The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-29
England and the Peace or Europe.


people Like panic, and which have peculiarly
marked the stolid calm English character at
certain periods of its history. There was
Napoleonic panic during the time Of Pitt,
when it was thought that the great Emperor
was about 10 leap from the heights Of
Boulogne into the plains Of Kent and to
seize the capital before the people could
strike blow. There was the panic in the
time OF Louis Philippe, about the period when
VI. Theirs was Minister and Syrian questions
were agitahng the two countries and
the Duke Of Wellington was 80
much concerned about the safety Of the
kingdom. There was the panic Of Napoleon
H., when it was thought that the am
bition Of the restless Emperor, flushed with
triumphs in Russia and Italy, would seek to
avenge the wrongs Of Waterloo IT was then
that the poets mourned over the '1ong, long
oanker Of peace" ''the peace that was fall OF
wrongs and shames," when a Tennyson called
On the ''rifemen to form" against the French
Emperor. There was the panic which came
after Sedan. This was inspired by the genius
Of famous pamphlet called the Battle Of
Dorking," In which a patriotic essayist pic
tured the conquest Of England by Prussian
army.
1t seems from the tone OF the English press
that the people are now emerging from another
panic about Germany and Belgium. Essay
lists ask, WHAT could England have done
to save Belgium or protect France in the
event Of sudden war? What power could she
exert in defence OF her guarantee Of the indie
pendence Of Belgium? What influence could
she oppose TO the march Of the German battal-
ions from the fortresses Of Strasburg and Metz
should ambition or interest lead them into the
plains Of Champagne These are the ques-
tons which have been addressed to the English
mind By the newspapers, and which find ex-
preston in Parliamentary speeches. They
have been powerful enough to bring out Lord
Russell from his retirement to endeavor to
revive the war cries against France which ami
mated the English heart sixty years ago.
The cause Of the recent panic has been
France and Germany. The English stood by,
acquiescent during the war, IN the main well
pleased at the idea Of France which had been
the France Of Napoleon and the Papacy, being
trampled into the dust by the descendants Of
the Protestant Frederick, their ally at
Waterloo. This moment Of complacency
passed away when England found as mistress
Of Europe, in place Of France, mightier,
sterner, more resolute and. more implacable
power The Napoleon who was stricken to
tie earth at Sedan was, after all, an English
Napoleon, who had made English alliances,
who knew the English character and institu-
tons, and whose soldiers had fought side by
side with the soldiers Of England in defence
Of the Black Sea. The Bismarck who
rose in his place cared nothing
for England except SO far as her
policy served his purpose. The result Of
the fall Of Napoleon was that Belgium, Hol-
land and Denmark, and even Switzerland,
were open to the armies Of the German. Ger
many became the arbiter Of Europe. There
was 10 way for England to reach her, even in
defence Of her allies. As Frederick the Great
said on one occasion, when the prospect Of
war between England and Prussia was dis
cussed, il would be as easy for Prussia to fight
England as for o dog to fight fish. Eng
lands strength would be nothing arrayed
against Germany. she has at best small
army. Germany has very few ports. Upon
land she is invincible AS military men
clearly see tie influence II England in pro-
tecting the sovereignty Of Belgium would be
nothing, and the result Of the downfall Of
Napoleon has been to place the minor Powers
Of Europe at the mercy Of tie conqueror Of
Sedan.
Out Of this panic and this feeling Of anxiety
we have the strange rumor Of on alliance be-
tween Russia and England. Our latest Lon
don papers detail to Us the intimate relations
that have arisen between Russia and England
and the satisfaction they give to the people
Of both countries Russians and Englishmen
congratulate one another upon their success
in compelling Germany to keep the peace. 1t
now seems that Germany would have resorted
to war against France 70 reduce her armament
had il not been for what the Russian news
paper GoloS says" friendly advice rendered by
Russia and England-advice which the Ger
man government could not ignore" This
journal says explicitly that If Russia had ap-
proved "the opinions expressed ia the highest
Berlin circles the German regiments ''at
this time would be preparing 70 invade
France But Russia, seconded by England,
did not approve" Russia informs Us she
does not care for war. She was willing
enough 70 enter into an alliance with Austria
and Germany, but this alliance has not sur
vived 'the tension put upon it" In other
words, the necessities OF the three contracting
Powers are too much az variance for them to
be sincerely in sympathy with each other.
So in place there has arisen On English aud
Russian alliance.
/, Is curious to note The interest which
TIE rumor Of such a relation excites in