Great Britain's "Empire Day" was celebrated May 24 throughout France.
In Paris there was an imposing demonstration at the Sorbonne, at which
were present the President of the republic, Ministers, Ambassadors,
and Deputies. President Deschanel of the Chamber in speaking of "the
prodigy of Great Britain's effort" said:
This people of seamen and merchants came forward as volunteers in
crowds; in the Spring of 1915 there were 2,400,000, and at the end
of the same year 3,000,000. In May, 1916, King George announced
that 5,000,000 men had been raised by voluntary recruitment.
But this did not suffice. Parliament voted compulsory service,
the greatest victory that the people ever gained over itself, a
triumph of duty and conscience, the pledge of that victory which
we shall win together over the enemy.
When Germany over a year ago proclaimed unrestricted submarine
warfare, she announced, too, England's capitulation at short
notice. Instead of that hundreds of thousands of Americans are
crossing the seas as allies. Germany has united France and England
not for the present struggle but forever.
Before the war there was in a Calais belfry a Flemish peal of
bells. On the clock dial two knights armed with lances--Henry
VIII., King of England, and Francis I., King of France. Every time
the hour struck they exchanged lance thrusts--one at 1 o'clock,
three at 3 o'clock, and twelve at midday. A German shell hit the
knights and ended the fight forever. It is the only German shell
which ever showed esprit, remarked a French wit.
Georges Leygues, Minister of Marine, who spoke in the name of the
French Government, said that, thanks to the maritime supremacy of Great
Britain, the Entente had the mastery of the sea and could look to the
future without concern. Reviewing the work that the navies silently
accomplished, he mentioned that in the course of last month they had
sunk more submarines than the Germans were building. They protected the
transports which in April disembarked on the coasts of France more than
400,000 soldiers.
"In the past," he continued, "mastery of the sea was always a powerful
means of conquest. At present it forms in addition a powerful guarantee
with which none other is comparable. The enemy knows that he will
retain neither in the east, nor in the west, nor in the south the
territories which he momentarily occupies, and he knows, moreover, that
he will not wrest from us the mastery of the sea. That being so, the
issue of the war is certain, and the navies take their place in the
gratitude of the Entente alongside of its incomparable armies."