TRAFALGAR CELEBRATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 253, 23 October 1905, Page 4

TRAFALGAR CELEBRATIONS.

The cabled accounts of the enthusiastic efforts .made in England and throughout the colOhles to commemorate Trafalgar show haw important this great national anniversary has now become In the eyes of the British race. We have already.dwelt. at some length on the national significance of this movement, and we recur to the subject now only to call the'attention of our readers to one of its aspects which appears to as to have been seriously misunderstood. In Auckland, as in other parts of the Empire, objections hare been raised by certain well-intentioned people to the celebration of Trafalgar Day on the ground that such a ceremonial is likely to,hurt the feelings of our French neighbours, and largely to neutralise the friendliness which vow happily subsists between us and them. This idea we believe to be altogether a delusion. In the first place, the great French nation though rightly jealous of its-national honour, has never been unwilling to yie'd admiration and praise to a brave enemy. A people in whose veins runs the blood of many, generations of warriors is never likely to stoop to malevolence, or to cherish enmity against a gallant foe. The cordial understanding which now. unites England and France is of recent growth, biit it has already passed the stage at which it might hare been marred by sudh a misconception asi. '.this. , Frenchmen take too much..pride..in. their .own martial glory, and feel too keen a delight in their own great historical • traditions to misconstrue England's enthusiasm: for Nelson and Trafalgar. More than this, we know that everywhere throughout the Empire, and more especially in England itself, the celebrations have been so conducted ac to guard against any Unintentional shock to French national or personal feeling* The French flag has been saluted, the tricolour has been hoisted alongside the Union Jack, and wreaths have .been, offered, to.the memory of the French sailors who fell at Trafalgar. In our own city we have the assurance of Ihe French Consul that our French fel-)oW-eitizetis thoroughly appreciate the spirit in"which we have done, honour to our great naval herb. But perhaps the strongest nroof of the good will toward France which has marked these demonstrations is the active interest taken In them by our King, who. an alt the world knows, is chiefly responsible for the "entente cordiale." and who more than any other statesman of the age has striven eeduously to foster friendship between England and France. While His Majesty Edward Vtl. was working earnestly to promote the Trafa'gai celebrations, It was surely superfluous for anyone on this side of the wdfld to caVil at our efforts in that direction on the ground that they might be distasteful to Frenchmen. We regret that any of out citir.ehe should have taken upon themselves this supererogatory dutj; fer tMr attitude

militated against the complete practical, and pecuniary success of a movement that should have been supported by a thoroughly unanimous and enthusiastic public feeling.