Speaking at a dinner given in his honour by the
Royal Yacht Club on Wednesday evening, the Emperor is reported to have said that " Germany had an Army equal to her wants, and if the British nation had a Fleet equal to its requirements, it would be regarded by Europe generally as a most important factor for the maintenance of peace." The words are in themselves unimportant ; but we should not be surprised to find their significance very much exaggerated abroad. To foreigners they will seem to have the ring of alliance, though, in fact, no such interpretation ought to be placed upon them. Our Fleet has not been, and will not be, placed at the disposal of Germany.. On Wednesday, the Emperor saw something of our Army, witnessing a sham-fight at Aldershot, in which both Regulars and Volunteers, to the number of about twenty-two thousand, took part. The opinions expressed by Royal visitors on such occasions are, of course, always com- plimentary. It is pleasant, however, to notice that the Emperor remarked that the efficiency of all three arms seemed improved since his last visit in 1887.
