War Items

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 66, 6 August 1914, Page 3

War Items

LOCAL PROVISION SUPPLY. NO CAUSE FOR ALARM. "We must do something to quieten the people down," said a prominent retail grocer to a "Daily News" representative -yesterday. He continued that he had been inundated with orders for provisions in a manner that showed that people were becoming unnecessarily panic-stricken with regard to the supply o,' provisions. "There is," he continued, "absolutely no need for anxiety locally. The town is well supplied and full stocks of the most essential commodities will arrive by the boat from south to-morrow. People would do well to realise, that hy rushing the shops they are only likely to force up prices for no reason." A prominent wholesale dealer who was also interviewed on the same subject, agreed. He felt no anxiety ■• except that "panicky" buying would incommode the-local mar'ket.The southern millers, he said, were feeling no doubt that they would be aide to keep up the supply of Hour so long as they were not unduly rushed. BRITAIN'S MOVF. AC AI X.ST GERMANY. WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. The following conjecture of wliat llritain would have done had she gone to war with Germany appeared in the Spectator many years ago, but it is of interest at the 'present time. It was quoted bv Mr Xorniau Angell to show | why Germany had decided to build ft | navy. I

"Let us consular quietly and without liont what would have happened liai! England tried the experiment of war this time last year. Our fleet is much stronger than the German lleet. so much stronger, indeed, that the Ger■n.ans would not liave risked its destruction, but would have kept it saiely in port. The Gorman Navy is a good one, and its sailors and officers tiro brave men, but even they do not consider that it would be possible to beat our ships when outnumbered three to one We may take it that

the Germans, having no need to show their courage in a hopeless engagement, would have kept their fleet in port. What would ha\e been the result of such an action? in the first place, such German ships of war as are to be found in the Pacific, or on the African coasts would have been either sunk or captured. The next result would have been that an expedition despatched from Mauritius would have seined. Gorman Kast Africa, one from the Cape Augra Pe(|uena and Damaraland, and one from England, the Cameroons, and from Australia German New Guinea. But it may bo said so far Germany would have suffered very little. "No doubt; but this is by no means all the harm we would have inflicted on Germany. Germany has a mercantile marine of vast proportions, the German flag is everywhere, but on the declaration of war, the whole of Germany's trading ships would be at our mercy. Throughout the seas of the world, our cruisers would seize and ■confiscate German ships. Within the fir-t week of the declaration « f war. Germany would have suffered a loss o; manv millions of pounds bv the cap tore'of her ships. Nor is that all. Our colonies are all dottde with German trad ing houses, who, in spite of keen com portion, do a great deal of business. \Ve should not, of course, want to treat them har.-dilv. but war must mean for them the selling of their bnsine.se,, for what they would fetch and going hurtle

tn Conuanv. In this wav. CJermam would lose a hold upon the trade (if the world which it has taken her main .-.. <,tlii>s::T.. :()■ .luU.hl witlllVltlliUl tlMll ■ Germany bus spent upon subsidis-'l steamship, lines like the Xorth German Lloyd. War with Kngland must mean the utter mill of this great carrying corporation. Again, think of the effect. upon Germany's trade; of the closing of all her potts. Hamburg is one of the greatest ports of the world. Whit would be its condition'if practicallv net ft single stilt, could leave or enter it? Blockades are. no doubt, very dillicult things to maintain strk-tlv. but Ham burg is mi placed that the operation would 'be vompnrativeh- oust. In truth, the blockade, of all the German ports on the l.altic or Xorth Sea would pre sent very little difficulty. Consider the '■fleet on Germany if her llag'wero swept from the high seas and her ports blockaded. She might not miss her colonies, for they arc only a burden, but the loss of her sea-iiorne trade would be an equivalent to an immediate line of at least .G HHi.wo.WO sterling. In plain words. a . war with Germany, even when conducted by her with the' utmost wisdom and prudence-, must mean for ho" a direct loss of a terril.lv heavv kind, and for us ■ virtually no loss at all"