New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-05-09

Of pations, must reuder any conclusions based
merely or past experience exceedingly question:
able. Great Britain was first led TO interfere
in the wars of the Continent by her religious
syrnpathies-sdd to which, that William
III, though King OF England, was also
Continental Prince, who in fact cared nothing FOR
England, except Is he could use Der resources for
carving out certain Continental projects IN "nch
bis heart was bound up. Indeed 1t was only on
this condition that be- consented to be hing OF In
gland at all. while it was the terror of PoPery and
of the reimposItion upon them ola PoPi'h soveres
whom they had expelled that made the people OF
England 50 ready to pour out their blood and to
spend their money in the two great Continental
wars into ~ hch VI lillian III. led them. 1t Is hardly
necessary to say that upon the England oil our time
no such impulse acts, and that il she IL drawn In
nov -s-dsy to be q party TO q Continental war, 1t
mus, be from totally different motives.
In the three great wars In which Great Britain
was invoked between 1879 and 1883, and in each OF
y hich she b-came more or less mixed up IN Con
tnental struggles, the objects which she had IN
view at the commencement and indeed, TIL the
close, were entirely extra-European. They were
wars of Commerce and of Territorial Enpire in
America and India, in which she encountered
France az rival; and it may very well be doubted
whether except with the idea OF weakening France
abroad by giving her occupation at home, she
would have troubled herself much at that time with
Continental affairs. This commercial rivalry. and
the expectation of extending her extra European
dominion by fresh coDquests, and thus making up
for the loss Of the United States chad also
a great deal to do with drawing Great
Britain into her war with revolutionary
France, by means of which she became so
comp etey complicated in the European
contest; though in this case the leading motive
undoubtedly was dread Of the ahti-monarchcal aud
democratic principles which the French ReVola-
tionists had promulgated. The war against Bona
parte was natural and inevitable sequence of the
preceding struggle, the peace OF Amicns being 10
fact only a short and hollow truce-dread Of the
military ambition Of BoDapare ha ing replaced the
terror Of Jscobinism with which the struggle had
begun.
That rivalry between France and Great Britain
for the possession of empire beyond the seas
an idea which the first Napoleon, so long as he re-
manned Emperor, never renquished-has ceased
to have any influence upon the politics If the pres
ent day; and it is this fact which has made pos
sible the peace and even the cooperation of France
and England, which has of late formed SO striking
feature in European politics.
Meanwhile, the motives operating upon British
statesmen to avoid any complication in the affairs
of Europe, have greatly increased. The late war
in which they were involved with Russia was,
far as the English were concerned, not war to pre-
ser re the balance of Europe, but awar for the pro-
lection of their Indian Empire. India alone seems
likely to afford an ample tbeater for all the men
and all the money and all the military skill which
England has TO spare. The idea which long had a
powerful influence over the English mercantile
class, that war might be made to support itself,
has been utterly abandoned. The expenses of
modern warfare have more than kept pace with
the increased accumulation of wealth. while the
complicated operations of modern industry dread
alike the drain of capital which war occasions, and
the Interruptions which it must inevitably occasion
If the pending struggle confines itself to Italy,
it is evidently the present determination of the En-
gsh mol to interfere, at least not by force OF arms
Prussia and the other States Of the German Con-
federation would seem disposed to act on the
same cautious policy. Wars hitherto between
Austria and France have been carried on by dou-
bic line of operations; one across the Alps, the
other across the Rhine. The recent movements of
tie troops of the Germanic Confederation look
evidently to the preservation of the neutrality of
Germany. Should Austria be toleraby successful
in holding her own against France, which seems
about all that can be anticipated of her, II would
seem likely that with the earnest wish beyond all
question more decidedly felt both by Government and
subjects than ever before tn prevent general con-
Aagration, means nigh! be found to accommodate
matters If, on the ether hand, Napoleon should
have run of luck, and, not content with expeling
or humbling the Austrians, should undertake to
make himself master of Itay, should desire to
emulate his uncle in debating a peace under the
walls of Vienna, it is hard to say to what pass
things might not be brought by ambition on the one
hand and alarm on the other.
INDIA.