The New Zealand Times. MONDAY, JULY 27, 1925. THE AMERICAN FLEET

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12200, 27 July 1925, Page 6

The New Zealand Times. MONDAY, JULY 27, 1925. THE AMERICAN FLEET

A hundred years ago had an American fleet entered a British harbour its men would have been boycotted, and the, newspapers of Britain would have teemed with criticisms of “Yankee notions.”

To-day an fleet enters two great British harbours, and the population of each going into the seventh heaven of delight, gives the whole outfit the wildest and most respectful homage. Look at the Anglo-American page of history. You will find that the relations of ’ the two nations began \yell—it was a case of father and son. The latter,’ in the first instance, was protected and pampered. Presently he was made to fpflow a certain marked-out career. Later Jhe discovered that the marking out was entirely in the father’s interest and largely £o!Ms own undoing. His acquired knowledge .of the world, together with the love of freedom and the instinct of independence inherited from the father, made him follow this discovery with armed rebellion. ;

The astonished father replied with punishment. Thought he was, obeying the Solomon warning to spank the child. To his amazement, the son spanked him, and promptly thereafter kicked him out of his country. /

For many years there was bitter,hatred between the two. That hatred-was increased by another wan —it was in 1812—-in which the American was right and the Britisher was wrong. Nevertheless, there persisted on both sides something, unforgettable, a natural link of racial kinship and long partnership, historical arid literary. The ebrheirs of great traditions, of freedom and letters, being related, could not ignore the ties of history and l kinship. Natural affection and a common tradition-gave brightness to the century that followed, and blotted out all the causes of trouble arising between the two peoples. Several expressions of the acknowledg-, ment that “blood is thicker than water” dotted and brightened the; history of that cfentury.

Ihe end of that century was natural and logical. It saw the great American Republic and the British Empire aligned on Europeah soil in strenuous battle for 1 freedom and righteousness on earth. ' In that alignment the ships of America were beside the ships of Britain, under the command of British admirals, and the troops of America were beside the troops of Britain under the orders of British generals.

The evils of the past, have gone. While they were hovering uncertain the two peoples came to, greatness of power and influence in the world. Now the two peoples stand together, a composite power calling attention and commanding respect. This, was declared recently by the welcome given at San Francisco by American naval officers who had served in the Great War under that squadron’s commander. The, same is declared to-day on a' greatly larger scale by the American squadrons entering the chief Aqstralian harbours, and the Australian people receiving them in warmest welcome. >■

Some foolish things are said and done to the contrary by foolish people. But they will not disturb the great truth of the united power for gpod of-the two peoples. Nor will they prevent their loyal combination in all the things whatsoever that may happen to disturb the calm of the vast Pacific region rapidly becoming the centre of the world’s balance.