The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-20
ENGLAND AS A WAR POWER.

There can be no question but that the
British lion is rampant. Even the uni
corn on her shield becomes belligerent.
All accounts from there concur in repre-
senting the English Government and peo-
pie as painting for a good, rousing, com
Portable war with their great Russian
rival. Lord Beaconstield, the Premier,
desires a war to signalize his rather tame
administration. The Queen is quite
willing to humor him, as her long reign
of forty years has had no military dis
tinction worth mentioning. The London
mob is clamorous for war that shall be
conducted a good ways off and spend
much money at home.
True, there is a peace party in Eng
land, and composed of some of the best
Of her people and ablest of her statesmen;
just as, in 1861, there was peace party
in our South. But there, as here the
war party, though possessing no more
patriotism and much less wisdom, are
nevertheless capable of vastly more noise,
clamor, and uproar; and consequently
are able to silence the still, small voice of
peace by the earthquake of tumult and
the whirlwind of passion. And it is
quite possible that, there as here, those
who SOW to the popular wind may be
doomed to reap the whirlwind.
Nearly .two-thirds of century have
passed since England has appeared as a
war power on the battle fields of Europe
Her European military career ended
ut Waterloo, June 18th, 1915. 1t was a
glorious ending for British arms. But
the world has long since decided
that, without Prussia at her side, with
out the accidents of Grouchy's blunder
and Blucher's aid, the day at Waterloo,
instead Of glorious, must have been dis
astrous, Only five months before, Janu-
ary 9Th, 1915, British troops under Pack
ingham, quite as brave as those who
fought under Wellington, were totally
routed at New Orleans by an inferior
force of Americans under Jackson, and
their army driven from this continent in
disaster and disgrace. From that day at
Waterloo to this day England has waged
no European war.
1t is the natural tendency of those long
lapses of peace in nations career to i'm
bue such nations mind with belief in
its own invincibility in war. Being un-
tried, it fancies itself unequaled. Hay-
ing suffered no defeat, it counts on GER
tain triumph. We think there is mani
tested much of this national conceit in
the present clamor for war among the
British people and rulers, when no cause
for war can be found. But it is pro-
verbal that, wherever there is will
there is way So, if England can not,
after diligent search, return any just
cause for war found, she will doubtless
make one. 1t therefore becomes ques-
tion of some interest to consider how
England may really rank as war power
among the States of Europe, and especi-
ally as to her military capabilities to
cope with the mighty antagonist whom
she is now menacing with sudden and
direful warfare.
1t is true that England has had nu-
merous wars ON her hands since 1915,
but none, save that in the Crimea in
1928, that brought her in conflict
With any civilized power. There, on
Al
the Russian power. And though aided
by all the forces of France, Turkey
and Sardinia, united with her own,