Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-12-20
ENGLAND IN EUROPE AND ASIA.
(From the Boston Daily Globe.)

(From the Boston Daily Globe.)
ENGLAND throughout all her remark
able history seems to have had alter
nate periods OF increasing and dimln-
ishing greatness. In the earlier per-
iods she became ali powerful under
the Plantagenets, Edward l. and
Henry V. That power waned rapid.
ly under the house Of York and till
the nation came un'lcr the sway Of
the princely house OF Tudor repre-
scented by Henry VIII, and Queen
Elizabeth. Under the first Stuarts
England became Of little moro account
in European politics than an ordin-
airy duchy or principally Of the Ger
man Empire. That stage Of existence
was speedily changed by Cromwell,
who, in his capacity Of champion of
the Protestant religion, forced the
Continental rulers to show mercy to
their subjects possessed of that faith,
by the threat tina if they did not the
guns of the English frigates should be
heard laundering in all their scacoast
towns. Again the nation sank into
insignlfcance under Charles II. and
James H., but revived to greater pow
er than ever unler William III. and
the Georges Of the House of Bruins
wick. After Waterloo and the
American wars, came another eriod
of decline, that is, in the International
and political affairs Of the European
continent. 1t is true that the British
navy has Of late years, as formerly,
maintained its supremacy on the seas
of the globe, and at no time under the
reign of the present sovereign has it
lost its prestige. But during the last
half century, not even excepting the
brief period Of her alliance with
France in the CGimean war. England,
though ranking nominally as one Of
five great powers, has scarcely suS-
tanned its real rank as sach in Euro
pean councils. The role played by
her in the Crinca was one of humilia-
tion and chagrin to her national pride,
where the military colossus, France,
carried of the principal honor5, and
thought little more of the perform
ance of its insular ally than those of
Victor Emanuel and his 25,00O Sar-
dinians. Finally, only y few years
since, when Italy was admitted into
the family Of great powers, nominally
rs the sixth, but really as the ffr5h
great power in place of England,
when Denmark and France wera in
Naded, and Sadowa and Sedan nearly
blotted out the memory Of Waterloo
and the map Of Europe was recast.
Great Britain once again found her
self of little or no account in the
councils of the Continent.
But it is never safe to count on the
absolute supineness of the Anglo.
Saxon race. In less than twelve.
month the whole aspect of matter ha,
undergone a change as if by the wave
OF magic wand. The opportunit,
came, and the master mind that pre-.
sides at the head Of the English Go.
vernment lost no time in seiziag it
1t came with the old Eastern question
Russia made one Of her periodical az.
tempts to settle the problem; seeking
her advantage as she did twenty years
or more ago. That solution Of the
question again threatened the interests
Of Great Britain, 'and under the
leadership Of Beaconsiicld the latter
nation rose in its might. 1t plainly
showed that it possessed not onl,
ships and sailors to fight upon the
seas, but millions upon millions O
men and money with which to figh
upon the land. There promptly came
as If again at the signal wave Of Til,
magic wand, the first instalment Of al
army of dusky warriors, brought t.
the Mediterranean rendezvous from