Great Britain's Sea Policy A Reply to an American Critic, reprinted from 'The Atlantic Monthly'

In the heat of World War I, a spirited exchange erupts across the Atlantic as an American journalist lambasts Britain’s conduct at sea. Professor Gilbert Murray steps in to dissect that criticism, recalling the long‑standing tension between real‑politics and liberal idealism that has shaped British foreign policy for generations. He draws a vivid line from the era of Lord North and Castlereagh to the more recent reforms of Campbell‑Bannerman and Asquith, showing how each strand influences the nation’s naval decisions.

Murray’s reply is part history lesson, part moral argument, as he challenges the claim that Britain has abandoned legal restraints and abandoned smaller navies. With a measured yet incisive tone, he argues that continuity in policy demands compromise, and that the tug‑of‑war between power and principle is far from resolved. Listeners will gain a clear picture of early‑twentieth‑century diplomatic rhetoric and the complexities behind the headline‑making phrase “might makes right.