before that date arrives r* one doubts but that the alliance will be renewed. Our relations with the United States were never more cordial. This is a remarkable change in British relations. For the first time in her history England' is on terms of closest friendship with all the great traditional naval Powers. Great Britain, instead of being faced by the tw© strongest fleets of Europe and of the world, with the navies of Germany, Japan and the United States as possible opponents, has now been forced by circumstances—and above all by the peace propaganda of the late King Edward—to measure her strength not in comparison ■with two or three Powers as was the case ten years ago, but in contrast with one Power only, and that Power Germany. Germany stands alone, isolated by her own acts and ambitions. Ten years ago British naval power was estimated and balanced in relation to the next two greatest fleets of the world: to-day it is measured in relation to one fleet only. This is a remarkable, a most significant change in the situation. It ■way not be a permanent factor, it cannot be used to limit our naval preparations, but it does bear on the consideration of German naval power as it exists to-day. There is this also to be remembered: the death of King Edward, the uncle of the Emperor of Germany, has immensely strengthened the sentimental relations between the two related peoples. At the moment the British Fleet is stronger, by two to one, than that of any other country. Its traditions are infinitely finer, its victories are innumerably more important, and it would welcome a struggle, and would meet it in the old spirit of Nelsons days.