The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-01-10 00:00:00

.42e ,Stourbribge Obserber,

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10th, 1885..

ENGLAND'S PRESTIGE ABROAD.

Ir is only from the force of habit, justified I
by awise and sagacious foreign policy on the
part of Conservative Administrations, that
we can speak of, or allude to, the "prestige"
of England. Since the advent of the pre-
sent Government to power, dishonour and
disaster have run so closely upon each other's
heels in our relationship with foreign
countries that the dignity and supremacy of
England has been long since forfeited, and
the five years of Liberal rule from 1880 to
the closing days of 1884 may fairly be
debited with-the loss. It is no exaggeration
to say that when the country last replaced
the Conservative-by a Liberal Ministry, the
position of European affairs was eminently
satisfactory. We bad no quarrel with any
rival power; we could olaim the I
possible, but by no means manifest exception
of Russia—as allies. To-day we are snubbed
set at nought in the Councils of Europe, and
satirised severely by all the caricaturists at
home or on the Continent. Oar old friend
"Mr. Punch" this week illustrates the im-
becility of England hi the cartoon—" The
Greedy Boy ;" and to all appearances Mr.
Gladstone and his Cabinet will continue to
watch with placid indifference the slicing up
of the globe and the annexations of its best
portions by Powers antagonistic to our own
nnloes they are aroused to the startling fact
that their apathy is daily conducing to the
jeopardy of British interests everywhere.
There. can be little doubt that the real effect
• of the persistent attacks of the great Powers
France and Germany—upon the
Imperial interests of England is not realised
by the Government, or if it is, then the
Ministry are chargeable with cu;pable in-
difference, whice if persevered in, will bring
us to the brink of ruin. The country, how-
ever, is becoming alive to the situation, and
from numerous populous centres a restless
discontent with Mr. Gladstone is manifesting
itself. It was left to a Liberal journal of
some standing the other day to insinuate
that the Premier's illness was convenient—
that, in fact it had happened very oppor-
tunely, and had given him a period of re-
tirement in which he may be enabled to
unravel the complicated skeins of foreign
affairs. But we should be loth to attribute
the incident to any such course. It is
because Mr. Gladstone is thoroughly inca-
pable of managing anything beyond the
every day domestic legislation of his native
costntry that Cabinet Councils are hurriedly
snintnonsd, and the political atmosphere
thereby disturbed, at what is usually the
retest peaceable season of the year. .No
rival could be more bitter than Mr. Gladstone
was in opposition to the foretgn policy of
the late Lord Beaconsfield, and, as a matter
of fact, the country was momentarily de-
ceived by the specious theoretical doctrines
of the former, who has succeeded, by a
policy of muddling, to bring us into the
present serious entanglement. Now we can
only look upon the Powers already
mentioned aa vindictive rivals. They com-
bine the strohgest and most powerful ele-
ments on the Continent, and they are all
opposed to us. Russia is scarcely likely to
be numbered among the "friendly" Powers
for a very long time, and the merest school-
boys know that she cannot enlarge her
border without not only menacing but
positively injuring our interests. let she
is aggressive, as also is France. It is a long
time since the relationships between
England and France were so strained as at
present; and some writers, who may be
probably looked upon a.a alarmists, but who,
notwithstanding, sound the' note of warning
none to soon, tell us that the estrangement
is to such a degree that we cannot regard
her as ft possible ally. We can only hope
that she may refuse to he drawn into open
enmity to us. Germany's attitude towards
US is unmistakable. Her hostility, more-
over, will not diminish with the lapse of
time. It is an open secret that Bismarck
has an utter contempt for Mr. Gladstone,
who has also alienated every Power which
could possibly be of use to us as our ally,
and, in the event of a dire emergency, it
seems too likely that we shall realise the day
when the sun of this mighty Empire has set.
It is justifiable, therefore, taking this im-
partial reflex of our position in connection
with other European Governments, to assert
tha.t?uch a condition of affairs crowns with
infinite discredit the closing years of an
honourable but a mistaken political life.
Mr. Gladstone's predecessor did succeed in
placing England upon a pinnacle of supre-
macy, from which we are afraid she has
irretrievably fallen. The late Lord Beacom-
field rallied round our Empire the friendship
of every state but one ; he convinced Prince
Bismarck that he had a compeer in European
diplomacy, and when he was defeated at the
general election his legacy to his successors
waa not fraught with a solitary embarrass-
ment dangerous to the interests of our
Queen and country. Under present circum-
stances, it is urged that strong measures
'Bust be resorted to in the shape of colonial
federation to the mother country, the total
reorganisation of our position in India, &c.;
but we are inclined to think that the honour
of Great Britain cannot be recovered until
the constituencies have had the opportunity
of placing in power those who will take up
afresh the wise political programme of Lord
Beaconsfield.

golawkay's Pills.—Teachings of Experience.—The
salted testimony of th3u4.ndr, exten ling over more
than forty year., most sterugly recommends thee
• u the how purifiers the mildest aperient.. and
the earrst reatoratives. They lever p-OTe delusive,
or give motel,- terapt.ry relief, bet attack all ailments
ef the st,eaar.h. 1u.,45, heart, E•td, and bowels in the
only sato en,. te:ritioiw.e way, by depurating the blood)
404 sq t-ao .tiog th...se impurities which are the
soiree an, co:is:Anent of almost every disease. Their
etliesey is winderfui in renovating enfeebled
Their action embrac-s all that is desir-
sh•
oe it a household inedieioe. They expel every
.011..ur and etete matter; and thus the strength is
nisrtneed aad the energies stimulated.
isvics lgaria4el “yi broken in your rest
by risk guild suffering with the pain of :cutting teeth.
Ilie-st isles to it chertvat and get a bottle of Mrs. Win-
slow's dooliting Syrup. It will relieve the pair
sufferer iinsattliately. It ie ptrfectly harmlees and
pleaseut to testi, it produces natural. quiet sleep by
rellevitig the child from petit, and the little cherub
seeks— "as bight a• a Ltr.tin." It soothrs the child,
it ll.3ttens thr guess. allays al intio. relieves wind
revalues tbe koWe!s. awl is the best know remedy for
elysentery and di-rrhse, whether arising from teeth.
lug or other unties. Mrs Winalo ell Soothing Syrup
is se'd by Medi, in* dealers •verywhero at Is lid per
Witte.
TALI/M.l Disc .I(CIAY YOU TIIR yourhai•
is wasg
grey or white, or felling oil', use `•
aisxic_,7NHAlß RN riws ft." for it lf po.itire
revert srery &LAIC Grfy or White hai- to its origin .1
crieur. without leavirg the disagreeable smell of .. ost
“Itesborent." It makes the hair cluvmin beautiful
ae well as pr0m0:6,4 thy grqvith of the htir or, bud
aboe. •itrre the glaerte i.re rot dee*. ed. Price 3s 61.
cc Oil to make the ils.ir soft, 00187, and luzlari'
sot. es, bir "0 ART 611'•?. COLO:IN& OIL." Priiir Is
Wir.ieeti:e depot, 33, feerroikloo Road,
l.'s.
NOUNS IN TES ItARI, dm DAMIAN/
soa Deurass abluld always be tried, as in
aumbers of ;sees, seemingly incurable, it has done
Menders. Sliht Deafness, Obstructions in the Rare,
abd the imaikarit humming sounds so frequent with
ii„Briug, are reistaeed aftertwe or three nights'
tePpiieetlens. Dollar's Esunee can be spoken of as sure
testy* setae relief in any ease of Deafness without
Utiles the slightest injury to the delicate organisms of
Ilia Sir; and, however surprising, persons for years
Deaf hare heard tweeds after s fair trial of Dollars
e;;;•,., : • 1/d. and 2s. 9d Sold by all
* .'ortt tree for 16 ?I swaps soot to riodford
• 41.'•01,021 ifiefopy elicsteit Wiltlo4l.