GERMANY'S AIMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 230, 26 September 1906, Page 8

GERMANY'S AIMS.

(To the Editor.! Sir,—ln your issue of September 18th you publish a, letter under the above heading iv which the writer who signs himself a German New" Zcalander wishes it to be undirstood that Germany has a perfe-.t right to wrest the Australasion colories from Britain when she has tho power to do so. Now, sir, although Ocrtn-ny has a perfect right to work feverishly to gain a commercial position in the world equal to the British, and to create an immense navy if she pleases, when the creation of that navy is for the avowed intention of wresting the supremacy of the sea and her most valuable colonies from a country with which she is and always has been at peace; and a country to whom she is in duty bound to show some gratitude, if such a quality existed in her national character, then 1 cay it is our duty as Britishers to remember what our country has done- for Germany, and in our future dealings with her "treat such a country as she deserves. It is barely 100 years since Prussia, which is virtually'the Germany of to-day, lay crushed and helpless at the feet of Napoleon —beaten and routed in the two battles of Jena and Auerstadt, both fought on the same day. October 14, 1806, with a loss of more than 40,000 men, 200 guns and 25 standards. This was followed by the surrender of 14.000 more men at Erfurt on October 16. The fall of Spandau and tho entrance into Berlin of the French on October 25. Prince Hohenlohe capitulated at Prentzlnu on October 29th with 16,000 infantry and 16 regiments of cavalry. The towns of Stettin and Custrin opened their gates after a slight resistance,, and 21.000 men with General Blucher laid down their arms on November 7, Magdeburgh capitulating next day with 22,000 men. What I contend is this, that had it not been for the superhuman efforts of Britain, which were- successful both ou sea and land, in crushing the power of Napoleon, there would have been no Germany on the map of Europe to-day. That the continential countries were unable to oppose any effectual resistance to the. French is certain. And what resistance they did make was through the aid of British gold, which was paid in subs'dies to Prussia, Austria and Russia, and which amounted in one year to £5,000.000. If your correspondent a German Now Zealander is inclined to challenge my statements regarding the utter overthrow of his country by Napoleon, and her subsequent inab'lity to rise witho.it the assistance of British gold, lot mc tell him my information is derived from the history of Europe by the German bistoi-ian Koch. The national history of Germany during the last 50 years lias been a continuatiou of an insidious and abhorrent polW to aggrandise herself at the expense of her neighbours. In 1864, with the assistance of Austria, she wrested Sehlosw'g-Holstein from Denmark. Later on she quarrelled with and humiliated Austria, and next came the war with France which she had covertly striven for years to bring about, and for which she had made every preparation. Many of her people who had been living in France for years and enjoying all the privileges of French citizensh'p were spies in her service and traitors to the land of their adoption. After she had beaten France and took from her two provinces, she made her pay an indemnity of £200,000,000. And what has been her subsequent treatment of Ihat country? She has tried in every possible way to provoke her into another war with the intention of bleeding her white. With all these historical facts before us it is clearly our duty as Britishers to look the matter straight in the face. That a conflict between Germany and Britain must como is certain. Germany is determined to possess colonies worth having, and her ambitions with regard to South' America will be frustrated by the Monroe Doctrine, to uphold which the United States are greatly strengthening their navy, nnd will certainly .'defeat Germany's views in that quarter. And then the contest will narrow down to one with Britain. That Germany wishes and intends to annex both Holland and Belgium is certain, and only the naval power of Britain stands in her wajc. It has been the. fixed deter-

mination. of Britain for centuries not to allow the-Sc^" 1 * and Antwerp to fall into the hands of her enemies. Therefore she inus* mai ntain at all. costs her naval supremacy.—-I am, etc, WALTER CRISP. . Fencouxt. September 22, 1906.