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Show MONROE DOCTRINE IS ACCEPTED IN ENGLAND She Has Practically Decided to Withdraw-Troops . and Ships From-the West Indies. NEW TORK, Feb. 8i The decision of the British Government to withdraw all the infantry battalions from the West Indian colonies at an early date has been the occasion of considerable discussion in business circles during the last few days, cables the Herald's London Lon-don correspondent. It does not appear to have come as a surprise to army and navy officers. One man high in the military service stated that the move is, In a way, the complement of what is being done in' regard to British natal matters in the same locality. "It appears," said the officer, who, however, refused to permit the use of his name, "that the British Government has determined to . take President Roosevelt at his word and accept bis definition - of the Monroe doctrine. If the United States Is prepared to prevent any territory in the Western Hemisphere Hemis-phere from falling into European hands, if It Is already under government by Americans, and care of territory now j owned by European powers, from being taken over by other powers in Europe, then the necessity for Great Britain's maintenance of ships and troops In the West Indian possessions ceases, at least to a very large extent. "Why, for example, should we be at the expense of keeping soldiers at Barbadoes, Bermuda and Jamaica, when those Islands are Quite as secure from foreign Invasion as' is Cuba or Porto Rico?" |