The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-12
England and the Abyssinian Expedition
HOnOrs to Sir Robert Napier-An Example
or Two for the United States.

| Or ROBERT NAPIER, the nero OF the late
Abyssinian expedition, has been voted by the
British Parliament pension of two thousand
pounds sterling year, and has been created
by Queen Victoria peer of the realm, with
the title of Lord Napier of Magdala. These
are graceful recogntions of the services rem
dered to England by this admirable soldier in
the famous expedition for the release of GER
tain English subjects held as prisoners by the
late King Theodorus and in defiance of the
warnings of her Majesty's government. The
invasion of Abyssinia, the defeat of the King s
army, the release Of the prisoners in question
and other Europeans, the stormng of Mag
daa, the death of Theodorus, the dispersion
of his forces, and the return of Napier with
his trophies and the young son of the deceased
King to be educated in England for some flu
ture purpose, were, briefly, the results of the
late expedition The profit and loss account
has been in some British fault finding quarters
set down as the rescue of a score or two of
| prisoners at an expense of five millions of
| pounds sterling, Or in round numbers, some
twenty millions of dollars in gold-a costly
adventure, they say, into a worthless region,
peopled by a race of intractable and useless
barbarians.
This, however, is but a narrow view of the
| subject. In our estimation the costs of this
Abyssinian expedition were but small invest
ment compared with the objects gained and
the profits to be realized from it by Eng
land and the world First the moral
effect will he felt to England's advantage
by the one hundred aud fifty millions
OF Asiatics of the British empire in India with
the return of this Anglo Indian army; and
next, the prestige of this Abyssinian invasion
will be recognized among all the surrounding
savage nations and tribes of Africa north and
south of Abyssinia, and will operate to some
purpose also in Egypt. We are satisfied that
this Abyssinian enterprise of Napier is but an
item in certain great designs OF British trade
and power in regard to which the instructive,
and we may say invaluable, African explo-
rations and discoveries of Livingstone, Bur
ton, Spoke and Grant, and Sir Samuel Baker,
are only many encouraging contributions.
Baker, for example, has revealed an immense
cotton region along the northern and eastern
borders of Abyssinia Spoke. Grant and
Burton have discovered other extensive and
fertile regions around the great fountain lakes
of the Nile and along the course Of the upper
river. while Livingstone has laid opema num-
Der of fertile and extensive districts below the
equator adapted to all the products Of the
tropics in their perfec ton.
What does all this signify! il may he asked.
II signifies that the fourishng British colonies
of Australia and New Zealand of the present
day may be matched in the course of another
generation or two at least in their commercial
products, by the British possessions of Eastern
Africa, from Abyssinia southwark. Such we
believe to be the grand designs involved in this
late Abyssinian expedition. Nor have we any
objection to interpose to its fulfment The
manifest destiny of the United States is the
North American Continent and it's islands
field of enterprise large enough for
American development for many genera.
tons to come. Let England, IL she will
proceed to the development of the boundless
commerce tes, rces of Africa. We shall get
our fun snare OF ne profits of such expansions
of trade and cvu;zaton. The only wonder il
that with the lagge redundant population Of the
island Of Great Britain, now struggling for
bare existence, her Majesty's government
, should be so slow in peopling her compare
lively uninhabited colonies and the waste
+ places of the earth inviting the skill enterpris,
and industry of her people. If her Majesty
!. Cabinet would only open their eyes to this sub
( ject they might soon find way to relieve Eng
5 land OF nine tenths of her paupers and turf
them to profitable account.
: There are yet some other views suggested t.
9 us of the advantages of this late Abyssiniai
r expedition to England and the civilized world
. For instance, Napier, with his training in In
dia, in his march Of four hundred miles, will
! his camels and elephants. over the Abyssiniar
o Alps, to Magdala, eclipsing Hannibal and Ma
{, poleon, has given the world some new illustra
. tons Of the tremendous forces Of science skill
fully applied to the movement and subsistence,
q OF an army in regions deemed inaccessible Ia
l. the invader. Nor can we omit the contribution
Z made TO science and our common schools from
!, this Abyssinian expedition In reference 10 the
a geographical and geological wonders Of the
}. strange country thus made known TO the out
n side world. We dare say that the readers Of
= the HERALD have not had such treat of int
resting information from q hitherto unknown
a land 10 them % that Of our Abyssnian letters
!. | eino0 their roadin9 NJ mar Nnxioas c.--..u~.