The Power of Great Britain 433 



Canada, and probably be attacked on her own soil, the 

 invasion of which is no longer deemed impossible." Let 

 any one who feels not fully instructed as to what being 

 attacked on our own soil means turn up a file of the 

 Scotsman of the winter 1870-71 and read the experience 

 of the French. 



Only a few months ago Lord Dufferin used the first 

 opportunity on which he was free to speak in public without 

 official restraint to express the conviction produced by his 

 observation and experience, that no nation is safe in its 

 possessions except just in so far as it is able to defend 

 them by its strong right arm. Success in the defence 

 means that its right arm is stronger than the one that 

 attacks it. It is, therefore, the duty of every nation to see 

 that its right arm is as strong as possible, and always in 

 best striking form. 



It is often said "the country will never stand anything 

 like conscription or universal service." But there it is as- 

 sumed that the country forgets that it is subject, like other 

 countries, to the action of natural laws. If it is attacked by 

 another country which puts ten men into the field where it 

 can only put one, then it may by chance escape with its life 

 at first, but with such odds eventual destruction is certain. 

 But it is also said our country is very rich, and we will vote 

 ten millions for the navy, or if that is not enough, a hundred 

 millions. But, in case of emergency, a hundred million of 

 sovereigns is not as good as a regiment of soldiers. So 

 that, in fact, unless we have strength to set against strength 

 in the hour of trial, we shall be robbed of our possessions, 

 and have to endure many, and worse, evils, as well. By 

 doing nothing more than is done by the inhabitants of 

 every other European nation in the exercise of self-denial, 

 and the performance of public duty, we can put ourselves 

 in a position to assure ourselves absolutely against these 

 risks. The advantage of having large and well-organised 

 defensive forces is that, if they are really effective, they are 

 not likely to be attacked. If they are known to be weak, 

 and especially if rich plunder is behind them, attack is 



