Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-02-11
From Our Regular Correspondent
Our European Letter.
LONDON, Eng, Jan. 25, 1880.


LONDON, Eng, Jan. 25, 1880.
Much anxiety has been caused in En-
gland by the critical, not to say disastrous
condition of affairs in Afghanistan. When
the British troops evacuated Cabul, the
natives seem to have regarded the move
ment as retreat, and the hill tribes rallied
in great force. The English were evident
ly taken by surprise, not only as to the
numbers. but the position and the strength
of the enemy. They suddenly found
themselves cut off in front and rear, and
some hard fighting has taken place. caus-
ing considerable losses on both sides. and
while it cannot be said that the Afghans
have gained any great victory.the English
have sustained some small defeats and lost
too many men. At all events, it is the
general opinion Of military critics that
that there was no necessity for these loss
es. A little less self-confidence and little
more suspicion OF the enemy would have
prevented the calamities that have already
occurred, and others that seem impending.
The latest kilograms from General Rob-
erts, and from the viceroy. are by no
means re-assuring. and the situation of the
army, if not absolutely alarming, is in
creasing the discomfort in England, with
the conduct and the consequences of
war which WAS never popular. and which
is generally regarded as blunder from
the beginning. These disquieting DIS
patches from the east are doing far more
towards the overthrow of the Beacons-
field ministry than Mr.. Gladstone sixty
column indictment, pronounced in Scot
land and published in the Times. Events
are more powerful than arguments, and
disasters in the field are the most effective
petards for exploding cabinets. Yet l
should not be surprised if the sauguine
and jocund premier should give q rosy
hue to the speech with which her majesty
the queen will soon greet her faithful
lords and commoners." Still, the dissolu-
ton of parliament and a change of minis
try is more likely to be postponed than
fastened by the continuance of the war.
The liberals, while strongly denouncing
the foreign policy of the government,
would find it very difficult to reverse it
during the present complications, and, as
President Lincoln used to say in regard 10
changing the generals during the war at
is not good time to swop horses while
crossing stre9m.
In Russia. the nihilst epidemic conlin-
ues its ravages; every dispatch from St.
Petersburg signals the discovery of some
new plot, the commission of some fresh
outrage upon persons or property. The
car has quarreled with his son, who
urged reforms rs Il concession necessary
in the interests of the dynasty, and al
though there is still u hope that the con-
stitution, so often promised bat SO long
deferred, may be granted as birthday
gift to his subjects, cannot tell what
terrible incident may not occur before the
I'd of March to change once more the
benevolent dispositions of the emperor.
Italy is scarcely more tranquil than
Spain; there are rumors of another at.
tempt upon the kings life, while he was
on hunting party near Castel Porziano
and the denial Of the fact by the oflicious
press is so extremely circumstantial thai
we may suppose it to be almost confr
nation of the report. The Italian budget
cannot be made to balance, and although
long experiment to govern with the
liberals has been productive of naugh
except negative results, u change in the
| conservative direction would only give q
preteXt for revolution. The Hdlin irrep-
deuta movement is not ended its partisan,
have not renowned their aspirations, ant
the disturbances which marked the obse-
quies of General Avezzans, the presiden
of its society," have renewed the agitation
the object of which is the annexation o.
| Trieste and the Trentino to the kingdom
of Italy. The Per la Perita pamphlet
which relates the interview of Mr. Imbri
ami and Menotti Garibaldi with Messrs
Depretis and Nicola, attributes to these
ministers very decided sentiments o.
hostilties towards Austria. This attitude
supposed to be the consequence of the
military law recently voted at Vienna. i:
formally contradicted by the Gdzatte UH
ciale, but has none the less produced q
good deal of uaeasiness in Rome, where
the confiscation of q number of flags and
garlands intended to deck the funeral Car
of the deceased patriot is considered to b.
| a government disavowal Of the manifesto
ton.
The following is an exact list Of thu
reigning beauties Of London society whicl
will interest your lady readers: Mrs
Langtry, Mrs. CORVALLIS West, Lad
Vaudeville, Lady Tavstock, Miss Baldock
Mrs. Arthur Paget, Mrs. Chopper. Mis-
Evelyn Hay, Lady Dudley, Lady Forbes
Lady Edmund Talbot, Lady Waite
} Campbell, Miss Carter Wood, Miss Daw
son Danver, Miss Hartford, Miss Viole
, Lindsay. Mrs. Wheeler and the Counties
of Lonedale. ALPHA.
Isn't it better to have candidate fC
president for whom fifly-one out of ever