Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-04-05
A Subject for sp eculation.

Notwithstanding the apparent sincerity of
the alliance existing between France and Eng
land, there are not wanting those who consider
its continuance "a exceedingly predetermined.
They saw that permanent concord Is impos
sibe as il il unnatural between two nations
who have been hereditary enemies for eight
hundred wears, whose mutual literature is
crowded with prejudice against each other,
and whose political institutions are almost AT
the opposite poles OF civilized government
More than one shrewd speculator as to the flu
ture asserts that the concord between France
and England cannot endure for any very long
period that when il is broken, iecrimination
will attend and fJllowth the disruption, and that
these mutual reproaches must inevitably lead
10 a revival of all the old national animOsties,
and a desperate war between the two coun-
tries.
IL there is even a remote possibility of such
a denoaeD,ent TO this alliance, Great Britain
should lose no time in preparing for the even
tuality Never before, perhaps. was she IN a
worse condition to resist invasion. The flower
of her army has been cut of in the Crimea,
and so far from feeling herself competent To
replace its losses directly, she Is compelled not
only To wait till she can discipline new troops,
but to bid for foreign mercenaries, in order 10
obtain recruits. The wealthiest kingdom in
Europe is consequently left with no defence
bevond the valor Of its raw militia. But If
we are totake the the opinion OF her best mil
itary writers, the undisciplined English peasant
is comparatively worthless in battle, especially
when opposed by trained and veteran soldiers
The Duke of Wellington considered that
two wears were necessary TO perfect the ordi-
nary class of recruits. Under such circum-
stances, the bravery of the English would
lerhaps. avail but little, if thoroughly ap
pointed army, disciplined in all the Strategy
of war. were to land on the southern coast,
and make a dash At London. Ii is not alb
surd to suppose, in the event of such an inva
sion, that the world might see another Nor
man conquest, re-enacted in the nineteenth
| century.
The English themselves admit, that il
Louis Napoleon has one intellectual qualit,
more developed than another, il is an almOs
Machayellian subtlety. They say that he
like a tiger, that will pur as softly as Re
kitten, till everything is ready for the death
spring Ii the French Emperor, secret.
boarding up the thirst of vengeance for Wa
terloo, had deliberately planned 20 place Eng
land in her present deienceless condition, h
could not have ordered events more 10 hi
liking; for so vast is his army 50 martial ar
his people, and 81 deeply does the disgrace g
|. Waterloo still rankle in the national hear
that if he chose he could precipitate on Enc
land within two months, two hundred thou'
and men ablaze for vengeance. Great Britain
in this view Of affairs is really at his mere.
improbable as the contingency of an invasio
NAV appear, it is not more unlikely than tn
present alliance was three years ago. Ii is ;
possible as the existing war was 80 late as Nv
wears since. 1t is, nevertheless, only conle
ture, but still one which has the countenan'
6 OF more than one keen observer and thinke