The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-23

we progress in the arts and sciences and In
natural prosperity and development, the weak
est people may become as dangerous as the
strongest.
Therefore it is wise to note the sudden
awakening of these Asiatic nations, who num-
Der in their narrow dominions such large
proportion of the human race. We do not
share the apprehension which evidently has
life in the vivid imagination of NJ de Lesseps,
that q new Genghis Khan or TamArlane may
arise in the East and march his Tartar hordes
into the valley of the Danube that heather
armies may again menace Vienna and Chris
tendon sigh for another Sobieski Such an
idea is almost too fanciful even for the imagina-
ton of French philosopher. But it is very
certain that an army of Tartars or Hindoos,
armed with Mimic rifles, would be more dan
gerous than the Hindoos who were defeated ct
Plassey or the Cinnamon who defended their
coasts with wooden guns and calico forts
painted like stone. And people 80 armed,
and seeking, as they do, every appliance and
agency of civilization, demand new school
of craftsmanship from that founded upon the
brutal lessons of Lord Give and Warren
Hastings China and India have necessary
and useful functions in our civilization.
There is scarcely duty or an Office
in our daily life which does not in
some way pay tribute to Asia. Our
food, our clothing, our medicine, the essen
tial wants of art and science come
from Asia. We have never drawn close to
Asia without learning lessons that our more
resolute and practical civilization dares not
despise. We have nothing to drink better than
Chinese tea; we have no decorations that
will surpass the porcelain and metals of the
East no raiments as useful and attractive as
the rich cloths of Cashmere and Hindostan.
AS, therefore, this old, unique, quaint and
wonderful civilization of the East, which has
stamped itself upon our religion, our litera-
ture and our language, which beautifed and
illuminated the world when America was an
unknown land, and Europe only known to
savages who drank each others blood in honor
of strange gods-as this civilization is neces-
sary to the complete enjoyment of our own, we
feel that there is no wisdom higher than that
which brings us together, and that any means
of communication that will make New York
and Calcutta, London and Pekin, more init
mate and neighborly, will be a. blessing to
mankind
M. de Lesseps considers his railway as it
may affect the rivalries of England and Rus
sia in the East. We presume our modern
politics for one or two generations will be
concerned with this rivalry. To our mind it
seems that there is room enough in Asia for
Russia and England. The two nations have
done many noble things in the interest of
civilization in Asia. We think, however, that
the work Of Russia has been of more advantage
to civilization, because it has not been as
selfish and cruel as many of'the things done
by England in the reach for empire. It will
be long time before India will pardon or the
world cease to remember the cruelties of Give
and Hastings. Recalling these deeds, and
remembering what we, who are also Of
English blood, have done with our own
Indians, we may well ask whether, with our
valor and genius for conquest, we have the
higher qualities for the consolidation of an en-
pire and securing justice to all classes ?-the
qualities which we have seen in the Russians
and the French. 1t is blessing to feel, how
ever, that, with our tendencies to conquest and
to do severe things to the conquered, we
are passing from the age of ARTILLERY to the age
of locomotives. The civilization that goes
behind the locomotive is less noisy and pre-
tentious than that which follows the cannon;
but it will be more efficient in the development
of industry, the establishment of peace and
friendship. With the Asiatic railway Of M. de
Lesseps, the Soudan railway of the Khedive
and the Euphrates Valley railway of England,
not to speak of our own Pacific railways built
and building, we are surely in the locomotive
age. Whatever political result may come from
this Central Asian scheme in the way of peace
or war between Russia and England, good
must come in the end. As a prodigious step
in modern progress we wish it well and safely
done.
The Vienna charlottesville Emperor
OF Austria In the American Depart
ment.
In another place in these columns this
morning will be found cable despatch,
special to the HERALD, giving q full and
graphic account of visit made yesterday by
the Emperor Francis Joseph to the American
Department of the Exhibition. The Ameri-