Not an Empire’s ransom but the sum of an Empire’s achievement, the cost of an Empire’s founding, and to-day the chief bond of an Empire’s existence.  Detach Ireland from the map of the British Empire and restore it to the map of Europe and that day England resumes her native proportions and Europe assumes its rightful stature in the empire of the world.  Ireland can only be restored to the current of European life, from which she has so long been purposely withheld by the act of Europe.  What Napoleon perceived too late may yet be the purpose and achievement of a congress of nations.  Ireland, I submit, is necessary to Europe, is essential to Europe, to-day she is retained against Europe, by a combination of elements hostile to Europe and opposed to European influence in the world.  Her strategic importance is a factor of supreme weight to Europe and is to-day used in the scales against Europe.  Ireland is appropriated and used, not to the service of European interests but to the extension of anti-European interests.  The arbitium mundi claimed and most certainly exercised by England is maintained by the British fleet, and until that power is effectively challenged and held in check it is idle to talk of European influence outside of certain narrow continental limits.

The power of the British fleet can never be permanently restrained until Ireland is restored to Europe.  Germany has of necessity become the champion of European interests as opposed to the world domination of England and English-speaking elements.  She is to-day a dam, a great reservoir rapidly filling with human life that must some day find an outlet.  England instead of wisely digging channels for the overflow has hardened her heart, like Pharaoh, and thinks to prevent it or to so divert the stream that it shall be lost and drunk up in the thirsty sands of an ever expanding Anglo-Saxondom.  German laws, German language, German civilization are to find no ground for replenishing, no soil to fertilize and make rich.

I believe this to be not only the set policy of England, but to be based on the temperamental foundations of the English character itself, from which that people could not, even if they would, depart.  The lists are set.  The English mind, the English consciousness are such, that to oppose German influence in the world is to this people a necessity.  They oppose by instinct, against argument, in the face of reason, they will do it blindly come what may and at all costs, and they will do it to the end.

Their reasoning, if reason exists in what is after all a matter of primal instinct, might find expression somewhat as follows: 

“German influence cannot but be hostile to British interests.  The two peoples are too much alike.  The qualities that have made England great they possess in a still greater degree.  Given a fair field and no favour they are bound to beat us.  They will beat us out of every market in the world, and we shall be reduced ultimately to a position like that of France to-day.  Better fight while we are still die stronger.  Better hinder now ere it be too late.  We have bottled up before and destroyed our adversaries by delay, by money, by alliances.  To tolerate a German rivalry is to found a German empire and to destroy our own.”