844

LIFE OF COBDEN. [omEAP:

1861. to. In fact, if France could keep a few swift steam corvettes
Ziz. 57. ab sea, to raise our sea insurance at Lloyd’s 10 per cents
our ships would have to transfer their registry to the United
States or to rot in our ports. It is evident that the knowledge
 of these facts must weigh with our statesmen to prevent
 them from embarking in a war with France. In so far
it plays the game of the peace-at-any-price party, but at the
risk of national humiliation.”
“July 27,1861. ( , )=—Ihave read the debates on the
iron-cased ships in the Times. It is important only so far as it
elicited a most able and statesmanlike speech from Disraeli,
which will bear fruits.” . . . . You were wrong in throwing
overboard your Paris authority, and giving in your adhesion
to the Secretary of the Admiralty. There was no necessity
to contradict him until you had the disproofs. But I would
have waited for the answer from the other side. My
maxim has been to distrust the Treasury bench at all times,
and never admit myself wrong in a controversy with the Government,
 until I have better evidence than their assertions.
01d Saddletree’s example in the Heart of Midlothian is worth
remembering. When hard pressed by an opponent in ap
argument, who asked, ‘There, can ye deny that, Master
Saddletree ? ”* he replied, ©“ No; but I'm not going to admit
it. neither.’

7 The subject of the discussion was the naval competition between England
 and France. Mr. Disraeli’s point was that there could be no reason
why the two Governments should not come to an understanding as to the
relative proportion of the naval forces to be maintained by the two Powers;
and that if the march of science compelled fresh efforts to establish adequate
naval forces, the leading statesmer of each country ought at least to do ull
in their power to enlighten the public as to the true meaning of what waé
going on. Lord Palmerston, instead of laying stress on the revolution iB
naval affairs, always left people to suppose that an insane competition for
supremacy at ses was going on between two rival nations. (Hansard, olxiv:
1678). This waa only one of several admirable speeches made by Mr, Disraeli
at this time, which justified Cobden’s preference of him over Lord Palmerston,
 But Mr. Disraeli in power thirteen years afterwards adopted Palmer
ston’s policy and hie vioss in the Levant, in India, and in South Africo,