Items of Interest March 2, 1899 Issue

Items of Interest

Anglo-American Alliance

The Independent contains an article written by Lord Charles Beresford on an Anglo-American alliance, in which he says, in part: —

"England and America could form the most powerful alliance possible, because they are the two most patriotic countries in the world; because they alone of all the nations have an army and navy without conscription. If we of England get into any difficulty all the best of our manhood will volunteer, as the Americans have recently done. With the United States and England combined, we could well afford to smile at our enemies. If while I am in America I can in any way help to bring about a more harmonious condition between the two races, I shall feel that I have done much. A life devoted to this mission could not be without worth. Parliament has already met, or I should visit all the chambers of commerce in the large cities to try to get the sentiment of the American people about the 'open-door' policy of England. This is the question which should at present greatly interest commercial America, and the reason of this is clear. It means that England, America, Germany, and Japan shall, by an agreement, maintain free and equal commercial relations for all time in the Orient. If

China is to be broken up, Russia will become all-powerful in the north and France in the south, Germany will get what she can, while America will probably procure nothing; for, though I think she is destined to be a great trading nation in the Orient, greater than Britain or any other country, her interests there now are comparatively slight, and in the scramble for spheres of influence it is not likely that the American people would feel that their interests demanded a struggle for a portion of it at this time. The United States has more interest in the open door than England has. The interests of both countries require that trade in the East be opened."

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