. They will
go--they are going--the full length to keep it. But, in proportion to
our tendency to nag them about little things will the value set on our
friendship diminish and will their confidence in our sincerity decline."

* * * * *

The note which Lord Bryce and Lord Northcliffe so dreaded reached the
London Embassy in October, 1915. The State Department had spent nearly
six months in preparing it; it was the American answer to the so-called
blockade established by the Order in Council of the preceding March.
Evidently its contents fulfilled the worst forebodings:

_To Edward M. House_

London, November 12, 1915.

DEAR HOUSE:

I have a great respect for the British Navy. Admiral Jellicoe now
has under his command 3,000 ships of all sorts-far and away the
biggest fleet, I think, that was ever assembled. For the first time
since the ocean was poured out, one navy practically commands all
the seas: nothing sails except by its grace. It is this fleet of
course that will win the war. The beginning of the end--however far
off yet the end may be--is already visible by reason of the
economic pressure on Germany. But for this fleet, by the way,
London would be in ruins, all its treasure looted; every French
seacoast city and the Italian peninsula would be as Belgium and
Poland are; and thousands of English women would be violated--just
as dead French girls are found in many German trenches that have
been taken in France. Hence I greatly respect the British fleet.

We have a good navy, too, for its size, and a naval personnel as
good as any afloat. I hear--with much joy--that we are going to
make our navy bigger--as much bigger (God save the mark!) as Bryan
will permit.

Now, whatever the future bring, since any fighting enterprise that
may ever be thrust on us will be just and justified, we must see to
it that we win, as doubtless we shall and as hitherto we always
have won. We must be dead sure of winning. Well, whatever fight may
be thrust on us by anybody, anywhere, at any time, for any
reason--if it only be generally understood beforehand that our
fleet and the British fleet shoot the same language, there'll be no
fight thrust upon us. The biggest bully in the world wouldn't dare
kick the sorriest dog we have. Here, therefore, is a Peace