The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-03-25
AN INTIMATIOy RESENTED.

1uc OuiC6SO IFtOuHC Says, VIC hOuuou
Times resents remark of Reverdy John
500, at dinner-table speech in Man
chester, that a war with the United States
growing out Of the Alabama claims must
be vastly more disastrous to England
than to America. The Times proceeds
to examine the loss each side could infict
on the other. 1t tauntingly observes
that eff two or three British privateers,
sailing under the Confederate flag, could
play such havoc with American shipping,
what damages could not the whole Brit
ish navy infict? And what shall be
said of the American Admiralty, that
allowed those corsairs to scour the oceans
and threaten every pathway of COM
MERGE ?"
Taunts of this sort may pass for an
sweIs to Reverdy Jonson's bibulous
speech; but in case of hostilities between
the two powers, six hundred American
ships of war would not be employed in
blockading their own ports on coast of
1900 miles, and fighting land batteries
from the mouth of the Potomac to the
Rio Grande. While those British priva-
teers were pursuing our unarmed mer-
chant-men like wolves among sheep, the
American war steamers were not allowed
to strike any vessel carrying the British
flag. Neutrality prevented it.
The London Times has only to 90 back
to the war of 1925 to foNsee what
might be in store for British commerce in
the event of hostilities with this country
The United States then was a feeble
nation Of FIVE millions, with no navy but
few frigates and sloops. Now we pos
sess nearly eigh-fold that population, and
twenty times the naval power. The Times
admits that, lin the event OF war, Great
Britain would not be able to render effect
ual aid to her Canadian dominion, but
would have to submit to the modification
of yielding them to the superior forces
of Americans. But it consoles its read
ers with the reflection that, ''in mater
ial point of view, it would be DO less to
this country" if the Dominion should
fall into the possession of the Americans.
Is the Times sure that the West India
Islands belonging to Great Britain would
not share the fate of the northern colon
les and be swallowed up by the Great Be
public?
The Times asks. "In the present state
of American politics who can count on
the permanence of the STATUES quo in any
respect? How would Foreign war OPP
crate on the Federal question:" The
meaning of which is, that England could
revive the rebellion. The Times speaks
too late. The period for British inter-
vention has passed away forever. The
shareholders rebellion is as completely a
''lost cause" as the Jacobin rebellion in
Scotland, narrated in the Tales of My
| Grandfather. A column of British
troops, landed anywhere between Della
ware Bay and Point Isabella, would meet
! repetition Of the reception given their
grandfathers at New Orleans. on the 9Th
! of January of a certain year not entirely
forgotten.
It was not, we admit. in good taste for
our Minister to tell those who were feast
ing him that in the case of q rupture
their government would get badly thrash
ed; he should have spared their feelings
while eating their plum-pudding and
drinking their wine. The Americans are
not seeking quarrel with Great Britain,
but endeavoriDg to avoid one, and giving
the English every opportunity to settle
the matters in dispute without causing
i'll feeling or northumberland this, too,
when every American well knows that,