pecting the presence of
German spies in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, and elsewhere. He pointed out
that for the past two years these individuals, working upon a carefully
prepared plan, had been sketching, photographing, and carefully making
notes throughout the whole of East Anglia.

With truth, he declared that this organised system of espionage was for
one reason alone, namely in preparation for a sudden raid upon our
shores, for "the Day"--as it is known in Germany--the Day of the
Invasion of England.

The replies given by His Majesty's Ministers were colourless, though
they both actually confessed themselves unable to deal with the
situation! Under our existing law it seems that a foreign spy is free
to go hither and thither, and plot the downfall of England, while we,
ostrich-like, bury our head in the sand at the sign of approaching
danger.

The day has passed when one Englishman was worth ten foreigners. Modern
science in warfare has altered all that. All the rifle-clubs in England
could not stop one German battalion, because the German battalion is
trained and disciplined in the art of war, while our rifle-clubs are
neither disciplined nor trained. Were every able-bodied man in the
kingdom to join a rifle-club we should be no nearer the problem of
beating the German invaders if once they landed, than if the spectators
in all the football matches held in Britain mobilised against a foreign
foe. The Territorial idea is a delusion. Seaside camps for a fortnight a
year are picnics, not soldiering. The art of navigation, the science of
engineering, or the trade of carpentering cannot be learned in fourteen
days annually--neither can the art of war.

In response, we have held up to us the strength of our Navy. But is it
really what it is represented by our rulers to an already deluded
public?

Only as recently as March 29, 1909, Sir Edward Grey, replying to Mr.
Balfour's vote of censure in the House of Commons, was compelled to
admit that--

"A new situation is created by the German programme. When it is
completed, Germany, a great country close to our own shores,
will have a fleet of thirty-three Dreadnoughts, and that fleet
will be the most powerful which the world has ever yet seen. It
imposes upon us the necessity of rebuilding the whole of our
fleet. That is the situation."

Germany is our friend--for the moment. But Prince Buelow now admits that
the Kaiser's telegram to Presi