It Is Not Military Strength That Makes a
Country Great, Says Lord Avebury,
but the Right Use of Power.
That the burden of armament lies heavy on Europe is well understood. It is
not so commonly known that in the last ten years the cost of army and navy
has increased much more rapidly in Great Britain than in any country of
the Continent. The fact is brought out in the _Nineteenth Century_ by Lord
Avebury, who is better known to Americans as Sir John Lubbock. He says:
In our own case there has been on the army an increase in
the past ten years of L24,800,000, and on the navy an
increase of L25,000,000; or, taking the two together, in
round figures an increase of no less than L50,000,000, of
which, however, only L39,000,000 is shown in the ordinary
estimates. In other words, while Italy has increased her
naval and military expenditures by L1,500,000; Russia,
L10,800,000; Germany, L8,700,000, and France, L6,000,000, we
have increased ours L50,000,000. Thus these four great
countries put together show an increase of L27,000,000,
while ours by itself is L50,000,000, or nearly double that
of Russia, Germany, France, and Italy put together. What
justification have we for this enormous increase?
I do not wish to exaggerate, nor to maintain that we are
going down-hill. But our progress has been checked, and if
we are not wise in time worse will follow.
Lord Avebury's political opponents would argue that the British military
expenditures have been exceptional because the Boer War proved the
country unprepared for any great military undertaking, and necessitated
elaborate efforts. However, the figures are startling, and give point to
Lord Avebury's conclusion:
We sometimes hear of "Little Englanders." I hope we shall
not let ourselves be stung into extravagance and war by any
such taunt. There are many who have strong views as to what
constitutes the true greatness of a country. It is not
wealth, but the application of it; not the numbers of the
people, but their character and wellbeing; not the strength,
but the use made of it. We do not wish for England the
dangerous power of dictation or the seductive glamour of
conquest, but that our people may be happy and contented;
that we may do what we can to promote the peace, progress,
and prosperity of mankind, and that we may deserve, even if
we do not secure, the respect, the confidence, and the
good-will of other nations.
Being once more happily at peace with all the world, our
financial policy should be to reduce expenditure, pay off
debt, increase our reserves, and lighten the taxes which now
press so heavily on the springs of industry.