The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-25 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, MAY 25, 1868.

The triumphant conclusion of the much-dreaded
expedition to Abyssinia forms a brilliant and for-
tunate episode in the history of British warfare.
Although the native forges were not in themselves
capable of confronting the British soldiery, or even
holding their ground against the well-trained
Indian troops, there were many circumstances
which rendered the capture of Magdala a conspi-
cuous addition to the achievements of British
arms. to penetrate into so remote and difficult a
country, whose climate and character were but
little known to the best informed amongst
us, is no easy task in time of peace. The
adventurous travellers, who in the interests
of science or in the love of enterprise devote them-
selves to exploring the African interior, are regarded
as undertaking a most dangerous and uncertain
task, not only from the risks inseparably attending
the exploration of an uncivilised country, but from
the wild and savage nature and habits of too many
of the native tribes. This danger, though in some
degree lessened by the presence of an armed force,
was increased by the probability that THEODORE'S
subjects might actively resent the invasion of their
territory. They could not, indeed, repel the expe-
dition by force of arms, but they have harassed our
advance by a guerilla warfare against stragglers,
and, above all, they might have withheld the ne-
cessary supplies. Sir ROBERT NAPIER'S prudence
in insisting upon having a sufficient store in the
depots before he undertook any forward movement
happily saved the army from much risk and incon-
venience. The natural difficulties in the way of
the advance were in any case formidable enough,
even in these days of fighting nature and overcom-
ing obstacles. Sir ROBERT NAPIER'S spirited and
cordial congratulatory address to his victorious
army especially alludes to these difficulties,
which might well have startled the boldest and the
most sanguine. " You have traversed," he says,
" often under a tropical sun, or amidst storms of
rain and sleet, four hundred miles of mountainous
and difficult country. You have crossed many
steep and precipitous ranges of mountains, more
than 10,000 feet in altitude, where your supplies
could not keep pace with you. When you arrived
within reach of your enemy, though with scanty
food, and some of you for many hours without
either food or water, in four days you passed the
formidable chasm of the Bashilo and defeated the
army of THEODORE which poured down upon
you from their lofty fortress in the full
confidence of victory." This confidence, shared
apparently:by THEODORE himself, precipitated the
discomfiture of the Abyssinians, since British offi-
cers on the spot believe that had they not attempted
to meet us on plain ground, but remained in.
trenched in Magdala, they would have been able to
offer a prolonged resistance. Eventual defeat was
certain, but the capture might have cost us many
lives. It is very fortunate that such was not the
case, and that there was so little to mar the satis-
faction of our victory. Sir ROBERT NAPIER him-
self speaks of " the almost inaccessible fortress of
Magdala," and with.reason. It is now but a "scorched
melt." only memorable from its history, and from the
recollection of the victims slaughtered there. Most
satisfactory is it to know that the moral conduct of
our troops has been as admirable as their military
courage and endurance. Not a single complaint,
says the Commander-in-Chief, has been made
against a soldier, of fields injured, or villages wil-
fully molested in property or person. Indeed our
army has found great difficulty in protecting the
followers of THEODORE'S camp, and the remains of
his army from their unrelenting native enemies the
Walla Gallas, who rob and murder every Abyssinian
they can get hold of. Tho forbearance and
kindness which the British troops have shown to
the scattered remnants of the Abyssinian force have
been remarkable. It gives us a striking proof of
the internal dissensions and wretchedness of the
country that no less than ninety Abyssinian chiefs
were set free by our army. In a few nights the
House of Commons will be called upon to acknow-
ledge the public services of the Abyssinian expedi-
tionary force under their gallant commander, who
has proved himself a worthy namesake of that
heroic NAPIER whose achievements are still fresh in
his countrymen's memory.

The close of the Customs Parliament in Berlin
makes one reflect a little upon the progress that has
been made there, and it cannot be said that Count
BISMARCK has much cause to rejoice at the result
of its labours. The Government has been defeated
three times, and the Minister at last withdrew the
Tariff Bill, that being called on for .final considera-
tion, and a division being taken, the tax upon
petroleum was again rejected by one hundred and
forty-nine votes against eighty-six, whereat Count
BISMARCK withdrew the bill. This was a wise con-
clusion to come to, but the action was a significant
one, and no doubt the necessity of it caused deep
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have turned against the Berlin Cabinet. Some-
times indistinctly, and in a manner not likely to be
generally noticed, but not the less surely, there have
been signs and tokens that all is not going so
smoothly as their hearts could wish, and that people
are beginning to question the advantage of this
scheme and the benefit that will accrue from this
proposal. The President, in his closing speech,
alluded to the unity which had existed among the
members during the sitting of the Customs Parlia-
ment; and though various views had been put for-
ward, each passing week had only tended to con-
firm the fact that a complete understanding existed
between them. The King of PRUSSIA delivered a
speech to wind up the affair, in the course of which