Chapter XXI: Appendix: A

I cannot do better than reproduce at the end of this pamphlet the analysis made by me in _Le Siècle_, March 14th, of a remarkable article written by M. Tallichet, Editor of the _Bibliothèque Universelle de Lausanne_.

ENGLAND, HOLLAND AND GERMANY.[26]

I have good reason for believing that President Krüger was kept by Dr. Leyds under the illusion that he could count on intervention in his favour. However, "Who should intervene?" is the question asked by M. Tallichet in his article, _La Guerre du Transvaal et l'Europe_, published by _La Bibliothèque Universelle de Lausanne_.

"President MacKinley, as was asked of him in a petition organised
by the Peace League? He has no such intention. Of the European
Powers, three only could have tried to do so: Russia, Germany and
France. Russia, however, who might have induced France to act with
her, will not trouble herself about it. Nicholas II., her
sovereign, has but lately taken part at the Hague in a conference
promoted by himself for the purpose of considering the means of
insuring peace. Having taken the initiative he may be believed to
have been actuated by philanthropic motives. But it also happens
that peace is, for Russia, of the greatest importance, grown, as
she is, out of all proportion, continuing to extend her tentacles
wherever there is a chance of seizing something. To this cause of
weakness must be added others: the need of money for her gigantic
enterprises; the famine, now become endemic, by which her European
provinces are ravaged, depopulated and reduced to the greatest
misery. She is profiting now by her experiences after the Crimean
War. As long as she remains inactive, the influence she exercises
on general politics by her mere extent, and the mysterious power
which seems to be the corollary of it, far exceeds her actual
strength. On her descending into the arena, however, this optical
illusion is dissipated, as was apparent in the recent Turkish War;
her prestige was lessened. No steps will therefore be taken by her
to increase England's difficulties by which she gains much without
striking a single blow.

"With regard to France, her only interest in the question is her
rivalry with England and the possibility, afforded by the latter's
difficulties, of re-opening the Egyptian Question. Public opinion
was sounded on this subject by a few newspapers, government organs
among them, but without obtaining the desired result. Although not
daring to counsel a formal alliance with Germany, they would have
liked to see her intervene. The present French Government, and
especially M. Delcassé may be credited with too much good sense and
good feeling to resort to the foolish, pin-pricking policy of M.
Hanotaux to which the Fashoda incident is really due. Such blunders
are not made a second time."

Only Germany remains to be considered. That there have been intimate relations between the Governments at Pretoria and Berlin, is certain. At one time the Emperor's aspiration was to unite his possessions in East Africa to those in the West, and he counted on the Transvaal to assist him. Mr. Stead's opinion on this subject, at the time of the Jameson Raid, has already been quoted by us (_Le Siècle_, December 28th, 1899). But this policy has since been renounced by him; the German Government took fright at the influence exercised by Dr. Leyds on certain of the Berlin newspapers; guns and Mauser rifles have been furnished by Krupp, but that is a private firm; German officers have entered the Boer army, to what extent have they been disavowed? The Emperor William is certainly interested in the Transvaal War.

"He gets others to experiment on the value of German armaments,
rifles, guns, and all the tactical and strategetical problems
incident to the perfection of modern arms, and which have not yet
been solved. Experience, that is to say war, is worth everything in
such a matter as this, and the Boers with their German officers are
literally working for 'the King of Prussia.'"

That the Emperor should wish the Boers to succeed is logical enough, and to all Frenchmen capable of thought, to Belgians, Swiss and Dutch too we commend the way in which this desire is proved by M. Tallichet:

"Should the Boers be successful, England's power would be lessened.
She could no longer maintain the balance of power in Europe, which
is a service of inestimable benefit to our continent, especially to
the smaller countries, and to none more than to Holland. The
conquest of the Netherlands is a great temptation to Germany, who
would thereby gain exactly what she wishes: an excellent sea-board;
a great number of sailors; colonies, at the very moment when she is
aspiring to a first-class fleet. In a recent number of the
semi-official _Norddeutsche Zeitung_, an article was published by
Dr. Ed. von Hartmann, suggesting that Holland should be persuaded,
or if necessary forced by commercial competition to become part of
the German Empire, which would thus gain all it could possibly
desire. Is it likely that this glorious little country will
consent? Its charming young Queen, said to be a great sympathiser
with the Boers, will she descend from her present position to take
rank with the German Princes under the Emperor whose equal she is
to-day? Assuredly not.

"But if, on the other hand, England were to be paralysed, no
defence of Holland would be possible; France could not undertake it
alone, much as it would be to her interest; and what other Powers
would be capable of resisting?

"Of course, it may be urged, the German Emperor would never do such
a thing. Perhaps not, he is not immortal however, and there is no
knowing what may be done by his successors. Besides, by his
friendship with Abdul-Hamid, he has shown himself capable of
sacrificing everything to the greatness of his Empire. It would in
all probability be unnecessary to resort to force; there are less
brutal ways just as efficacious. In the event of Germany possessing
undisputed preponderance, with no counter-weight, she will bring an
irresistible pressure to bear upon Holland, as did Russia to poor
Finland, and induce her to join the Germanic Confederation. When,
therefore, Holland upholds the Transvaal, and seeks to annihilate
England, she, like the Boers, though in a different manner, is
working for "the King of Prussia"."

I earnestly recommend this passage in M. Ed. Tallichet's article to the attention of my fellow-countrymen; the folly which dominates our foreign policy, alarms me as much as that which caused the innocence of Dreyfus to be denied for years, by Ministers, _the état-major_, and many millions of Frenchmen. Justice was sacrificed by them to paltry considerations, and to-day those of us who are infatuated with sympathy for the pillaging policy of the Boers seem to have set up as their ideal the completion of the disaster of 1870!

M. Ed. Tallichet's article should be read and carefully considered by all who take an interest in the future of Europe. The question is presented by him fully and clearly; there is no trace of sympathy for or antipathy to Boers or British; the fate of France, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, is equally discussed. Their position is linked with England's power; any injury to her power would weaken any of the smaller countries above-mentioned, and be a source of danger to France.

[Footnote 26: _Le Siècle_, March 14th, 1900.]