LECTURE BY MR W. EARNSHAW.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12419, 31 July 1902, Page 8

LECTURE BY MR W. EARNSHAW.

A lecture was given at Cargill Road Wcsleyau Church last evening by Mr W. Earnsiiaw in connection with tlio church Literary and Debating Society, of which. Mr Earnsliaw is a vice-president, The Rev. Josiah Ward presided, l and there was a good Attendance, the lecturer's discourse being followed vrith.interest arid frequently applauded. Mr Euriishaw's subjcct was entitled "The Trend o£ the World's Movements," and after introducing jiis subject' in some of its possible applications, he settled down to its consideration in its narrower of the race for supremacy among tiio nations. In the live races—tile Ma'liy Mogul (including the Chinese), the Slav. (Russian), the Teuton (Gorman), .the Ailglo-Saxon, and the American—wore five distinct types that- were in tho main worthy of study. In the past the stmgglo of'natious had been that of conquest and carnage, but the field had now changed. These live types had already entered upon the world's battlefield, and to-day industrial production was the war material, the markets tho battlefield. It wa& hard to say with what nation would rest the final victory. Germany, with her system of rigid discipline, had undoubtedly taken a high plaea in mate of university and technical training, and in chemistry and manufacturing pursuits she distinctly led. The advance? made *by Russia;' China, and Jajian ware next briefly detailed, Tho' greet struggle, however, would be between the world's giants, England awl America. Great as had been the growth of British industry within the laot 20 yearß, both America and Germany had gone forward with leaps and bounds ■in proportirn as England had walked. That within the next decade America would outstrip Eilgland in production and exportation to the world's markets was what Englandhad to:.foftp. .The present fight was that for the supremacy., of. trade. One could not take up n newspaper without reading of some new combine, truet, or movement to capture the world's markets. Examples were seen in the great.. Copper Trust, the great Steel Irust, tho great Corn Trust, and the great Meat, Trust that failed. Mr Tom Mann bad appeared to niake.lig.lit of America's great movement, but lie bad allowed that the American engineer, was more educated, receptive, and 'inventive than the average British engineer. • These were the qualifications that made for absolute supremacy, wade America a formidable antagonist, ■thirty years ago England had reigned supreme in tho cotton and iron industries, and ,at that linio thov<? was hardly* an American machine in English wovbhems. Heir ventured to say that within the last "10 thsro had not hosn an engine shop remodelled or rebuilt in which 25 per cent, at least of the maeliitierv had not been of American manufacture. Then there was tho onomous stride America had made in the oleetrieal world. By her Protection policy, coupled with her enormous supplies of minerals, it could ljot lie denied that America had succeeded, and by the enormousness of her own market was now in a position to compete for the world's markets even if sho had an open-door with Britain herself. England raised tome £4'"i.000,000 through her Customs and excise—she was only a Froatrado oountry so far as manufactures were concerned. But England, to win the fight, would have to retrace her steps with regard to Freetrade, though the' policy was very sound when adopted. America and Gormany debarred English manufactures by a high tariff, and sho provided them with an open-door. This meant that America would always find in British dominions a dumping ground for her surplus supplies. Both countries realised that the supremacy of tho sea meant tho mastery of tho situation, and tho battln must rage round this question. Tho American combine led bv Morgan realised that if they could capture the whole of England's shipping they could bo masters of tho world. Though it cost them ruinous pricesT* they would roon recoup themselves, England could not win the fight through her private shipping Tympanies. There must be a combine of England, Canada, and Australia to control her shipping. Where was Englan4 to look for a remedy to her danger? • Ho thought that within next 10 years there would be a great conflict on the question of Freetrade. It should not bo adhered to. British dominions would have to put' an embargo on •the productions of other countries. England had to spend something liko £60,000,000 a year in tho protection of her commerce. It v/as unreasonable so to penalise herself and allow foreigners a free entry. There was another remedy, however. The stability of an empire depended more on the internal lifo of tho pooplo than on the pressure of the outer world. Ifc depended on the sobriety, frugality, industry, and self-sacrifice of its people. If suoh a course of life were adopted an open-door might then bo kept to tho world. A decade's expenditure of the ration in drink exceeded that of 300 years' war obligations. • Throwing off that burden would ba a remedy. Education should 1m remodelled. This was the heroio way of effecting a remedy. At. the conclusion of tho lecture a hearty voto Of thanks was accorded Mr Earnshaw on tho motion of Mr F. W. Clayton. During the evening. Mr T. Low contributed a. vocal item.