On Wednesday Lord Salisbury made a speech at the annual
meeting of the Primrose League which is destined, we believe, to have a great and far-reaching influence on our national life. He told the country plainly that though all foreign Governments were at this moment most friendly and correct in their attitude towards this country, we must not rely upon this fact, but remember that in the long-run " we can have no security except in the strength of our own right arm." In face of the unfriendliness of other nations, if not of their Governments, and of the possibility of the peoples of the Continent being " united in one great wave to dash upon our shores," we were bound to take precautions. We were a great maritime nation, but maritime nations had always been destroyed, not by attacks on their distant possessions, bat "by a blow directed at the heart." Lord Salisbury, as we have explained elsewhere, urged upon his hearers that the best precaution for us to take was not a recourse to anything approaching conscription, but to the instruction of the people in rifle shooting. He therefore strongly advocated the forma- tion of rifle clubs. Our readers must know from what we have written during the past winter how heartily we agree with him. We will only say further that we do not think that Lord Salisbury meant to convey the impression that there was any immediate cause for alarm as to our foreign relations, but merely to point out that we ought to take pre- cautions while there is yet time. The enemy is not at the gate, and if we prepare he never will be. If, however, we do not prepare there is every chance, nay, it is certain, that our right to existence as an Empire will be challenged, and we shall be forced to fight for our lives.
