New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-14
BRITISH POLITICS.
A DEFEAT OF THE WAR PARTY.


LONDON, Dec. I've have to thank that noisy
minority of Englishmen, whom Mr.. Bright calls the
"Towdy war party for fresh declaration Of neu-
tralIty from Lord Derby. A deputatOn presented
memorial to the Foreign Minister at the Foreign
Office in Downing-st, urging hm-directly or indi-
rectly-to take up arms for Turkey. The people who
composed the deputatiOn so insignificant that 1t
must be presumed that Lord Derby consented to re-
ceye them only because he desired once more to put
n stop TO the warlike talk of the Anglo
| Turkish newspapers; talk which breaks out
at short intervals, and always with moro or less
mischievOus effect. Lord Stratheden and Campbell.
who read the memorial, is peer who often wearles
but never influences the House Of Lords. Sir Henry
HOare was once VI. 7. for Chelsea. Mr.. Mailman
| Barry figures at times as champion of the working
| men, the respectable majority of whom, believe,
dsown him. There was nobody else whom anybody
had ever heard Of, unless it be the Rev. DR.. Black
! man, who appears to he chairman of Turkish de-
| fence fund, Just as Lord Sratheden and Campbell
is President of Society for the Protection of Brit
| sh Interests Against Russian Aggression in the
East, title which might have come out of one OF
Dickens's novels. There can be little doubt how
ever that these persons are put forward by others
ADLER and better known than themselves in tho hope
to force Lord Derby's banda policy steadily main
! tanned by the Turkish party i'll England.
| Lord Derby spoke at some length, but his speech
contains nothing new with reference to the general
| purpose Of the Government. Circumstances hayo
so much changed, however, since Lord Derby was
last heard from, that the reaiirmaon OF their IN
! tention still 10 observe a conditional neutrality
amounts to something very like an encouragement
to Russia to persevere in her work. Lord Derby
certainly did not mean quite that, but he has been
urged TO say that the Russians must stop short Of
Trebizond in Armenia, because their possession of
! Trebizond would eudangeT the SucZ Canal ". and
he refuses to say it refuses with sheer at the no.
ton Of such danger from such source. He Will not
even admit that England wants road to India
through the Euphrates Valley; another pet notion
of the ngo-Mohammedans. His whole speech
is lecture the advantages of do
ing nothing; with illustrations which must
be gall and NORWOOD to the people to
whom they were really addressed. The party
now numbers many Of those who wanted England
to 60 to war for the South against the North and for
France against Germany " If had interviewed
in either of those wars says Lord Derby, 1--WE
should have committed a great blunder and involved
ourselves in unnecessary calamitles," That midi
Gates clearly enough what Is upDefmoSt IN Lord
Derby's mind-the natural, but perhaps not highly
heroic idea Of keeping of scrapes. He does not
think that Constantin0ple is in immediate danger;
thinks 1t VIII be time enough to do something when
/ 4 lS. L
of the English people with bin. There is.no sign
of any considerable growth in the war pIrty-no
sign might say, Of any growth at all, or even of
any vitality IN il, far its vitality depends on
| the people The people do not wish for with
| Russia ia behalf of Turkey. The clqucs who do
wish it remain what they have been from the begin
nng-an energetic minority yainly striving to pre-
| tend they a majority.
A brief dispatch from Paris in one of the London
| papers announces that the long talked of dinner to
General Grant has actually been given by NJ. Emile
de Girardln reception following, at which num-
Der of Liberal Senators and Deputies were present
General Grant has now been in Paris more than
month This is, so far as | know, the second din
| ner offered him BY a Frenchman not in an official
position. He has dined with Marshal MacMahoD, at
fine Elvs6e; with the Marquis de Talieyrand-Peri-
cord. at a clubs and now with N. de Girardn. |
saw it reported in a New-iork paper that recep-
ton had been given him by NJ. Gambetta, but that
was nistake-yery likely mistake IN trans
hitting the dispatch. General Grant was the guest
of Mr. Healy an American painter, on the evening
in question and met NJ. Gambetta at Mr.. Hcaly's
bouse The Americans in Paris have, believe,
shown every attention to General Grant, but the
Frenchmcn, with the exceptions above noted, have
left the General uncucumbered by invitations.
need not point out the contrast between reception
of this sort and the reception given him IN London.
More than one Paris paper has publicly invited him
to quit the capital of country to which he av0"ed
himself in 1871 all enemy. 1t would probably be
mite useless to point ont to such papers that Cen
eral Grant did nothing of the kind. They not to
he denied their grievance; the congratulations adj
dressed by President Grant to the Emperor
Of Germany are proof to the minds Of
most Freuchmen that he hated France.
Some of the most violent Bonapartst papers
republished Victor Hugo's violent verses against
Grant. remarking, with their usual amenlty, that
they were bad verses, but expressed good senti-
ment. The Republicans, whom General Grant
might Justly be thought to have offended by coming
to Paris at the moment he did, are more civil to
him, at least in their newspapers, than the Mac
Mahonians President Greyy, NJ. Gambetta Adj
miral Pothuan, NJ. de MarceUe, NJ. Arago and NJ
MepIer are all reported as present at de GirardIns
dinner VI. MenleI's name reminds me that the list
of offered French hospitalIties to General Grant
must be so far extended as to include lunch given
him by NJ Menier, at his house in the country.
Mr. W. H. Smith is not a journalist, but he ia
NEWSPAPER man. and his career has an interest for
ANYBODY who is interested never remotely in the
press In the speech which he made on Thursday
night at the dinner given him in Westminster, he
remarked that his own history during the last few
years appeared to HIM like dream. Twelve years
ago he was a candidate for Westminster, and failed.
Three wears later he stood again, and was elected.
In 1874 he entered the Government Financial
Secretary to the Treasury. few months since.
Lord Beaconsfeld, ever on the lookout for rising
talent made him First Lord of the Admiralty. lie
il still as age is reckoned in England young man.
He started from nothing and this is what
he has come TO by the selling of newspapers
Ue ia not an orator, he is hardly poll