The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-30
England's Attitude.

Englnnd's Attitude.
An immediate interest is given to the
great war drama in the East by the attitude
OF the British government. BY the utter
ances of the Ministry in Parliament as to
the defence of the interests of England by
its intimation that it might regard treaty
made between Turkey and Russia in ac-
cordance with the outline already made
public as practical defiance to put itself
on its defence; by its declaration that it
would only recognize this treaty If made
with the sanction Of Europe, it seems to
follow that England may yet be numbered
with the belligerents ere the imminent solu-
ton OF the Eastern question becomes
fnality 1t is true that there may be in
Ministerial fulminations great deal OF
sound and fury without much gunpowder;
needs to be excited to give its latent
sympathies any value, and in the pres
ence of IN opposition disposed to re-
quire some definite declarations of ma
tional danger as reason for voting money,
government may commit itself generally
to tone of observation on current politics
that it certainly would not hold in its diplo-
matte communications with the foreign
Powers at which it may rail inf its domestic
assembly This is true of governments at
large, and there is good reason in the his
tory of the present British government
why it should be peculiarly suspected of
not having in fact any such belligerent in
tentions as it declares in Parliament.
One of the virtues especially claimed for
the tory party is that it has always been the
organ OF the support of English glory and
greatness abroad. For many. generations
that party certainly led the English nation
through the mire terribly in supporting
the fiction that England was omnipotent
in the earth. Upon the last accession of
that party to power in England it was noted
that it came upon the stage when that func-
ton Of toryism must be revived, and the
government came gayly forward, therefore.
when it was demanded that the insurrec-
tions in Herzegovina should be pacified by
some general action. But its dissent from
Europe on that occasion was all it did
to assert England's independence of spirit
and greatness, and it's course since has
plainly shown that, while ANXIOUS to have
before the country the credit of sustaining
England's greatness abroad, it is equally
anxious that it may have this credit cheaply
and avoid any possibility Of the mishaps of
great war. In the ground on which it
puts its demand for supplementary supplies
this spirit plainly appears. Money, for in
stance, is not demanded that England may
really fight money is not wanted to sup
port practically in the East those\interests
which it is feared Russia may invade but
money is demanded in order that England
may 90 into conference with bold front,
and with the appearance of having the sup
port of the Parliament for whatever schemes
or projects it may there put forth-in fact,
in order that it may impress Europe with its
bellicose Intentions not that it may put
them in operation. But if this role is
played to q certain point it is evident that
it must reach q stage from which it would
be impossible for the Ministry to extricate
itself without war abroad or scandalous
collapse in its swelling attitude at home,
and in that case it will fight. AS all the
relations OF the government to the difficulty
are now to become topic of somewhat
virulent party warfare in Parliament, and
as the complications in the East seem to
grow hourly deeper, the government may
find Itself propelled by circumstances be-
yond the point to which it intends to 90.