Morning journal and courier., 1880-07-02
European Armaments.
The Enormous Wastefulness of MiIitar- ism-The Increase of Armies and NatiOn- al Debts for Fifteen Years.

The Enormous WastefuIness of MiIitar-
 ism-The Increase ofArmies and Nation
 al Debts for Fifteen Years.
 The following is the full report of Mir. Richards speech in the House of Commons on his motion to take measures for universal disarmament; Mir. H. Richard rose to move the resolution of which he had given notice as follows: That an honorable address be presented to her Majesty, praying that she will be graciously pleased to instruct the Sec retary of State for Foreign Affairs to enter into communications with other powers with the view to bring about a mutual and simul9 taneous reduction of European armaments' '' This, he said, was not a question of party, but one of humanity. In 1873, when he brought forward the subject, he received the support of many honorable gentlemen who sat on the Conservative side, and he saw no reason why they should not again support him. There was one point on which he be- heved they were all agreed, and that was, that the present armed condition of Europe, with the militarism which pervaded and over shadowed the nations, had grown to such enormous dimensions that 1t was scarcelypos- sible to use exaggerated language to describe 1t. This state of things an affront to reason, to civilization, to sacred humanity, and above all it was an affront to that holy religion of peace which all the nations of Christendom professed and reverenced. The Russian war, among many other evils, gave great impetus to these evils, and in book entitled Twenty years of Finance," which was written by the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, that right honorable gentleman supported that view. During the 15 years between 1859 and 1874 there had been an ad- dition to the armed forces of Europe of ,, ,OOO- 900 men. The total cost of the armaments of Europe had been estimated at $500, ,OOO,- 900 year, and this vast expenditure was growing with appalling rapidity. The annu- al public expenditure in Europe had risen from e39S, ,O00, GOO in 1865 to e5S5 OOO, 900 in 1879, being an increase of G1S7, ,OOO, 900 in the course of those II years. In Russia and Germany that expenditure had more than doubled The future was mortgaged for the needs of the present, European national debts having swelled in that period from g., 626,- ,OO0 to e4, ,324, ,00O, ,OOO Germany, which in 1865 spent on the army and navy e1O,- 100000 now expended e21, 0OO, ,OOO, and Russia had increased her expenditure on the services in the same period from e22, COG, ,000 to e36, 100000. By far the largest amount or the revenues of all European nations. was applied in either paying the interest of debts contracted in former years or making prepa- rations for future wars Only two classes of the population were exempt from taking part ln warfare, viz, the women and the clergy. The pretext constantly alleged for these great armaments was that their sacri- fees secured quiet, confidence, aud sense of security. They might just as well say ''You who wish for sobriety, prepare for drunken ness, ,' as advise nations who desired peace to prepare for war. During the last 9 years there have been six sanguinary wars involv- ing a sacrifice of 1000, ,000 human beings and G3, GOO, GOO, 900 of money. The existence of these enormous armaments incessant provocatives to war and the finances of the great States, or many of them, were in a con- dition of embarrassment while the effect of the wars in which those armaments had been T0nn0la n poverty, misery and ignorance. How bene- ticial would have been the effect on the mate rial and moral condition of the populations of Europe if large proportion of the broad stream of wealth poured into the bottomless abyss of military expenditure had been en- ployed in irrigating the waste places of humanity. The magnitude of the evil had been admitted by all classes, including militia " men and statesmen, notably by the present Prime Minister and the right honorable mem- Der for Birmingham. In 1869 he paid visit to several of the capitals of Europe, includ- ing Paris Brussels, The Hague, Berlin, Mu- nich and Florence. Placing himself in com munication with members of the different representative assemblies, he found them well disposed to promote some concerted action for bringing the question of reduced arma- ments before the respective Legislatures. It was to the honor of Lord Clarendon that in 1869 he originated movement in that direc- tion, opening communication with the vari- ous crowned heads and leading statesmen in Europe, with a view of bringing about grad ual and simultaneous reduction of armaments He thought the present time was very favor able for adopting the motion as they were now enjoying a lucid interval of peace.
 Automatic Movements of Fern.
 Dr. Asa Gray, in Coulter's Gazette, says ''Mr E. J. Loomis, of the Nautical Almanac office, Washington, recently showed me phenomenon which, suppose, has never be- fore been noticed, and which is commended to the attention of botanists. A tuft of As plenium trichomanes gathered last autumn in the mountains of Virginia, is growing in his house, in a glass dish. About two months ago he noticed that one of the fronds-a rather short and erect one which is now show ing ructifcation-made quick movements al- ternately back and forth, in the plane of the frond, through from 20 degrees to 40 degrees whenever the vessel was brought from it's shaded situation into sunlight or bright day light. The movement was more extensive and rapid when the frond younger. When saw it on the 23d of January, it's compass was within 15, Q and was rapid that of the leaflets of Desmodium gyrans. It was more rapid than the second hand of a watch but with occasional stops in the course or each half vibration. This was in full day light next window, but not in sunshine No movement had been observed in the other fronds, which We're all sterile and reclining, with the exception of single one which was just unfolding, in which Mir. Loomis thinks he has detected iucipient motion of the same kind" This little fern is very common, an it is easy to obtain it and set it growing The matter is worthy of further investigation.
 Future of the Republic.