The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-22
OUR LONDON LETTER.

repulsivc to the lust degree. When 1t is not
raining or sleeting the cast wind searches bit
terly the remotest corners OF ones organism.
and the sun resoluely declines to assume any
Of the responsibilities which are supposed to
belong to II. Conversing with Persian the
other day. who was paying me avisit. he sud
denly started TO his feet. rushed to the window.
and enthusiastically exclaimed. Come here
quicki" Imagining that some serious event
had taken place in the street. l jumped up just
in time to see the sun for n moment revealing
its entire disc between two clouds. II was a
transient glimpse. but the poor Persian talked
about It for at least ten minutes and this has In
duced me to believe that II Is an incident worth
recording even in letter across the Atlantic.
According to tho Registrar Generals weather
report l sec that during seven consecutive
days the sun has shone for one hour and twelve
minutes in London. No wonder people who
are in the country do not leave II n moment
sooner than they are obliged. and no wonder
that at such season London should be espe-
caly dull Indeed. even the political interest
centres for the moment more largely in the
provinces than in the capital. for. in anticpa-
ton Of the meeting Of Parliament. members OF
both political parties are addressing their con-
sttuents. the Liberals attacking the Govern
ment and their policy with unusual bitterness.
and their ndversnries replying with II vehe-
mence and energy that forebode n tolerably
| lively session when the real work begins.
| Mr.. Gladstone's acceptance OF the candidature
| Of Mid Lothian has exposed him TO good deal
OF adverse criticism. even from his own sup
porters. In tho first place 1t Is n dangerous
move for II is by no means certain that he will
| succeed. aud II he Is beaten. though there will
! DO no difficulty in providing him with sent
somewhere else. severe blow will have been
! inflicted on his prestige. In the second place.
| 1t is gratutous and uncalled-for assault upon
part OF the country with which he has no sort
Of connection. and seems aimed principally at
tho influence OF the Duke OF Buccleugh. whose
oldest son now represents the county in which
| he owns such large possessions. Had Mr.. Glad-
stone selected Edinburgh rs 4 constituency
worthy his position and attainments. II would
have been far more comprehensive. and his re-
turn would have been more certain.
II society and politics at home are for the
moment tame and embarrassing there Is plenty
going on in other parts Of the world which
commands attention. England has two wars on
hand and the more costly and difficult il the
one which in the presence OF pressing events
elsewhere. has almost escaped notice. South
Africa Is so far away and has SO little connec.
ton with the questions which interest civilized
Europe that people may be forgiven II they can
not follow very closely the negotiations with
Cetywayo which have led 70 the Zulu war. The
war Is the final result OF the annexation Of
tho Transvaal Republic. and subsequent
! events do not seem altogether to justify the
wisdom OF that measure. In other words, II II
could have been foreseen what the annexation
would have led 10. 1t may be pretty confidently
affirmed that England would have declined an
honor which involved such heavy burdens and
responsibilities.
a curious fact came 10 light the other day as
showing how closely events in most distant
parts OF the world can be made to net upon each
other. 1t came to the notice OF the Government
that n ship loaded with arms and ammunition
was on its way 10 DelagoA Bay. port In Portu-
gese territory in close proximity 10 ZuulRnd.
The shin. which had a false manifest. was
seized at Alden and found to contain n cargo
consisting not Of railroad iron. but OF warlike
stores. Tho authorities traced the matter to It's
source. aud have discovered that the original
order came from Russia for the said stores.
thus proving that now that the Aighans have
collapsed so unexpectedly. Russa has found in
Ceiywayo. King Of the Zulus an ally who may
give England more trouble than Shere Ali has
been able to do.
There is. in fact. no comparison in the opln-
ion OF military men between the task which Sir
Samuel Brown has to accomplish in Afghanls-
tan and TINT which Lord Chelmsford has upon
his shoulders in South Africa In the former
case. tue General has force OF over thirty thou
sand trained soldiers. OF whom u third are
European. with an immense army within
easy call in other parts OF India. and an enemy
civilized enough to have large and populous
towns and settled and industrious population
aud yet too harbarous to be able " compete with
civilized troops armed with the latest military
appliances. In the latter case. Lord Chelmsford
has an army Of about 5000 men. OF whom moi
one-third are regular troops. the remainder be.
ing raw native levies. hastily drilled and organ
lied. aud opposed TO him an army OF 40 600. all
warriors from their youth up. for their King
does not allow them to marry until they have
performed a certain amount OF military service
At this moment the reward for successful
campaign is that certain regiments are 10 be al
lowed to marry but the proper amount Of blood
shed is necessary to qualify them for their nup-
tals. Those who are discovered MARRYING
without permission have their wives killed. and
recently whole villages. with all the women and
children they contained. have boon put 10 tho
sword. This Is the uncompromising savage
with whose ruthless armies British troops hay,
now to deal. in wild country containing nc
settled hnbitations. and strongly fortified b,
nature and adapted TO guerrilla warfare. II
fact. the difference between fighting Afghan.
and Lulus may be illustrated by the difference
between fighting Mexicans and Modocs. Fliteer
thousand Americans sent against forty thou
sand Modocs. did such exist in their own wilC
Businesses. would feel they had much harder
nut to crack than thirty thousand sent int
Mexico.
Some idea OF the difficulty OF Transportation
into these South African wds may be gathered
from the fact that 1t has been calculated tina
one ton of hay by the time it reaches the from
costs f55 sterling. about $2G5. That u smal
army,with II long and difficult line OF communi
cations. operating over an immense area o
country destitute OF supplies or "A settled popu
lation against horde Of brave and well-arme,
sayages. will bo exposed to great danger an,
the risk OF disaster it is impossible TO deny |
is peculiarly unfortunate for England that thi
: South African trouble should have arisen a
, the moment when the spring will bring on al
the complications in the East incidental to tn,
treaty OF Berlin. Notwithstanding the success
which has attended the Afghan campaign. tn
problem Of that region is unsoved. Cabul ha
been left " TO stew in its own juice" aud appa
rantlV approaph TN hoiliup pofpt hut MI n