Monday's papers contained an interesting letter from Mr. Balfour on
Germany's aims and methods at sea. Without claiming any gifts of prophecy or making any boast about the future, Mr. Balfour is content to speak with assurance of the past, and to state that, though our losses from submarines have been formidable, British mercantile ton- nage is at the moment greater than when the war began. Nor have the innocent alone suffered. " The criminals also have paid heavy toll." Here Mr. Balfour gave a guarded but unmistakable confirmation of the statement made a week earlier by Lord Selborne as to the German losses in submarines. In these facts Mr. Balfour finds an explanation of "the amazing change" which has come over the diplomatic attitude of Germany towards the United States. " The authors of the submarine policy have had time to measure its effects, and deeds which were merely crimes in May, in September are seen to be blunders." It is only right to add that Mr. Balfour's letter was written before the sinking of the 'Hesperian.'
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