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February 15, 1909.]
'been plunged into a state of mental incapa. city that renders it blind to the coming crisis; and this is one, if not the most dan- gerous sympton of the present sleeping sick- ness, which compels the nation to slumber while on the very verge of the most hazar- dous precipice that it has ever encountered. Still, though a general feeling of uneasiness is certainly abroad, the leaders of public opinion, whose duty it is to keep a vigilant look out for the signs of the time, are quiet- ly permitting affairs to drift as a rudderless ship in a maelstrom. It is surely time that they should show some more lively concern as to the inevitable result of permitting the ship to drift further from safe anchorage ground,
PEACE AND PREPAREDNESS FOR WAR.
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.
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land, it can at least be said that the ostens- ible object of all the reform schemes has been to strengthen the land forces. Mr. HALDANE, it is true, has claimed that he has added 90,000 men to the Army and saved 24 mil. lions per annum, but Lord MIDLETON, Who was Secretary of State for War in 1900-3 and must, therefore, be regarded as a com- petent authority, has declared the statement to be incorrect in both particulars, while other authorities assert that there has been a large decrease-the figures varying from 80,000 to 115,000 officers and men. Whatever the facts may be is best left to the experts to decide, but it is interesting to note that a Government which came into power with a determination to cut down both the Army and Navy now claims that it has created a larger army, and has won the applause of the nation by definitely laying down as the leading principle of naval policy the maintenance of the fleet at a two-Power standard. Though REUTER. no doubt, quite justifiably declares the speeches by the KING and KAISER at Berlin to be re- garded generally as denoting real advance in the prospects of European peace, we can anticipate no reductious yet in the world's armaments, and the demand for greater military and naval efficiency is likely to continue just as strong in every country as before these valuable Assurances were uttered. The millenium is a long way off yet.
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ARMY REFORM,
(Daily Press, February 12th.) JOHN RUBKIN in one of his books on political economy tries to show the absurdity of the plea constantly re-iterated in all countries for larger armaments to ensure national security, by setting out as analogous the case of neighbours in a street outwardly on the best of terms with each other while each is secretly anxious to maintain a good stock of trusty weapons in his back garden in dread of his next-door neighbour com- mitting a burglary. The analogy is weak, but reflections of this character certainly influence many minds. The speeches de- livered by the KING and KAISER last Tuesday at Berlin may suggest such thoughts to many in both countries. In (Daily Press, February 13th.) Germany, as we remarked yesterday, there Whether success crown his efforts or not is a wide spread belief that England has it will be conceded by even his political been working to accomplish the downfall of opponents that the Right Honourable Mr. the German Empire; in England the rise of HALDANE has wrought greater changes in the German Navy has been regarded as the constitution of the British Army than inspired by a determination to wrest from any of his immediate predecessors. For Britannia her supremacy on the sea, and years Army Reform has been one of the much talk of the possibility of a German questions which divided cabinets and invasion has been heard from time to time. sundered parties, but the need was not Lord ROBERTS, in the historic speech which vividly recognised until the South African he delivered last November from his place war. Since that eventful struggle not a in the House of Lords, told the nation that few ministers have come to grie: in attempt the rise of the German Navy had simplified ing a solution of the problein and it is not invasion and that German strategy would yet certain that Mr. HALOANE's experiment be able to elude our ships and land 150,000 with the Territorials will give the results men. In the gravest tones the veteran which its promoter anticipated. There are soldier declared that, "if we do not take many who prognosticate failure, but perhaps precautions, we may find ourselves in the the wish is father to the thought, for hands of the invader, and be obliged to should the new scheme prove ineffective submit to the most humiliating conditions." there can be little doubt that couscription He was not blaming Germany. On the will follow. However, we are not concerned contrary he said Germany ought to be with that prospect at present. We are more praised, and her example followed "for her interested in the statement which the right people, by their industry, their perseverance honourable gentlemen made at a dinner in their sound system of education, and by the London the other evening when he an- advantageous military training which every nounced that negotiations were proceading man receives, have made her a great nation." Letween the Home Government and the Hurried perusal of the speech conveyed to
Over Seas Dominions for the creation of an many persons the idea that Lord ROBERTS Imperial Army. Mr. HALDANE, decording bad it in his mind that Germany meditated to the telegraphic information which we aggression, but a careful study of the address published yesterday, adced that this was a shows plainly enough that Lord ROBERTS natural extension of the chain of defence. cited Germany only as being the strongest Admittedly, the principle is right aud possible enemy, and that, for his pur proper-an imperial army for the defence poses, every nation was a possible fue. of the empire; but we may be pardoned if Probably the arguments for compulsory we doubt its practicability. We know from military training were appreciated nowhere experience that if the Mother Country better than in Germany. The movement needel assistance it would be readily has evidently been gaining ground in Eng- forthcoming from her colonies. The demon- land of late, for the fact is coming to be strations of loyalty and the equipment of recognised that if Mr. HALDANE's scheme useful additions to our fighting force of Army reform fails as there appears in South Africa by the Colonies were great likelihood of it doing-the next perhaps the brightest features in the war scheme will certainly be one for universal with the Boers, and it hardly needs to be training. The British nation has been stated-the fact is so universally admitted educated up to the point of insisting on the that, should a like occasion again arise, maintenance of the Navy at a two-Power there will be the same speedy response standard, and if, is Lord ROBERTS has de- from the larger Colonies. Apostles of clared, we have not a strong army in Eng- I empire have preached the need for a
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greater union between the Mother Country and her Colonies, and Tariff Reform has been advocated as one of the ways to this end. Now it HALDANE had sought to apply some of the would appear as if Mr. Imperial ideas of this school of thought to his development of an adequate fighting force for Great Britain and the Empire. By Over Seas Dominions we presume is Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and pro- menut the large self-governing colonies- bably South Africa itself. Without impeach- ing the loyalty of those colonies, we venture 10 express the opinion that even should they decide to furnish coutingents to be trained in Britain, or should they agree to place their armies under the control of British generals, the solution of the problem of an effective fighting force for the protection of Great Bri ain will not thereby be solved. It is only natural to expect that if a colony raises au army for defensive purposes that it should remain in its own territory, and we can imagine that Australia, for instance, which is deeply concerned at present over the question of its defence, would hesitate to consent to a scheme which involved the
the project might mean nothing more than separation of part of its army. Of course
an arrangement whereby all these colonial armies were placed under the same control and this imperial army administered like the Civil Service. Such a plan would doubtless represent a greater degree of cohesion than obtains at present, but even then it would not be a solution of the dit- culty which 18 still before the Imperial Government. The need for an adequate army would still remain. It is difficult to conjecture what new scheme the Secre tary for War has evolved, and we await the publication of its details with some interest.
RANDOM REFLECTIONS.
No-don't ask me which pony is going to win the Derby. I don't know, and I distrust the tipster. It is always the unexpected that happens. Did not Signioretta, whom nobody. last year, leaving the favourites quite out of the but the owner thought of, win the Derby
Guineas won by an old cart horse? The only running? And was not the Two Thousand
'dead cert" I can give you, my friend, is that in
every event next week the first pony home will be the winner.
Yes, there are so many good ponies in train- ing this year that even the most practised hand at " spotting the winner "hesitates to do the week to insure a capital meeting. Yes, of spotting yet. It only needs fine weather next
course, the ladies are praying for fine weather for they have given out their orders to the dressmakers, who are working almost day and night to fulfill commands. This would be a dull season for the dressmakers if there were no race meeting.
the lock Tower, perhaps the most interesting How many will hoave a sigh at the news that relic that remains of old Hongkong, is to be demolished as soon as the new Clock Tower on the Post Office Buildings is completed. The information is official, and the Vandals who have so long agitated for its removal are at last able think it was, there was quite a long and interest- to shout "Hip-hip-hip Hurrah! In 1905, I ing correspondence on this subject in the Daily Press which wound up with a stone" three or four columns long, full enough of sentiment to make the angels weep. The hand of the destroyer was stayed. Sir Mathew Nathan could not find it in his heart to
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sermon in
resist such a flood of sentiment. The sugges either on the new Law Courts or the Post tion to remove the tower and put the clook Office on the waterfront was made in the Daily Press at the time, and evidently the D.P.WA has borne the suggestion in mind. Do you sak when the Post Office will be finished ? Äh that
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