The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-04-17 00:00:00

Ely ctourbrit‘ge Crstrhr.

SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1M5.-

OUR OUT-LOOK ABROAD.

When Napoleon 111. was upon the throne of
France, Europe was in state of constant uneasi-
ness, at times approaching to alarm. In the
midst of profound peace, people seemed to be
continually living upon the verge of war. This
was more especially the case between 1866,
when Prussia struck down the power of Austria
at Sadowa, and 1870, when the greatest political '
convulsion of modern times rent the Continent.
France could not brook the rise of an equally ,
great military Power upon her frontier, and dur-
ing those four years was well known to be pre-
paring for war. This was so no'orious that no
efforts were made to conceal it, and when Napo-
leon declared war against Prussia in July, 1870,
and the Senate offered its congratulations, A.I.
Rouher, who had long been Napoleon'a confiden-
tial adviser, assured him that he had had four
years to prepare for the impending conflict. How
speedily the tone was altered, none of us will
ever forget. Within six weeks of that time the
armies of France had been defeated in one great
battle after another, her finest provinces were
invaded, her strongest fortresses were invested,
her Sovereign was a captive, and her capital was
menaced, soon afterwards to be starved into i
capitulation. Seldom has a great nation. been
laid so low at the feet of the conqueror as France
at the signature of the Treaty of Peace in March,
1871. Her only policy was submission to the
terms exacted, one of the conditions being the
payment of a war indemnity of two hundred
millions sterling; and another, the cession of
Alsace and a considerable par_t of the province of
Lorraine, including Strasb.Mtg in the one, and
Metz in the other.
After the termination of this tremendous
struggle people began to breathe more freely,
and to recogaise in the German victory
assurances of future quiettidein E urope. France.
which for years had been the firebrand of the
Continent, was utterly prostrate, and could in-
terfere no longer with the affairs of other na-
tions. It was also assumed that so thoroughk
was she beaten down that she would never care
again to measure swords with her hereditary and
unrelenting foe. Four years have passed over
our heads, and we now see how iflusery were the
hopes of peace which " were foniided upon the-
results of that war. like err firrgrvenge which
found expression words ctalked upon thu
ruins of the Tuileries, upon the smoking embers
of the Palace of St. Cloud, was stimulated in
all the print-sellera' shops of Paris. One of
these represented a woman and a little girl.
beautiful though grief-stricken in face, with
tattered garments and dishevelled locks, being
dragged ruthlessly aloe g by the Germal Em-
peror on one side, and Prince Bismarck on the
other. It was inscribed —" Alsace-Lorraine
torn from France, 1871.—Revenge." The feel-
ing of a desire for vengeance has been kept alive
to this day, France, having paid up the heavy
tribute exacted by Germany, set resolutely to
work to re-organise her artily. Her dockyards
are so many hives of busy bees; her arsenals
resound with the clang of the hammer, her gar-
risons are busy with the eternal round of mili-
tary duty, her fortresses are being fitted with
the latest improvements in gunnery, the sons of
her soi: are taken from the fields and drafted
into the army. France cares to disguiso from
no one that she is preparing for a war of retalia-
tion. Germany knows that such a war must
come as sure as the sun shines in the heavens
at noon. day. She also knows that terrible will
be the reckoning when that time comes. France
will not spin rush into war single-handed as
in 1870. Slie will watch her opportunity until
her enemy is embroiled with another great
power, such as Russia or Austria. A French-
wan's eyes spaakle like those of a basilisk when
ue eontempiatcs the possibility of his country
getting her heel upon the neck of her former
conqueror. France will show as little mercy
to Prussia then as she did after the battle of
Jena. nearly seventy years ago. Of oourse,it
is possible that the tide may again run the other
way, in which case, " woe to the vanquished I"
Germany would not, thee hesitate to diameanber
Franee. and to make its condition something
very like that of P9Janl.
We see, therefore, mat we have gained n,,th-
inc, t tistV of peace are con-
cerned, lw the awlel saceiti !(.1 of life which took
place dye year, i,g(). thi balance of military
transferred
power has hoe 1 nierely
bank of the !o the tit her- Biinply shifted
hole Paris to Aim there is no doubt
that those who predicted t; ,at the Teuton would
not use his struegth as the Gaul had done—
would be very (inlet if he were only let alone ;
would n,)t te arrogant or overbearine• towards
his weaker mighbeurs—have found tlienisel‘ei
mistaken. We have nothing to say respecting
the course which prin,., k has ado • a
towarda. the Jesuit "-re P. e
purely dowe''tiel,"licY
s. for that is a matter of
the f which th
Gereaula ',Just saw, r "1111' r o the
e
high-handed maniac t ientse_ves. n
r of Prince liisinark is n,,t
confined to the people of his own country. Be
has lately addre,,eri
a
Be1:2",1., 4,utl6.pateh to the govern-
aiwtit of , i
Li I
iv its
c'
ii7zi
li.lPtning of the sympathy
:'441 iritrimontane
and deaotimAin,
leyeild be Made mot* strita,'e laws
the
lice; tra,4l,Afttrow, 17 ott to .eal
LI ra ontaine eyes:l4a by
Be:gian king have deaue4 —441"" of
t
to do anything of