New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-14

LONDON Jan. 2S-Suppose the little knot OF i'm
pulsive sympathizers with France had had their
way and committed the English Government TO
declaration contingently involving war with Ger
many in behalf of Francei They have been clamor-
ing for it within week, in fact this week in pnb-
lie meeting in Trafalgar-square. But spite OF Mr..
Merriman and Mr.. Odger and their three or four
thousand hackers, the Germans went ON bombarding
Paris, and the Parisians went on eating up daily
their little remnant Of miserable food and to-day the
city surrendera Does anybody think England.
starting up with protest or musket. could within
these last few weeks. have prevented tho catas-
trophei England is completely unready for war. or
for anything but a purely naval war. Instead
Of getting ready, she has been occupied in
balancing Mr.. loves budgets saving some
100000 yearly. and squandering for every
pound saved distinct fraction Of her influence In
continental affairs. The men who have been ad-
vocating war now loudly arc not the men whose i'm
pulses are sobered by sense Of responsibility nor
by familiarity with public business. don't suppose
they disturbed Mr. Gladstone's sleep. OF added
twinge to Lord Granviles govt; but they made
good deal of noise which at distance may easily
have been mistaken for the sign Of deep popular feel
ing But the war party has she WI no real strength
Even The Spectator which has committed itself per-
haps more unreservedy than any other journal OF
position says to-day: I'VE suspect the Liberal SYM
patty with france is pretty much all OF It OF the
same TEXTURE fabric OF empty wishes" And 1t
would not hazard much to suggest that The Spectator
itself is content that it should have been. The
English have great talent for submitting to the In
evitable In their profound respect for success they
find themselves able after more or less angry eriti-
cism, to condone the means by which suecess
has been achieved. Nor do l understand the
spasm of squeamishness which great many worthy
bora boxv fo1t fha Of
they accuse the Germans. Without reminding En-
glshmen of the kind Of war they carried on against
the Sepoys, / have once twice yentured TO ask
what there is in the authorized rigors OF German
war similar to the atrocities which secured the sue
cess of the coup d6tdt in 1851, and which did not
prevent the instant recognition OF Napoleon by the
English Government 1t is difficult to get dis
tinct answer to such questions.
The TrafaIg ar-square meeting was much too unim-
portant TO be made the text Of the long paragraph
fore going, but have seen even more insignificant
meetings assume great dimension by the time they
got into some New-York papers. Three or four
thousand people were present. of whom, perhaps,
half knew OF cared what going on. There is
nothing, and has been nothing, in the French dem
onstrations comparable to the Reform meetings to
which they have been likened.
Far more significant than these the speeches OF
such men as Mr.. Samuel Morley and Mr.. Hodgson,
the members for Bristol, and Of Mr.. Fawcett and Mr.
White. the members for Brighton-all advanced
Liberals Both the latter expressly declared against
that demand for increase Of the army which has
grown out Of the present war and the consciousness
of English inability 10 interfere efficiently Bat the
former protested against intervention IN any shape,
and Mr.. Samuel Morley. who is leading man among
the Noncomformists, went 80 far as to approve the
German demand for Alsace and Lorraine. This does
not prove that the balance of Liberal sympathy does
not incline toward France, but it does prove, as did
Mr. p. A. Taylors letter. to which have before re-
ferred that Liberal sentiment is by means unan-
imous. 1t is rather for surprise that public
opinion turned first decidedly in favor Of the
Germans and was slow in veering round toward
France. For the Germans-that Is, the North Ger
mans, and above ALL the Prussians-have never been
popular in England. The Denmark business famed
the feeling against them. no doubt but even without
that England would have wished well, as she did
most theoretically to Austria, and not to Prussia in
1866 Then as at the outbreak of this war; everybody
predicted the defeat of Prussia, and then, though
not now, everybody except Mr. Carlyle seemed to
wish il. Perhaps it was because the two nations,
England and Prussia. have 80 many trials In COM
mon that they cannot endure each other. have
heard odd reasons given for the state of mind that
prevails here. The Russians are disiked person
aly they are cold and stiff; they not polite and
eager to oblige, the Austrians are; and once i
actually heard an Englishman allege the superior
civlity of the Austrian railway porters as reason
why the South Germans ought to have the leader
ship of the German nation.
Gen. Sehencks arrival is awaited eagerly. Amid
all the din of European war. no Engshman has ever
forgotten that unsettled quarrel with America,
wbich-whether he confess it not, and many do
confess t-forbids him to draw the sword in con-
tinental dispute Macaulay has a story 10 illustrate
the average English ideas about India. IL All Anglo
Indian arrives from Bombay, he is expected to know
all about your acquaintance in Calcutta. When an
American is asked about Gen. Scbenek 1t is useless
for him TO explain that he lives III New-fork and
that Gen. Schenck lives in Ohio. Ohio and New
York are all one to the English inquirer lnforma-
ton of some kind he must have. There epenty OF
people who are only too anxious to repeat the
Reverdy johnson experiment, spite OF Its
conspicuous and certain failure, and who lie
in wait for Gen. Schenck with invitations
to public dinners, with petitions for the
reception Of deputation. 1t is surprising how
much faith some people have in Populations and adj
dresses and what busting vivacity res'llts from
zeal that delights in display. We may thank our
stars if Gen Schenck has, have no doubt he has,
too much good sense TO lend an ear to the we'll
meaning fussiness that is ready TO address him on
his coming 1t seems to be understood by the more
sensible portion of the English public that the din
ner and deputation business has been overdone, and
that il might be well 10 treat Gen. Schenck as other
foreign EnvOys are treated. When Prince Gorts-
chakoff7s circular threatened 10 disturb the
relations between England and Russia, /
don't think it occurred to anybody ~ pro-
mote the settlement Of that trouble by asking
Baron Brunnow to dine with Town Council
and make speech to them afterward Apart from
all that nonsense very sincere hope is felt and OK
pressed that Gen. Schenck's instructions may permit