INTRODUCTION xxiii 



life, the French and the English have been com- 

 plements, not rivals. France and England are bound 

 together by a thousand endearing diversities of 

 character ; they are commensal mates, allies, not 

 enemies. 



" Of European nations, Germany is most alike to 

 England. In racial character, in religious and scien- 

 tific thought, in sentiments and aptitudes, the 

 Germans, by their resemblances with the English, 

 are marked out as our natural rivals. In all parts 

 of the earth, in every pursuit, in commerce, in 

 manufacturing, in exploiting other races, the English 

 and the Germans jostle each other. Germany is a 

 growing nation ; expanding far beyond her terri- 

 torial limits, she is bound to secure new foothold or 

 to perish in the attempt. It is true she has not yet 

 succeeded in making colonies of her own. But that 

 failure is the mere accidental result of her political 

 system. Her own revolution is imminent, and 

 Germany, as a democratic Power, would colonize 

 for herself with the same aptitude she has shown in 

 infiltrating our own colonies. Were every German 

 to be wiped out to-morrow, there is no English trade, 

 no English pursuit that would not immediately 

 expand. Were every Englishman to be wiped out 

 to-morrow, the Germans would gain in proportion. 

 Here is the first great racial struggle of the future ; 

 here are two growing nations pressing against each 

 other, man to man all over the world. One or the 

 other has to go; one or the other will go." 



On re-reading the article I still think it was an 

 entirely correct diagnosis of the position, on the 

 assumption, then familiar in political discussion, 



