The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1911. THE NAVY AND PEACE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14390, 4 January 1911, Page 4

The Timaru Herald. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1911. THE NAVY AND PEACE.

The British Navy is tlie strongest agent for the preservation of European peace. That is the view taken by Admiral Mohan, the distinguished American naval authority, who has lately constituted himself an unofficial advisor of Great Britain in matters which affeot her maritime supremacy. In an important article contributed by him to the London " Daily Mail," Admiral Mahan points out that the nowers of Europe are at present divided into two opposing camps, rop:>.sented the Triple Enteute, England, France, and Russia, r.n the one hand, and the Triple Alliance, Germany, Austria, and Italy, on the other. The Triple Alliance easily controls the laid territory of Europe, but ilie predominance of sea power '.s With the combination which includ-is the British Navy. The ij pirns, a Navy, of course, is now tl.«» pocctid woild. and J?raac;e in

uii ) important land power, '>ut, ii spite of these exceptions it is true that whjlo one combinitiort represents overwhelming lu»d supremacy, t(io other stands for mastery at sou, and noss anted .ft! great asset, tilso, In the ilnanoiol resources of lfranoe./ The conclusion drawn by Admiral Mahan from the position ia that there in nothing to ; prevent the Iriplt, Alliance bringing the' rest of Europe under its domination, but the fear of tho loss which tin British Navy would caufto to German commerce in a great war. The extent of that com-' merce is not oftenroalised, abd it is sea-borne, With the world outside Europe it increased, between 1894 and, 1004, ' by 93 per ceit., wM Europe^,v 68 per cent, | whereas. ths Med, interchange with i, Eurbpe ■creased by only <s6'nt. The maintenance if thitsea trade i pends on the >Atne», rican authority point* out thftt war with Oritat -mtotn elifnini \ ates at once/as/sat-Heys .to Ow» many, the, two jmncipaUtiwrcftttji» iS tile marines—the British and',} ha German. " Frances with Jutf/ • entente sympathies jtadA tradU tional grievances, will taot 'greatly, object to measures ,-Which will ell*' minate also her merohtttet vessels* ' already and otherwise sufficiently,, employed. The United fetitos > ha* none but ooaetwisp shipping, - also fully employed, Add'.!* rtat'. likely to insist strongly ujtoa A ; privilege of supplying Germany with ships. There remain* no strong naval Power objetst U» the most senous repretslve «nwt» sures that Great Britain may jin* dertake' within tat vlifaits /x-iifr-,.; ternationallaw»» .brpadly/intiflfj,;, pteted/'r j'Ofe not be tapped system,' (u' SM| l ; : approximate,' ttwuf MVfmiMwfl afwaysias Wifc W^ESN^ organisation, mant, and outcome. thaitno (one in iMW>| }h as a J>y,the 'possible otherwise ]•. bf Middle. NAvy of Omt\ JBHUto;*&**»'.•mk