GERMANY’S INTENTIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2348, 14 November 1908, Page 7

GERMANY’S INTENTIONS.

HER ATTITUDE TO BRITAIN

m>me important statements fconcerning Germany’s foreign policy, which will be read with 'additional interest m the light of recent cablegrams, were made by Prince Bulow, tho ; German Imperial Chancellor, in ■an interview published in the “Standard a few weeks ago. The Prince stated 1 that lie looked upon the animosity between Great Britain and Germany as little short of a species of popular madness, which, if persisted in, could only, lead to endless mischief to both countries, for the sole benefit of third parties. He was most anxious to do all in liis power to put an end to the misunderstandings, and he regarded as absurd British apprehension of German aggression. “You have never known an invasion since the time of William the Conqueror,” lie said, “andl I assure you, not for the first time, and not as German Chancellor, but as one gentleman to another, that nobody of any sense or influence in Germany dreams of picking a quarrel with England, much less such an insane idea as invading England. So far as the idea of Germany’s power being ,a menace to the other countries isi concerned,Germany, as you kno w well, is the only one of the Great Powers which has waged no war during the last thirty-seven years. In the course of this period Italy has been at war with Abyssinia, the United States with Spain,, Russia with the Japanese, France in Tunis, Tonkin and Madagascar. England I need scarcely refer to in detail. But, somehow or other, peopCe take on themselves to make assertions with regard to us which they would not dream >of doing in the case of other countfies.” The German Chancellor denied that liis country was challenging -British naval supremacy. The statement that Germany regarded the strength of Britain as the chief obstacle to the realisation of her ambitious by land or sea lie characterised as nonsense. Nobody in Germany, he said, ever dreamed of picking a quarrel with Britain.- Such a quarrel could only do irreparable injury to both countries and advance the interests of their rivals. The Prince did not explain wliat object Germany really had in view in. building a great navy, but apparently liis royal master has been more communicative.