The chief feature of the debate on the Navy Estimates,
which took place on Thursday, was Mr. Balfour's speech on Arbitration with the United States. We have dealt with the whole subject in our leading columns, but must find space here to express our admiration for the far-seeing and statesmanlike utterance of the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Balfour has always been a warm friend of America, and his friendship is based not upon interest or what we may term diplomatic motives, but on a real sympathy with our kin on the other side of the Atlantic. While acknowledging the difficulties of the problem, he declared in the clearest way that there was no reason why an arbitration treaty should not be concluded between the kindred communities. He hoped that President Taft's speech meant that, whate ver other nations might do, our two countries would, at any rate, enter into treaty arrange- ments which would prevent the possibility of anything so horrible as war between them. If our Government saw their way to make such a treaty they would have no heartier sup- porters than those on his side of the House. Mr. Balfour went on to enter the very necessary caveat that however successful they might be in instituting a plan of arbitration with the United States, that could not affect the future of the Navy of this country, for we were not building against America, and it had yet to be shown that any European Power would be prepared to submit all questions to arbitration.
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