, 1879-05-31
ENcLAND's DEcADENcE.
An HGIian Es,ay oH the British Enrpire


An Haliap Es,ay oH the British En-pire.
Reading the history of ancient Rome,
when she was III the splendor Of her
power, We seem to assist at the spectacle
of numerous wars conducted simultane-
ously and with success in the various
parts of the then known world But she
was the only power, and her greatness
fell off Through lack of worthy competi-
tors. The modern Romans are at this
moment engaged in, war with the Af-
ghans; they have to guard the frontier of
Burmah; they are fighting In South
Africa with the Zulus; they occupy Cy-
prus they administer Egypt by personal
interposition, and they look with eovetous
eye on Asia Minor. Marvellous is the
exteution of their power, which seems to
whet the appetite it can never satiate.
England, guid-d by the adventure loving
and prehensile genius of Disraeli. would
fain comprehend the world and confide it
to that strange medley Of influences,
celestial and terrestrial, her missions and
her merchandise The one is auxiliary
to the other, and the Gospel, translated
into the idiom of the savage people, she
aspires to rule, is wrapped in folds OF
cotton. Doubtless she will extricate her
self with honor even from the wars she Is
engaged in, for difficulties animate the
brave
RUINED BY SUCCESS
But the very ''triumphs' of the Disra-
eli government are preparing its own
speedy fall IL came to power as pro
test against the rather mystic and peace
loving policy of Gladstone. England
wanted 10 change the apostle and reform
er for the pompous gladiator, and to fortify
herself i'll the world with the show OF
extraordinary power, Bnt to-day as she
finds that laurels reared in blood are
costly, and that glory may bring profound
humiliation. Gladstone undertook, sin
gle-handed, to assail his fortunate rival,
and for time his voice seemed solitary
and almost unheard his mind was even
said to have been impaired by mysticism
and vanity. His colleagues of the oppO-
sition had not the courage to compromise
themselves In his company; but now the
motion of Dixie III the house of commons
censuring tie war against the Iulus Is
supported Dy 50 considerable minority
that the time-serving journals Ike that of
the city pai- e.oeelleaee, are visibly prepar-
ing, by a series of transitions to abandon
the D.sraeli cabinet, while it is evident,
from the Issue Of many partial elections,
thai the next appeal to the country Will
be its death knell. The majority of
Engl;shmen are tired of adventure they
want to recoup themselves by labor; for,
despite that great safety valve, emi ga
ton, the operatives in the mother com-
try, by the acute crisis of industrial and
asricultur:l enterprise, we are OIL the
brink of famine.
;N OEE2GE0WN EMPI.E.
Gladstone and his friends, moreover,
haze for many years been aware that the
Empire Is too vast it IS IL dominion which
overtasks the strength and discipline of
the neople, however great There are
lilaits evea to Eaglish discipline and
force even they are not suFe:human,
Hence the conception, at once elevated
and far sc, mo, of the liberal rac'y, &C
eording to which En@iand,s mission is to
educate the colonies into free and self
gorernin. states, capable of defending
thensci, es single handed. The conser-
vative cabinet, Oh the other hand, has
held an opposite course. Il has pro-
voked wars; it has SOUGHT to a.grandise
the imperial territory, needless of those
most wise WARNINGS Of its a;lversaries that
the more England gains IN territorial ex-
tension the weaker she becomes, exposing
herself, as she necessarily does, to attack
in every quarter Of the globe. At this
moment her navy, in which she is pre-
eminent, loses its Importance and becomes
subordinate to her army. And on land
ENGLAND cannot dispose of the colossal
masses welded by Russia, her powerful
rival. Why tempt Providence By vainly
defyiug the whole world! This is the
melancholy demand which the heads of
the liberal party, and notably Gladstone.
are putting to themselves Ind their
answer, obvious even in their silence, will
cost the conservative cabinet its life. 1t
is thus that people strong in their su
preme liberty, proceed to choose their
Ministers, evok d as these uly are from
the conscience of the nation. Dut all this
benefit is due to the discipline and the
good faith Of parties. They are not east
down when their Numbers are dueed;
they bide their time, and they do not
desp; II, cherishing, as they do, an idea
which ripens in the well being of the
country As every noble and exalted idea
has its moment Of incarnation, so every
party which represents it has days of
triumph. A party in opposition, being
in minority, is not formidable by the
number of its members, but by the
quality of the ideas which it expresses
Gladstone three years ago was the only
one to represent the opposition to an
ambitious and "imperiaT foreign policy
"a policy which in The specious triumph
of the hour concealed danger to come.
Now the solitary of yesterday is followed
by a legion III the house of commons. and
there is every hklihood that the motion
appealed to in the elections viii nomi-
nate to It's sovereign that solitary and his
friends, if, indeed, POLITICAL ambition sur
wives the predominance of ideal senti-
ment in his excited souL-i.oman Opi.,-
Tone
DESERTED TowNs OF NEyADA-Now
comes from Nevada silver district list of
wild cat mines abandoned and their mush-
room towns deserted We give sample:
Hamilton, that had 5000 people, has now
100: Treasure Hill 6000, now 80: Sher-
mantown 1000, now one family. All