May 2, 19 1 8 
Land & Water 
LAND & WATER 
5 CHANCERY LANE, LONDON, W.C.2 
Telephone : HOLBORN 282S. 
THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1918. 
- - ■ ■ ■ ■ . 
Contents 
PAGE 
The American Ambassador. (Photograph) I 
The Outlook 3 
America's Effort. By H. Belloc 4 
Flying Sailors. (Illustrated). By Herman Whitaker 6 
Sir Roger Keyes' Victory. By Arthur Pollen 9 
Comrades in Arms. (Cartoon.) By Raemaekers 13 
Fighting on the Western Front. By H. Belloc 14 
President Wilson's War Mind. By L. P. Jacks 17 
The United States Navy. By Lewis R. Freeman 19 
Education of the Soldier. By Centurion 21 
The Higher Punctuality. By G. K. Chesterton 23 
Rivers. (Poem.) By J. C. Squire 24 
Famous Jewels. (Illustrated.) By G. C. Williamson 26 
American Text Books. By J. C. Squire 30 
America's Industrial Strength. By J. D. Whelpley 34 
Motor Utility Machines. By H. Massac Buist 40 
Notes on Kit 44 
Household Notes , 48 
THE publication of the diplomatic experiences of 
Mr. Morgenthau, the American Ambassador at 
Constantinople from 1913 to 1916, will begin in 
next week's issue of Land & Water. 
This record throws a flood of light on the tortuous 
ways of Germany and Turkey. It explains much that 
has hitherto mystified students of affairs and incident- 
ally it reveals how very near at one time the Allies 
came to the forcing of the Dardanelles. 
The Outlook 
NOT yet do we^realise the exact significance of 
the entry of America into the war on the side 
of the Allies. It is not difficult to estimate the 
final effect of her aid in men, material, and 
finance ; but these, important though they be, 
are in a sense only the beginning of things. The vital fact is 
of a moral character ; the New World stands shoulder to 
shoulder with that part of the Old World which is shedding 
the best of its life-blood in defence of a civilisation which 
places humanity, justice, and freedom in the forefront of its 
creed. Democracy is a big word of diverse meanings, but 
there can be no mistaking the ideals for which the world is 
at death-grips. Germany has made the ^dividing line a 
clean cut ; she makes no pretence of hiding the raw brutality 
of her actions, still hoping that victory may justify them. 
Heaven help mankind were this possible ; but now that the 
United States has thrown the full weight of her power into 
the contest the impossibility of it is greater than ever. 
• • • 
The resources of- America are so immense that it seemed 
as if the seed had only to be scattered for crops of armed 
men to spring instantly from the ground. This is, as it were, 
true so far as men are concerned, for already the first of 
America's armed forces is in the battlefield, and has given a 
good account of itself in actual fighting. Her Navy, also, 
has rendered valuable assistance in the hunting down of the 
U-boats. But, in so far as guns, aeroplanes, and sliips are 
concerned, it is evident there must continue to be delay 
before they are ready in appreciable quantities. Meanwhile, 
the Allies are providing America with all she stands in need 
of in the way of munitions of war. Wisely we have not 
checked our rate of manufacture, and thus England and 
France are able to supply the necessary material, until the 
ordnance and aeroplane factories across the Atlantic are in 
a position to deliver the goods. 
• • * 
Dr. Page, America's Ambassador in London, whose photo- 
graph appears as the frontispiece of this Special Number of 
Land & W.\ter, has won the esteem and gratitude of every 
Briton. At the beginning of the war, the American Embassy 
took charge of German interests in this country. It was a 
difficult duty ; but Dr. Page discharged it with the utmost 
tact and good judgment. Whenever he could render services 
to Englishmen that in no way interfered with his diplomatic 
duties, he invariably did so, and many inquiries about the 
missing were made by him during the earlier years of the 
war. How great was the restraint which the American 
Ambassador had to place on his feelings, until neutrahty 
was abandoned by. his own country, has been made evident 
in his subsequent speeches. America has sent many dis- 
tinguished citizens to act as her representative at the Court 
of St. James's ; but Britain will always regard herself as 
fortunate in having at this great crisis in her history an 
ambassador who combined with sterling character and 
honestv of purpose, those high qualities of sympathy, sound 
sense, and reticence which will cause Dr. Page to figure, 
when history comes to be written, as one of the outstanding 
diplomatic figures of the Great War. 
♦ • • 
The Royal Air Force has changed its minister, Lord 
Rothermere having resigned and Sir William Weir having 
been appointed in his stead. The sympathy which was 
extended to Lord Rothermere owing to the reasons assigned 
for this step was unfortunately rather checked by the 
exuberance of the Prime Minister's laudation. To say 
that a civilian had it in his power to "take over the 
conduct of an entirely new arm of the Service," and in the 
space of five months "to bestow on its administration an 
initiative which has given the new force a real supremacy 
at the front " is pernicious nonsense. It encourages the 
idea that, in the opinion of the Prime Minister, soldiers and 
sailors are the blind instruments and slaves of the politician, 
devoid in themselves of initiative or the ability to conduct 
the work to which they have devoted their careers. Every- 
body knows who have made the Air Force — not the politicians, 
but the fighting men. The sooner Generals Henderson and 
Trenchard are permitted to resume the duties for which 
they have proved themselves pre-eminently qualified, the 
quicker will the nation be satisfied. 
» • ♦ 
Mr. Bonar Law's Budget had many points of interest, and 
though it was received at first with extraordinary favour 
both in the House and the country, opposition to details was 
bound to ensue. This has crystalised, mainly, into objec- 
tion to the doubling of the stamp-duty on cheques. It is 
just sixty years — in 1858 — since this duty was first imposed, 
and during that period the use of cheques has so largely 
increased, more especially latterly, that for all practical 
purposes they represent at least 80 per cent, of the currency. 
Anything that may tend to restrict the use of this popular 
form of paper-money is bound to meet with opposition in 
influential quarters ; we should not be surprised were the 
enhanced duty dropped. The rest of Mr. Bonar Law's 
proposals seem likely to be accepted with good grace, 
though they mean, broadly speaking, a further reduction of 
10 per cent, on the professional man's fixed income, which 
has already been reduced by from 40 to 50 per cent, 
through the increased cost of necessities. At the same time, 
there must be plenty of money in the country. The excess 
profits duty is estirnated to bring in 300 millions sterling, 
which leaves at least 75 millions sterling to be divided among 
certain fortunate private citizens. 
» • « 
Luxury taxation is the novelty of the Budget. What is 
luxury ? One dictionary defines the word as " anything 
productive of enjoyment." On this basis, taxation might 
be enormously widened. Again, will there be one luxury 
for all classes, or will what is deemed a necessity for 
Dives of Bayswater be taxed as a luxury for Lazaruski of 
Whitechapel? Man and woman should be permitted to 
clothe themselves neatly and not extravagantly, according 
to their station in life, without incurring a penalty for undue 
expenditure. Another point about the Budget indirectly 
deals with French light wine. Now that beer and spirits are 
taxed more heavily, does the Government propose to 
release greater quantities of this wholesome fluid from bond, 
where the lighter qualities are fast becoming un,wholesome, 
inasmuch as they will not keep ? There seems a nemesis in 
this country dogging the footsteps of those who desire 
sincerely the promotion of temperance. Under proper 
management, there need never have been the slightest 
necessity for any shortage either in tea or fight wines. This 
shortage has been artificially created by bungling and 
political chicanery, and the opportunity to popularise the 
Vgreater consumption of claret— possibly the healthiest beverage 
there is, with the exception of milk — has been lost. 
