THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1909. BRITAIN'S FOREIGN POLICY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3222, 21 June 1909, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1909. BRITAIN'S FOREIGN POLICY.

Sir Edward Grey's pithy pronouncement that Britain's foreign policy is: "Keep what we have and consolidate and develop it," amounts to a declaration that the maintenance of the "status quo" is the main object of the British. Government. But Lord Rosebery's graphic account of the extraordinary impi'essivaness of the state of Europe—"its surface calm, its overpowering preparation for war," must lead thoughtful minds to doubt the practicability of acting up to Sir Edward Grey's idea for an indefinite period. Great Britain possesses all the"territory that s'ne wants. She administers huge areas in Europe, Asia, Africa; Arrferica, an:! Australasia. But there are other, countries with far larger populations, and populations which are increasing much faster than that of Great Britain. Those countries require outlets for their surplus people. It is imperative for them to keep open the existing channels

for their trade and to develop new channels. Time is on the side of Britain's rivals. Every year that passes must increase their pressure upon England, compelling it, as Lord Rosebery said, to defend itself, its liberties, and the liberties of its dependencies. The British Empire, according to Sir Edward Grey, has reached its fullest territorial development, but the younger Empire which is its greatest rival eagerly demands new territories, and those territories, in the opinion of many of its leaders, can only be won at Britain's expense. Hence it must happen that each year as it comes will increase Britain's anxieties, and make her task of keeping what she has got more difficult. Already comes the announcement in a Berlin journal that a new German Navy Bill will be introduced in l'Jll, for the purpose of accelerating the construction of large armoured cruisers. And the pretence that a great German navy was needed to protect the German coast and German trade has now been frankly dropped Rear-Admiral Weber announced at Kiel that it was needed to uphold the "political prestige" of Germany, while at the same time he uttered the menace —which has now become

familiar in British ears —against "the most powerful maritime nation.*' The task of keeping what we have got, and consolidating it, is certain, therefore, to become more and more difficult aa time goes on. Sir Edward Grey's second dictum, that Britain must quarrel as little as as possible with other people can be acted upon for just as long as the "other .people" choose and no longer. For the present, it is the chief object of the militarist Powers in Europe to avoid giving Britain any cause of offence until the disparity between the naval strength of the militarist powers and that of Britnin has been so much diminished as to give them a reasonable chance of success in the case of a collision. And there is much work vet to be done before that stage is reached. It is vitally necessary to the national interests of Germany that Britain should not be provoked to strike before her rival is ready. When she is ready it will be "a counsel of perfection" to tell Britain to "quarrel as little as possible with other people." For it is easv to provoke a quarrel which no self-respecting nation could refuse to take up. Fortunately, Great Britain cannot now be surprised in the same way that Austria was surprised in 1866, and France in 1870. Whatever may happen in the future Great Britain will'have had ample warning. She has time to prepare for the storm, and nothing is more certain than that in proportion as her preparations are vigorous and thorough, so will the likelihood of the attack diminish. The ability of Britain to act up to Sir Edward Grey's advice is of vital moment to her dependencies. As long as she can keep what she has got, and consolidate and develop jt ? they are safe. If 3ho is ever unable to keep what she has got their fate is sealed. The dependencies have no desire to see Britain attempt to acquire fresh territory. Their interest, like hers, is wrapped up in the maintenance of the '"status quo." But it is becoming increasingly clear that they will have to help her to maintain it. And there is no time to lose.