Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-06-17


up in any ocean by volcanic any other agency would
Instantly be taken possession Of British settlement
that would have governor md deputy.governor APP
pointed to it, storekeeper and deputy -Orcksepcr,
colonial secretary chaplain and a garrison. What he
did not say but what he might have added with perfect
proprieIy, IS that the government would inaloly
have proceeded to reveal its political existence by
broing itself with some similar establishment, the rep
resena,ive of some other Power, and thus illustrate the
glorious and ntcrmnable liabilities of the Imperial State
Not many days ago Mr. Gladstone observed in the House
Commons that f We considered the extended relation
OF this Country, and looked at the OF British strength
accomplishing the globe, it must be evident that there
was always chance of war" but he could hardly have
H-~ very pretty eIemplifcaton OF this high
" comfortable oocuine vas close L-ui. Among the
dependencies of the British Crown group of nsua-
ted crags termed "ihe Falkland Isan.s" The Falkland
Islands are not the Auckland Islands, though they
once declared to be, AMI the mistake perfectly par
donable We cannot give the precise latitude these
precious bits Of territory but they somewhere abou,
Cape Horn, very far from the Antarctic Pole and
have nearly the relation to Patagonia that Madaga
car has TO Mozambique. Ii this description should no,
I've sufficient the reader resort to the Great Globe in
Leicestcrsqlrc, or some other very comprehensive de-
ncation OF the universe where upon careful survey he
may possibly discover these "arms OF British strength"
laid down in their proper position As their use unc
on or capacity, except quarrel traps, give no
kind of account The last time they heard OF
was in squabbe with SPAIN 30 years ago. aud now
if what the American journals true, they have
turned up again on very similar OCCASION.
or course we have governor, secretary and forth
in this important colony; in fact not sure that
there is not Council aud Legislature though we never
heard of population. However the authorities by
whatsoever title they to be described decteed and Gu
actei time ago thai any person killing cattle on
the Falkland territory should be liable to fine OF 2Oi
stering-a resolution which should think Robinson Cru
soc might have made with about tue proprety,
ing that "persops' except the crew OF some Leated
while could by any possibility be expected the
place But whaler did come, it seems,-an American
AMI the captain, adne didJoo Froke the ordinance aud
killed pig On hearing of this accident their bacon
the authorities were furious and put ia motion the
chneIy OF British power Generally speaking when any
disturbance happens it ia quite to found that no
British force is hand but in this there actually was
brig OF within reach, aud Her Majesys officer com
minhing in those waters forthwith required by the
Government Of the Falkland Islands chase pursue and
apprehend the delinquent American, aud bring both the
whaler and her tender toto port This,-though it must
be understood that rclting the whole story from
American version-seems positively to have been done
the w'aer fetched away from her snug anchorage
and the captain carried before the ,gsrite for trial IL
was sworn that he had stuck hrs: and last % pigs which
nj 20i a-pig, made total fine, should reckon OF
iiOi bat which, n it Is put at ESQ., in the records II the
transaction, perhaps doubled o hand by way of i'm
proving the OCCASION Tho captain stouty declared that
instead OF being the Falkland Islands at the time de
posed he OF the Of Patagonia a1d this fact we
presume must have been taken ia mitigation the origi
nal damages ultimately reduced TO 2Tl, being APP
pareuily H. a-pig ana Ji. over.
All this gives charming illustration Of the purpose TO
which 'BritislI OF strength encompass the globe"
but unlucky there il something more behind. The
Americans also Ind ship OF in thes lattudes and
they looked with mu3 affection their va er5 as the
British authorities did their pga They seem accord
ngy to have repaired to the Falkland Isands reversed
the capture and tensatcd the captain in the command Of
his vessel That the OF war then set to wofk
their account anil oughta desperate action cost
ing enormous los Of life. and embroiling two mighty
states in fearful war, is fortunately not recorded the
pig killing would have to n pretty end. As il IT,
shall probably have all kips Of aud
claims, with every possible apprasement aud adjuicl-
ton OF national rights, independent ags outTages indg
mites and so forth Oi course il representatives
have done wrong must make amends, but il is a fine
example Of what may be comprised ia the way Of uni
vcrsil liability,
We forget exactly who vac Tie author of the remark.
but somebody other observed very recently that we
could hardly expect the governors OF dependencies to
DO plchcily disposed 20 long made successful hos
t!iiie5 the only road 10 honor II the chief magistrate
Of colony returns from service without having done any
thing beyond administering h5 government in peace aud
qreincs', hc IL not thought TO have earned much title
renOwn; whereas, If he picks quarrel fomcns en-.
brO.moul into war, and acquires holp Of worthless
territories at the cos. Of much valuable uesure h noto-
ey becomes npcrccptbly converted into glory, and no
Is regarded IA meritOrOus public I, would he
much to the national advantage, think il these con-
ditona reversed Considering the character Of some
Of our dependencies il would certainly be the most dcsira
Oe Of all results tba they wdro never heard OF at ALL aud
the best title distinction wonld be produced by that
governor under whose rulo the settlement most com.
| pletey forgotten. Undoubtedly the Falkland Islands
form past of the British empire and think We have
read that old Commodore Byron pronounced a brilliant
euogy upon this splendid acquisition to the dominions OF
the Crown. But old commOdores sometimes take strange
ilnoes, especially about their own cruising grounds and
the Islands in question notegardod With O. tic 50
fgpc admiration they excited in tho last century II
theJ bG turned any useful purpose, much the
better, but the least We can desire is, that they may
| csson no trouble.