The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1914. YEARS AGO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 26 August 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1914. YEARS AGO.

I A conjecture of what Britain would have done had she gone to -war with Germany appeared in the Spectator many years ago, and it is of interest at the present time. It was quoted by Mr Norman Angell to show why Germany had decided to build a navy. "Let us consider quietly and without heat what would have happened liad England tried the experiment of war with Germany this time last year," he said "Our fleet is much stronger than the German fleet, bo much stronger, indeed, that the Germans would not have risked its destruction, but would have kept safely in port. The German Navy is a good one, and its sailors and officers are brave men, but even they do not consider it would be possible to beat our ships wh.-n "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 have been the Tesult of such an action? In the first place, sucli 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» India or Mauritius would hava seized German East Africa, 1 one from C-ape Angra Pequena and Damaraland, ' onc from England the and one from Australia German New Guinea. But it may be said so far that Germany would have suffered very little. No doubt; but this is by no means ail the harm we' could have inflicted on Germany. Germany lias' a mercantile marine of large proportions, the German flag is everywhere, but 011 the declaration of war the whole of Germany's trading ships would be ai 'our mercy. Throughout the seas ,-.f liie world our cruisers would seize aiul confiscate Germnn ships. Within the first week cf the declaration of war, Germany would have suffered a loss of many millions of pounds by the capture of her ships. Nor is that all. Our'colonies are dotted with German trading houses, who, in spite of keen competition, do a great deal of business. We , should not, of course, want to trea* I them harshly,<but war must mean for them tlie selling of thoir businesses for what they would fetch and going hortu to Germany. In this way Germany would lose a hold upon the trade of the world which has taken her many •years of toil to create. Think, too, what Germany has spent upon subsidised steamship lines like the North German Lloyd. War with England must mean the utter ruin of this great co-operation. Again, think of the effect upon Germany's trade of the closing of all he: ports. Hamburg is one of the greatest ports in the world. What would be its condition if practically not a single ship could leave or enter it? Blockades are, 110 doubt, very difficult tilings tj maintain strictly, but Hamburg is so placed that the operation would be effected easily. In truth the 'blockade of ! all the German porta on the Baltic or North Sea would pres-mt very little difficulty. Consider the effect 011 Germany if her flag were swept from the higli seas and .her ports blockaded. She might not miss her colonies, for they are only a burden, but the loss of her sea-borne | trade would be an equivalent to an immediate fine of at least £ 100,000,000 sterling. In plain words, a war with Germany, even when conducted by her with the utmost wisdom and prudence, terribly heavy kind, and for us virtualmast mean for her a direct loss of a ly 110 loss at all."