The Daily News. SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1916. THE MODERN CRUSADERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1916. THE MODERN CRUSADERS.

For the last three centuries the British Fleet has maintained the freedom 'of the seas. Britain fought for and won this freedom, which has always been jealously guarded and determinedly upheld for the heneflcial use of the whole world—in times of peace. It may he asked why, if we decline to contemplate a German hegemony on the Continents of Europe and Asia, the world should tolerate a British hegemony of the seas ? Each of them is a form of omnipotence, therefore mankind is at its mercy. The reply to that very pertinent query.is contained in the established fact that control exercised on behalf of liberty and peace is one tiling, while a conquest obtained to pander to the lust of pride, ambition and aggrandisement is quite another matter. To put the explanation tersely—Britain occupies the position of police, and Germany fills the role of brigand. What is the real meaning of Germany's absurd claim for the freedom of the seas? It is that now, as in the time of Napoleon, Britain's' seapower stands between the land and the Kaiser's dream of world domination. It is worthy of sp'ecial note that Admiral Mahan, the famous American naval authority, thus wrote concerning Nelson's ship before Toulon: "Purposelesa they seemed to many, but they saved England." That of itself is an amply sufficient justification for British maritime supremacy, but it falls far short of covering the whole argument. A nation not only requires safety, but it needs supplies and material for development and expansion. That is why science and industry have been stimulated in the past in order to link up the nations of both hemispheres by facilitating trade and commerce, and England has become the Mecca of the world's produce. This result was only possible through the medium of the sea—the great common highway of the world—while its routes are the arteries of every nation's commerce. The growth of this international commerce was entirely dependent upon security of transit, and it was and is the mighty naval power of Britain which not only saves her from aggression, but' by keeping the liighways of the sea free to all law-abiding citizens has been the main factor in universal progress and prosperity. Let it be imagined, however, what would be the situation if Germany, holding her present creed, dominated the oceans, as she now seeks to dominate the land. This freedom would utterly vanish, and in its pla-ce would he found a ruthless despotism that would fetter the nations to the will of the barbaric Huns. It is Britain's strength on the sea whereby alone can security he assured, .or it bars the way to Germany's hegemony by land, for she cannot possibly dictate ta the world on land if Britain rules the sea. Were positions reversed Germany would loudly scoff at such a claim as she has now put forward, for she would know that it means the land power would have free use of its limbs, but the naval power would be hobbled. It may be that under pressure of circumstances Britain has been forced to depart from some of the practices of international m'aritime law, but that law must have a certain amount of elasticity in order to meet emergencies. If neutral rights have been infringed in minor matters, Britain, it must be remembered, is fighting to establish the greatest of all neutral rights, the right to freedom. This aspect of the question involves the admission that the infraction of inessentials is at times necessary and of little importance as compared witji the fundamentals, and it has been held that when fundamentals are challenged then there ought in principle to be no neutral rights. Germany, says Mr. Buchan, has proclaimed and gloried in a creed which reposes the conduct of the world's business on the ethics of the Stone Age. The mighty warships oi Britain are the modern crusaders, doing battle not only for. home and country, but for the citadel of Christendom. The time may come when the work of policing the seas may become an international duty, but that will not be until the evil spirit of world conquest has been thoroughly exercised and the nations live in amity one with the others. Meanwhile the freedom of the seas must he safeguarded by the only Power' capable of performing the duty—Britain, Tt is a lamentably costly business for Britain, but it is nevertheless a duty that no other Power could so faithfully and fearlessly carry out in the interests of the civilised world, '