The New York herald., 1868-04-28
Our Special Dispatches from Abyssinia.


that annihilates time and space. Our news
from Abyssinia was to the 18th inst, only
nine days from the date of publication in this
city From that distant and almost inacces-
sible country our dispatches, travelling more
than one-third the circumference of the earth,
recount the progress of events and give the
history of the battle between the English and
the native forces with more particular detail
tlian few years since newspapers gave to
events transpiring in our own or in neighbor-
ing cities. This is an example of what may be
done when press is developed under free in
stitutions, and when the inventions that have
placed this age so far in advance of all others
are used with energetic lberality to make
great newspaper-to lay before the reader an
actual chronicle of what is going on in the
world. People know toerably well that the
HERALD is not satisfied to give It's readers the
little scraps and crumbs of news that satisfy so
many other journals, and therefore they need
scarcely to be told that all the dispatches tell
ing of the occurrences in Abyssnia that were
of any value were our specials. So pitiful by
contrast with our dispatches was the meagre
press despatch made up in London and printed
in all the other papers that it may be said he who
read the HERALD learned the news in all its
character, and he who read only the other
papers learned next to nothing. Now that this
Abyssinian expedition has reached a crowning
point, we may refer with satisfaction to the
record we have made in it for the spirit of in
domitable energy that is the vitality of the
American press. BY this Abyssnian expe-
dition the New YORK HERALD, as the best type
of an American newspaper, was put in contrast
and competition with the London press, the
other great representatives of journalism in
the world From that competition we have
come out with an honorable success. All the
London papers that are conducted in gene
rous and manly spirit have conceded the value
of our dispatches, and that they brought to
hand later news than either the London press
or the British government had; and finally, as
to this last batch of news, it was accepted from
| us in full by all the London journals save one,
none of the papers of that city, with the ex-
ception of the London Times, having specials
of their own on the occasion of the great issue
of the war. Thus we find that English jour-
nails in the English capital get their best ac-
counts of the doings of an English army from
us, and admittedly fall into line behind us in
the great activity of gathering news.
Trnde Returns of Great Britain-Thc Lesson
They Teach.
The statement we published yesterday from
the London Times on the trade returns and
foreign trade Of Great Britain is we'll worth the
attention of our government and people. The
growth Of the export trade of the United
Kingdom, nearly all through the history of
that country, and particularly within late
years, furnishes us lesson that we should
study and profit by. The enormous wealth
of England, which makes her the financial
centre of the world, which gives her great
power among nations, and which at times has
| enabled her to subsidize empires and to con-
troll the destinies Of Europe, comes from her
commerce. Hence we see why her statesmen,
all through her history, have steadily pursued
a uniform policy Of developing and increasing
that commerce. When restrictive or protect
i've laws were deemed necessary for this OBJ
ject they were enacted, and when the circum-
stances Of the times and Englands condition
were changed and different policy was called
| for she promptly adopted it. Her policy has
varied according to circumstances, but it has
had invariably one object in view-the increase
| Of British commerce. The founding Of colonies
in every quarter Of the globe, the conquest OF
India and other countries, and her numerous
wars with the nations Of Europe, Asia and
America have been for the extension and su-
premacy of her commerce. Neither morality
uor justice has prevented her at times from
| bing the most outrageous things for this pur-
pose. While such a policy may be denounced
as selfish-and no nation has paid less regard
to the rights or interests of others than Eng
land-it is selfshness which all nations may
be charged with, more or less, and which has q
grand object in view.
In 1867 the declared value of British expor-
tations to foreign countries was, in round num-
bers, about nine hundred miliionA Of dollars in
gold, equal to over twelve hundred millions OF
our currency, and to the British possessions
about two hundred and seventy millions OF
dollars in gold, or nearly three hundred and
seventy millions in currency. There was o
slight falling off for that year compared with
the previous year; but then the expectations OF
1866 were enormous and unprecedented The
total value Of exports in 1867 compared with
1867 shows an increase of forty-eight per cert
in these ten years. There have been con-
siderable changes, however, In the directich OF
this export trade II has vastly increase1 with
many countries, while In some there has been
only moderate advance and In Others II has
fallen off. The most remarkable augmentation
has been with Egypt and New. Granada, the