HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1914-9-3, Page 2BRITAIN'S WAR ON GERMANY
ALLIANCES NECESSARY To
NATION'S SAFETY
Britain Hoe Direct Interest in Pre-
serving Independence of
Belgium.
In an analysis of the interests and
duty of Great Britain in the pre-
sent situation, The Louden Times,
prior to Britain's deelar.ation of
war on Germany', says:
One question is to -day on all lips
What course shall England pursue
should a genera] European war
break out'! Prejudice, passion, or
ignorance of the fundamental condi-
tions of our national freedom in-
spire divergent answers. It is
therefore necessary to consider in
the Bold light of historical fact and
of reason the actual terms of the
problem before making up our
minds as to the course to be pur-
sued.
At moments of supreme peril na-
tions, like individuals, are best
guided by the impulse that is
strongest in human beings—the in-
, stint -of self-preservation. It is
well that this should be so ; for
none but interests instinctively re-
cognized as vital can carry a people
through a life -and -death struggle.
Dangers of Isolation.
The first principle of .0,11 British
foreign policy is recognition of the
fact that England, though.an island,
forms part of Europe. Forgetful-
ness of this simple fact has in the
past had disastrous consequences.
Without reverting to the war of
1870, France to her fate, allowed her f
to be dismembered, and has ever,
since paid the cost in the growing
burden of international armaments,
it is necessary only to remember
the position Of
by Great Britain
tut the end of the South African
war. The policy of the late Lord
Salisbury has been one of "splen-
did isolation." When disaster
overtook us in South Africa, we
were without a friend on the Con-
tinent and were only saved from
attack by a European coalition be-
cause the Emperor of Russia de-
clined to sanction such apolicy,
and because the question of Alsace-
Lorraine, formed an insuperable
obstacles to military and naval co-
operation against us by Germany
and France.
"Splendid Isolation."
The policy of "splendid isola-
tion" became a military and politi-
cal impossibility, unless we were
prepared so to strengthen our Army
and our Navy as to be able to defy
any attack or combination of at-
tacks by land and sea. King Ed-
ward recognized this fact, and with
the advice of his Ministers sought
to diminish the number of our po-
tential enemies on the Continent.
Contrary to many interested or mis-
taken assertions, neither he nor
Lord Lansdowne ever conceived the
policy of making friends in Europe
as a policy of aggression.
The first step in this policy had
little reference to Europe. It con-
sisted in the Anglo -Japanese Alli-
ance of 1902. But it was the An-
glo -Japanese Alliance that led di-
rectly to the Anglo-French Entente
-of 1904. During 1903 England
strove, as she is striving now, to
prevent war, by urging Russia to
come to terms with Japan. France
also sought to restrain her ally,
lest entanglement in the Far East
should render Russia incapable of
supporting France in Europe.
Russian support was indispensable
to France, who had constantly been
exposed to diplomatic and military
pressure by Germany, and had, in
18'75," only been saved from Ger-
man attack through the interven-
tion of the Emperor of Russia, and
especially of Queen Victoria. Queen
Victoria then saw that the undis-
puted predominance of Germany in
Europe, and the permanent disable-
ment of Prance, would create for
England a situation es dangerous
as that which grew up when Na-
poleon established his supremacy
on the Continent.
Balance of Forces.
Auto Truakc Used in mobilizing the Russian Army.To facilitate the hurried mobilization of the 1,280,000 men in answer to the Czar's ukase, automobile
trucks of the latest type are being used to transport the Czar's troops to the various points of mobiliza-
tion. The photo shows u. number of these high-powered auto trucks and the officers in charge of this
department of the Czar's forces.
her disadvantage and she be left
alone to face a predominant Ger-
many .
Britain's Vital Interest.
A vital British interett is there -
ore at stake. This interest -takes
two forms—the general interest of
European equilibrium, which has
been explained, and the more di-
rect interest of preserving the in-
dependence of Holland, and par-
ticularly Belgium. The Franco-
German frontier along the Vosges
has been so formidably fortified on
both sides that a German or a
French advance across it seems im-
probable. The point of contact be-
tween the German and French
armies would probably lie in or
near Belgium. But a German ad-
vance through Belgium into the
north of France might enable Ger-
many to aec:vire possession of Ant-
werp, Flushing, and even of Dun-
kirk and. Calais, which might then
become German naval bases against
England. This is a contingency
which no Englishman can look upon
with indifference.
The German lfenace.
But if it be merely a contingency,
why should England not wait until
it is realized before acting or pre-
paring to act? Because, in these
days of swift decisions and swifter
action, it would be too late for
England to act with any chance of
success after France had been de-
feated in the north. This is why
the shots fired by the Austro-Hun-
garian guns at Belgrade reverber-
ate across the English Channel.
The safety of the narrow seas is a
vital, the most vital, British na-
tional and Imperial interest. It is
an axiom of British self-preserva-
tion. France does not threaten our
security. A German victory over
France would threaten it immedi-
ately. Even should the German
navy remain inactive, the occupee
tion of Belgium and Northern
France by German troops would
strike a crushing blow at British
security. We should then be
obliged, alone and without allies, to
bear the burden of keeping up a
fleet superior to that of Germany
and of an army proportionately
strong. This burden would be ruin-
ous.
The instinct of self-preservation,
which is the strongest factor in na-
tional life, therefore compels us to
be ready to strike with all our force
for our own safety and for that of
our friends.
Anglo-French • efforts failed to
prevent the Russo-Japanese war in
1904. Germany, who was anxious
to remove the pressure of the Rus. -
sten army from her eastern fron-
tier, counteracted them. When the
war broke out Trance and England
were obliged quickly to decide whe-
ther they would join in the war and
fight.each other, or would agree to
remain neutral and to counter-
balance German supremacy. They
,chose the latter course in Febru-
ary, 1904. A few weeks later the
agreement with France, known as
the Entene Cordiale, turnedthis
negative agreement into a positive
poet,.
Russia is now defending a vital
interest. Frame, who is bound to
Russia by alliance, and still more
. by the necessities of her European
situation and political indepen-
donne, is compelled to support Rus-
sia. Bagland is bound by moral
obligations to side with France
and Russia, lest the balance of
threes 9n the bontinent be upset to
P -
LARGEST COIN IN THE WORLD
Swedish Copper Weighs Thirty-one
founds,
Weighing 31 pounds, a single cop-
per coin bearing the imprint of the
Swedish crown and the name of
the monarch, Charles X. Gustavus,
during whose reign it was issued,
has been acquired by the American
Numismatic Society. The piece
represents eight "dolor," equiva-
lent to $5.20 in American money,
It measures 23% by 13 inches, end
in form is a rectangular ingot,
bearing five large stamps punched
in the centre and four corners.
These impressions were made in or-
der to prevent a reduction in valve
by clipping. The coin was struck
at Avesta, Sweden, in 1669, and is
a type which was minted cen•tinu-
misly for 110 years, although the
eight -dater plates were issued only
a short time and are new quite
rare, This specimen was dredged
out of the harbor at Riga, Russia.
Large-sized coins of this type were
first brought out in 1649 during the
reign of Christina, the daughter of
Gustavus Adolphus. The object
was to form an outlet for the pro-
ducts of the country's copper mines
without depreciating the value of
the metal,
BRITAIN'S GREAT SOLDIER
FOUGHT AGAINST THE GER-
MANS ONCE BEFORE.
The Remarkable Career of Lord
Kitchener, the Silent
Man.
11 military tradition be true, the
present is not the first time than
Lord Kitchener, who has been ap-
pointrd Secretary of State for War
in the war against Germany and
Austria, has fought on the side of
the French against the Germans.
The story goes that when he was e
cadet at the Royal Military
Academy at Woolwich the Franco-
Prussian War of 1870 broke out,
and the young soldier, .anxious to
get an insight into real war, rush-
ed across the channel and joined
the forces of General Charzy at the
Loire. Some doubt the- authenti-
city of this statement, and the great
soldier himself has apparently not
taken either the trouble to affirm
or deny it.
Be that as it may, Britishers the
world over feel confident in having
such an experienced general as
Lord Kitchener at the head of the
army. He stands bead and shoul-
ders, not only physically, but men-
tally, above all the world's great
soldiers.
Lord Kitchener is no talker. He
is one of the strong, silent men who
do the work of the world and leave
the talking to others. Tbe whole
of the sixty-three years of bis life
has been devoted to duty. He is
unmarried, and has not hall a
dozen intimate friends in the world.
He comes 131 an old East Anglian
family, but was born in County
Kerry, His father was Henry Hor-
atio Kitchener, who had seen ser-
vice in the Indian army, and then
bought an estate in Ireland, upon
which he settled, Young Kitchener
chose his father's profession, and
was sent to the Royal Military
Academy at Woolwich. He was a
tireless worker and showed a great
taste for mathematics, which stood
him in good stead in his prepara-
tions for the Royal Engineers, for
which corps he was destined,
Longed For a Chance.
When Lord Kitchener received
his commission in the Royal Engi-
neers there did not seem to be
much prospect of employment for
the energetic young subaltern. He
was thoroughly saturated in his
profession, and longed ardently
for a chance of doing something
more than mere routine work, The
chance soon came. He was offered
a post under the Palestine Explora-
tion Fund, and spent some years in
that country, and when Cyprus
came into the hands of Britain
under the Anglo-Turldsh Conven-
tion be was employed to make a
survey of the island, There he
worked under Lord Wolseley, and
when the troubles with Arabi broke
out in 1812 he followed his corn -
mending officer to the country white
he was destined subsequently to see
so much of, and to do so much in,
He went all through the campaign
of Tal-el-Kebir, On the termina-
tion of the war, Britain was faced
by the problem of how to protect
Egypt against the wild tribes of the
Sudan. The Egyptian army had
been destroyed; another had to be
built tip, And ready to hand was
is yotung English officer, a glutton
for work, and having the requisite
knowledge of Arabic. Ho was cho-
sen by Sir Evelyn Wood to make
an army out of the fellaheen. How
he succeeded ---,how .he put heart in-
to Pharaoh, with the aid of "Ser-
geant What's-his-name"—is shown
by the history of the next ten years,
which culminated in the red slaugh-
ter of Omdurman, and the final dis-
sipation of the dark cloud that had
hung over the Sudan for centuries.
South Africa, India, Egypt.
But there was another and great-
er work for Kitchener in another
quarter of ,the same great conti-
nent. In October, 1899, we were
talking about the British army eat-
ing its Christmas dinner in Pre-
toria. Some of it did—but as pri-
soners of war. The Black Week
came two mouths afterwards, and
Kitchener was sent out as chief of
the staff with Lord Roberts. How
he finished the war, how he ar-
ranged the Peace of Vereeniging,
and how he came home to be made
a Viscount and to receive the
thanks of a grateful country—are
all matters of recent history. The
same may be said of his appoint-
ment to India, where he took up
the post of Commander -in -Chief,
had his celebrated quarrel with
Lord Curzon, and left the Indian
army infinitely stronger and better
than he found it. The last three
years he has spent as head of the
British administration in Egypt,
where his rule as a benevolent au-
tocrat has been a distinct success.
Such is a brief and summary ac-
count of the services of this roan of
iron to the Empire. It cannot be
said that K. of K. is popular in the
army. No man is popular who
suffers fools and shirkers with no
patience or gladness whatever. He
is strong and masterful and conse-
quently he has little forbearance
with those who •cannot keep up with
his tireless activity .and his infinity
of resource. Yet he has revealed
qualities on occasions which may
prove of the greatest value in the
new post which ho is to take up.
He won the profound respect and
regard of his adversaries in the
Boers War, and when the negotia-
tions for peace trembled in the bal-
ance it was his straightforward and
honest manliness which conquered
the most determined of those who
had been fighting .against him.
There was a day when the men who
wanted to pursue the struggle to
the bitter end seemed about to get
their way. Kitchener took De Wet
aside, and talked to him as one sol-
dier would talk to another, and the
great guerilla chief we • pacified.
Extraordinary Personal Force.
Among those who really love their
profession, Kitchener is, however,
admired and respected. Indeed, it
is impossible to work with him for
long without coming to admire him.
His enormous power and his, demi
nating personality force themselves
upon one. And with admiration
comes regard. He is just to the
point of severity, When comman-
der-in-chief in South Afrioa, it will
be remembered, he refused to ap-
point his brother, General Walter
Kitchener, 'to an important staff
billet for which he had been strong-
ly recommended, simply beeautie ho
was leis brother, and he would in-
cur no suspicion of favoritism,
In his speech he is laconic to a
degree. Indeed, in this direction
he almost rivals another well-known
living soldier, Sir Ian Hamilton.
Every word tells, however, . Six
words from him can reduce the most
cock -sure young officer who ever
strutted down Bond Street or along
the Simla Mall to a state of limp.
dejection,
"Now, Johnny," said .the mother
of the young hostess to'Uhe little boy
guest. "I want you to feel perfect-.
ly at home." "Him 1"' growled
Johnny. "I don't want to 'feel ., a
haute„ I want to have a good time,
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GREAT SIMILARITY IN DATES
GERMANY .REPEATS TACTICS
OF LAST WAR.
August Second Famous in history,.
—Trivial Incident Precipitated
Hostilities.
Born in the blaze of battle 44
years ago, two great nations,
France and Germany, are to -clay
repeating with uncanny similarity
even in date and site, the conflicts
of the last great European war.
The war of 1870 began on August
2, with a fierce fight between Ger-
man and French troops at Saar-
breeck—not eighty miles from Lon-
gwy, where the first Franco-Ger-
man battle of this present and most
frightful of European conflicts has
just been waged, on the same day,
August 2.
In 1870, just as to -day, there were
three chief points whore the big
German armies crossed the French
border. The Germans, in fact, are
now repeatingthe tactics of their
last war. Buat that time German
victory followed German victory
with terrible rapidity, and as a re-
sult came the formation of the Ger-
man Empire, with King William of
Prussia as Emperor. And the suc-
cessive defeats of Napoleon III. of
France culminated in his capture
and downfall, and the establishment
of the French republic.
France Wants Revenge.
The two nations thus formed are
to -day flying at each other's
throats once more, with all the
vengeful hostility engendered in
that former conflict. To really un-
derstand the whole meaning of this
European crisis of 1914, it is ne-
cessary to call to mind the dramatic
history of the struggle of 1870.
It was caused by Prince Bis-
marek's determination to place
Prussia at the head of 'a united
Germany, and by Freece's jealousy
of her hereditary enemy's threaten-
ing growth. But hostilities were ac-
tually precipitated by a: very tri-
vial incident, just as in the present
war.
The French Ambassador, Bene-
detti, demanded of King William of
Prussia that no prince of his line
should ever accept the throne of
Spain. The king refused to listen,
and made public excerpts from
Benedetti's demand. A ,few days
later, July 19, 1870, France for-
mally declared war.
"Mailed Fist" Struck.
Germany's "mailed fist" struck
before France had half a chance to
prepare herself. Germany had a
fighting force of over 520,000 men in
the field at once. The French had
confidently expected to be able to
mobilize' 500,000 men instantly, but
found that only 250,000 wore avail-
able for the military movements
during August.
After the first conflict at Saar-
brueck, on August 2, in which the
French were victorious, there oc-
curred a. fierce attack on the Ger-
man advance guard near Weiss
burg, in Alsace. The French
troops retired with heavy loos. The
German invasion progressed rapid-
ly.
In battle after battle the French
inflicted losses much heavier than
their own upon the enemy, but
were each time defeated. Finally,
on September' 2, the French Emper-
or, and all the army tinder his
command was captured at the bat-
tle of Sedan. There was one army
left to France, but it was bottled
up in the fortified city of Metz, un-
der the command of Marshal Ba-
zaine, who, after a daring attempt
at a sortie, was forced to capitulate
on October 27.
Invested Capital.
The German troops now had an
open road to Paris, and they in-
vested the capital at once. The
Parisians had proclaimed a.republio
after.. Napoleon's downfall at Se-
dan, and organized a government
kr national defence, of which Leon
Garnbetta, the great French states-
man, was one of the chiefs.
Gambetta put aeron•antios, which
are playing so striking a part in the.
present strife, to the first success-
ful use in war.
He escaped from beleaguered
Paris in es 'balloon, and attempted
to raise more troops in the south
of France. But this dramatic deed
was vain, and by the last of Janu-
ary, 1871, Paris was at the point of
starvation, and was forced to capi-
tulate.
The amazing exactions of the vic-
torious German's, in the huge in-
demnity they required, and their
annexation of Alsace-Lorraine,
have never been forgotten by
Franee.
•
BRITAIN'S MOTOR ARTILLERY.
Covered 116.5 Miles in Hine and a
Half hours. -
Acting on the .assumption that a
hostileforce had raided the East
Coast at the mouth of the Humber,
a Territorial battery of the Royal
Horse Artillery one morning a few
days before a general European
war threatened, hitched its guns
and ammunition wagons behind
powerful touring cars and made a
dash for the coast. Without a sin-
gle casualty the battery accomplish-
ed in nine and one-half hours what
with horse draught would have re-
quired from three to four days, and
thereby established the world's re-
cord for the movement of heavy
guns.
The nature of the feat may be
gauged by the fact that the ammuni-
tion wagons had to make a detour
of over 3 miles in order to pick up
ammunition. When they, reached
their destination they had travelled
116.5 miles of country. The- start
is thus described by an eye -witness:
"It was an eery sight when short-
ly before 1 o'clock the West Riding
battery romped onto the polo
ground in front of the historic man-
sion at Wentworth Woodhouse.
Their .advent was heralded by a roar
like an approaching express. The
position of each gun and wagon in
the darkness was marked by the
powerful electric headlights on the
cars that were acting as tractors.
These lights were 100 candle-power
per pair, and were all operated by
the electric starting appliances
with which the cars were fitted. At
2 a.m., shortly before daybreak, the
wagons left Wentworth for Selby."
There are many details of the
feat which the War Office will not
give out, but it may interest mo-
torists to know that the gun and
limber behind each car weighed 28
cwt., and that 99 miles of the jour-
ney- were accomplished on just eight
gallons of petrol. The guns, which
were of the 15 -pounder rapid-fire
type, were attached to the chassis
of the touring cars by special haul-
ing brackets made in the Shetheltl-
Simplex works. These brackets
were fitted with stout rope washers
to save "chattering." Three spare
chassis accompanied the column;
to assist, if necessary, on the hills
or in ease of breakdown, and each
of the guns carried spare wheels,
but neither precaution was availed
of.
GO TO JERUSALEM TO. DIE.
Aged Jews Flock There to Spend
Their Last Days.
That Jewish immigrants have so
well adapted themselves to local
oonditions in Jerusalem as to
"practically monopolize a greater
part of such trade as exists" is
stated in a consular report on Je-
rusalem, Ib is impossible to give
an exact estimate of the population
of Jerusalem, and although it is be-
lieved that it figures at 110,000, 95,-
000 .might perhaps be a more cor-
rect estimate. It is, roughly speak-
ing, composed of 13,000 Christiana,
12,000 Mohammedans. and 70,000
Jews, many of whom are immi-
grants from Russia.
It Is remarked that in spite of
the emigration of many Jews to es-
cape military service, there has still
been a marked increase in this see -
tion of the population on account
of: the continuous influx of aged
Jews, who come with the intention
of ending their days in Palestine.
,t, -.
Some men do not think they are
being treated right unless you say
to them: "Whet aro you going to
have?"
Many a man who knows just
what he would do in the other fel-
low's place never succeeds in do-
ing the right thing in his own place.
SOME MAR -SCARRED CITIES
OLD WOfid.l) TOWNS MIIN'PION-
111) IN 1)1r,14PA.Tt''llliS.
The Belgian Cily of (,lege Is Res
vexed by 14ludents of .All
Cell nlrl es.
Following are e:lme of the places
"1 interest mentioned in to -days
waif despatches.
LIEGE—The old city is greatly
revered by Belgians. The Palais
de Justice and St. Paul's Cathe-
dral, reported damaged by shells
are among the oldest buildings in
Europe. Tbe news has caused dis-
may and rage among Belgians the
world over. Liege lies on the, right
bank of the Meuse River, in the cen-
tre of the circle of twelve fo'r'ts,
which comprise the fortifications of
the district of Liege. 11 is flatter
than New York, and its approaches
inside the forts are unguarded.
There are 171,000 people in the city
proper, and in the poorer quarters
the congestion is a serious matter.
If a fire ever starts there the city is
doomed.
St. Paul's Calhedral was Mounded
in the tenth century. The Univer-
sity Library contains 200,000 vol-
umes.
The Serviau Capital.
BELGRADE—The capital of Ser -
via had a population in 1900 of 69,-
097. It was once a Turkish city,
and for long after semi -Oriental
in character. Now only one Mo-
hammedan place of worship is left,
and the old Turkish quarters have
disappeared. The last Turkish gar-
rison was withdrawn in 1867. The
city is extensively fortified, but evi-
dently not proof against modern
artillery, as the Servians are not
making a concentrated defence
there.
Moyenvie in Lorraine.
11IOYENVIC—This is a small town
in Lorraine, one of the French Pro-
vinces lost to Germany in the
Franco-Pruesian war.
COBLENZ Tire base of the Ger-
man
erman army invading Belgium, by
way of the valley of Moselle, a city
of Prussia, and capital of the
Rhine Province, situated ab the
junction of the Rhine and the Mo-
selle. It is a strongly fortified city.
The fortress of Ehrenbreitstein on
the opposite bank of the Rhine on
a high rock, is considered impreg-
nable. The population of C'oblenz
in 1900, was 45,140.
COLOGNE—A city of Prussia, in
the Rhine Province, now the base of
the German army of the Meuse:
The place dates back before the Ro-
man period, Its population in 1900
was 372,229. Its fortress is modern
and of the first class.
MAYENCE (]Mintz)—The largest
city in the Grand Duchy of Hesse.
Population, 1901, 54,251. Base of
the German army of the Rhine in
the present war. One of the prin-
cipal fortresses of Germany. It is
situated on the left bank of the
Rhine. Mayence 'became an im-
perial fortress :after the organiza-
tion of the German Empire in 1871.
StrassburgPrincipal Capital.
STRASSBURG--Capital of the
German Province of Alsace-Lor-
raine, situated on a tributary of
the Rhine, 28 miles from the French
border. It is one of the most 'strong-
ly fortified places in the German
Empire, having acircle'of fourteen
forts and inner ramparts. Stress-
burg also serves as a base for the
German army of the Rhine, in the
operations against France,
AIX-LA-OHAPELLE—The capit-
al city of the district of the same
name on the Prussian side of the
Belgo-German border. It is situ-
ated near Cologne, the base of the
German army of the Meuse. The
population of the old city numbered
135,221 in 1900. A cathedral dating
from 796 is standing in Aix-la-
Chapelle.
• Revel in Gulf of Finland,
REVAE--,S'ilnatcd on an arm of
the Gulf. of Finland, in Russia. It
contains a church -St. Olai--noted
for its spire, the loftiest in the
world, It is a naval station of the
second class. Population in 1597,
64,678. The town has been fired on
by the dermas.
LIBAU—A Russian seaport on
the Baltic Sea. Ships' flour and
lumber. Population in 1897, 64,-
500. Reported to be on fire, also.
•"Did she make you feel at
home 1" "No; but she madr me
WWI I was:"
A woman in love is more or less
foolish -but a man in love is always
more.
An ideal husband and an ideal
wife aro seldom married to each
other.
Mr. Skids—•i want: You to be as
economical as poesbble, my dear,
Times are very dull, and I want to
be able to look the world in the
face. Mrs. Skids --4, should say
they were dell, when the onl\' way
a man can look the world in the
face is to let his wife no round with,
out any clothes.