The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-25 00:00:00

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SPIRIT-OP Tlir-P"D'ELIO-301JRNALS

The times, in treating the subject of the Abyssinian ex-
pedition, expresses itself in terms that are anything but
sanguine. "The letters from correspondents," says our
Contemporary, " comes in time to make us sober in our
Christinas mirth." After speaking of the difficulty and
the comparative fruitlessness of the undertaking, the
Times says :—The only use of anticipating difficulties is to
prepare for them. Forewarned is forearmed. If it is
certain—and we cannot see our way to escape from the
conclusion— that we cannot get back the captives by force
during the current campaign, let us recognise the fact at
once, and makes our plans conform to it. The difficulty
of keeping an armed force in I')y-ssinia throughout the
rainy season is of itself enormous, and we ought
to set about at once making the needful prepara-
tions. It may not be too late, however, to provide that
the actual force in the field shall be reduced, and the camp
followers as much as possible restricted to the narrowest
proportions. The error of the plan of the expedition
has been from the first that it was conceived on too large
a scale. This, we fear, becomes ino:e apparent every
hour. Every fighting man drags five or six non-
effectives at his heels, and as men make horses, forage,
and commissariat supplies generally necessary, the
quantity of material to be put in motion goes
on increasing. But, whether it be possible or im-
possible to reduce the scale of the expedition, it is
essential that provision be made for the rainy season. The
Abyssinian force must not be exposed to all the powers of
the elements because we hoped it might re-embark before
the time of their fury arrived, just as the Crimean army
had to winter in the Crimea because we flattered ourselves
that we had but to appear on Russian territory and all
would be over. There is another point of no slight
importance which may be secured by our forced delay.
Our excellent Egyptian ally is zealous in rendering kind
offices, and ambitious of sharing in the honour of the
expedition. We are of course grateful, but every act
he does for us gives us at least two enemies. Egypt
and Abyssinia are constantly at war, and they were
never more vehemently opposed to one another than
during the reign of the present Viceroy. If we take
the field with him as an ally, we unite Abyssinia against
us. We turn friendly tribes into unfriendly. We con-
solidate and augment the power of Theodore. Egyptian
assistance must, with the greatest gratitude, be peremp-
torily declined. If this be' not done, it will be impossible
to restrict our action within the modest limits we have
prescribed. The army of invasion will be converted into
an army of occupation, and the next generation will
curse our folly in entering Abyssinia at all. That they
may not do so—that we may rescue our captives this
season if possible, but if not this season, then in the
next, and then retire, let us be wise, and wise in time.
The Morning Herald speaks encouragingly of what has
been done in the Abyssinian expedition. After mention-
ing that at the foot of the three great passes leading up to
the table-land there is healthy camping ground for the
troops and a spring of fresh water, the Herald says the
first proceeding of the commanders of the expedition
has been to take possession of these important posts, the
next to move forward to them the troops as fast as they are
landed. Weea, on the road to Kiasloor ; Hadoda, at
the foot of the Iladdas Pass ; and Roomayloo Wells, at
the entrance of the pass which leads to SenaftS, are
within a few miles of each other, and at a distance of
twelve to fifteen miles only from the sea. Only a depot is to
be left on the shore at Zulla, and this will be supplied
with water by " condensers "or stills. The highest
praise must be given to Colonels Merewether
and Phayre for the active and able manner in which they
have discharged their duties as pioneers of the force.
Whatever may have happened at Bombay, at Zulla at
least there seems to have been no hitch in the inaugural
arrangements of this somewhat perilous enterprise. If
every officer in the army acquits nimseff equally well, alj
we can say is, that the Anglo-Indian Governments are
well served by their officers, that the people of England is
anxiously looking on at them, and ready to applaud them
for proving themsel yes worthy of their race. Thinking of
our friends far off in this inhospitable Africa, bold-hearted,
with the desert behind them and the savage in front of
them, at this Christmas time we wish them God-speed,
and pray for their success in that high and almost sacred
mission with which they have been entrusted.
In noticing the present unsettled condition of European
affairs, the Daily News observes :—A Ministerial crisis in
three constitutional countries seems to indicate an uneasy
condition of foreign affairs. In Belgium a Liberal Cabinet,
which has administered the country with vigour and
success for several years, and enjoyed the confidence of
Parliament and the nation, has split into two sections, and
the King, after repeated endeavours to conciliate them, Las
at length accepted their resignation. The present crisis will
probably be solved by a Liberal reconstruction of the
Present Cabinet. In Holland the crisis is protracted by
the reluctance of the King to accept the resignation of
a Ministry which the Parliament has condemned. Hap-
pily neither in Belgium nor in Holland is the domestic
difficulty complicated by the interference of a foreign
Power. General Mena,brea has served his King and
country with singular self-denial at a moment when no
public man who considered his own interests and his
reputation above his duties to the State was prepared to
accept the responsibilities of office. He has faced a storm
of obloquy and provoked the rancour of a host of adversaries
by undertaking the most weary and thankless task of re-
pairing other men's mistakes, and submitting with the best
grace to the consequences of other men's faults or follies.
Mr. Bright's oration at Rochdale furnishes the Morning
Post with a subject for a number of pertinent remarks.
After stating that Mr. Bright is a disappointed man, the
Post goes on to state that even the most zealous Conserva-
tive must admit that the last Reform Act is not faultless.
With regard to this Act the Post continues :—Mr. Bright,
as the still recognised leader of the advanced school of
Reformers, now states publicly in what respects it falls
short of the expectations of its projectors, or, in other
words, the further changes which it will be necessary to
effect. It is the declaration to this effect which consti-
tutes the most salient feature of the speech just delivered
by Mr. Bright : " The representation of the country is
not completed in this bill." This is a declaration which
must, under the circumstances, be accepted as tanta-
mount to an intimation that the struggle in which
Mr. Bright and his supporters have been so long
enge red is not yet terminated, and that we have reached
the end of but one stage in a crusade. Much has been
done for the borough representation, but, so far as Mr.
Bright conceives, comparatively little for the county re-
presentation, and, if we rightly construe his words, the
" hard line " which has been swept away in the towns
must equally vanish in the outlying country districts.
The point raised is one which certainly affords subject-
matter for agitation as prolonged and as bitter as that
which has just subsided. Why any distinction should
be drawn between town and country voters is a matter
which must sooner or later be solved by a na-
tion which has made such strides in the direction of
democracy as those recently made by the people of this
country.