The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-02-13
lFrom Our Regular Correspondent
OUR EUROPEAN LETTER.
Echoes From across the Sea.-Rcpicsc
Of Important Events Abrocd-etc..

etc.
LONDON, Eng, January 25, 1880.
Much anxiety has been caused in
England by. the critical, not to say dis
astrous condition of affairs in Afghan
istan. When the British troops eyacu-
atcd Cabal, the natives seem to have re-
garded the movement as q retreat, and
the hill tribes rallied in great force.
The English were evidently taken by
surprise, not only as to the number, but
the position and the strength of the en-
envy. They suddenly found themselves
cut of in front and rear, and some hard
fighting has taken place, causing con-
siderable losses on both sides, and
while it cannot be said that the Afghans
have gained any great victory, the Eng
fish have sustained some small defeats
and lost too many men. At all events,
it is the general opinion of military
critics that there was no necessity for
these losses. A little less self-confi-
dence, and little more suspicion of the
enemy would have prevented the CO.
lamities that have already occurred, and
others that seem impending. The lat
est kilograms from General Roberts,
and from the Viceroy, are by no means
reassuring, and the situation of the ar
my, if not absolutely alarming, is in
creasing the discomfort in England with
the conduct and the consequences of a
war which was never popular, and
which is generally regarded as blum
der from the beginning. These dis
gushing dispatches from the East are
doing far more towards the overthrow
of the Beaconsfield Ministry than Mr..
Gladstone's sixty-column Indictment,
pronounced in Scotland and published
in the Times. Events are more power
fui than arguments, and disasters in the
field are the most effective petards for
exploding cabinets. Yet l should moi
be surprised if the sanguine and iocund
Premier should give rosy hue to the
speech with which Her Majesty thu
Queen will soon greet ''her faithful
Lords and Commoners." Still, the dis
solution Of Parliament and a change OF
Ministry is more likely to be postponed
than fastened by the continuance of the
war. The Liberals, while strongly de.
nouncing the foreign policy of the Gov
ernmcnt, would find it very difficult to
reverse it during the present complica-
tions, and, as President Lincoln used to
say in regard to changing his generals
during the war: at is not good time
to swap horses while crossing stream. ;"
In Russia, the Nihilist epidemic con.
tinues its ravages; every despatch from
st. Petersburg signals the discovery of
some new plot, the commission of some
fresh outrage upon persons or proper
ty. The Gar has quarreled with his
son, who urged reforms as a concession
necessary in the interests of the dynas-
ty, and although there is still hope
that the Constitution, so often promised
but 80 long deferred, may be granted
as a birthday gift to his subjects, /
cannot tell what terrible incident may
not occur before the End of March to
change once more the benevolent dispo-
sitions 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 a hunting party near Castel
Porziano, and the denial of the fact by
the officious press is so extremely cir
cumstantial that we may suppose it TO
be almost confirmation of the report.
The Italian budget cannot be made to
balance, and although long expert
ment to govern with the Liberals has
been productive of naught except neg
alive results, change in the Conserva-
tive direction would only give pre-
text for revolution. The Italia TREND
Ia movement is not ended; its parti-
sans have not renowned their aspira-
tons, and the disturbances which mark
ed the obsequies of General Auezzana.
the president of its society, have renew
ed the agitation, the subject of which ia
the annexation of Trieste and the Tren-
tino to the kingdom of Italy. The Per
la Ventta pamphlet which relates the
interview of Mr.. Imbriani and Menotti
Garibaldi with Messrs. Depretis and
Nicola, attributes to these Ministers
very decided sentiments of hostility
towards Austria. This attitude, sup
posed to be the consequence of the mil
itary law recently voted at Vienna, is
contradicted by the Gazette
Ubiciale, but has none the less produc-
ed good deal of uneasiness 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 be Government disa-
vowal of the manifestation.
The following is an exact list of the |
beauties of London society |
which will interest your lady readers:
Mrs. Langtry, Mrs. CORVALLIS West, |
Lady Vaudeville, Lady Tavistock,
Miss Baldock, Mrs. Arthur Paget, Mrs.
Chopper, Miss Evelyn Hay, Lady Dud-
ley, Lady Forbes, Lady Edmund Tai
bot, Lady Walter Campbell, Miss Carter
Wood, Miss Dawson Damer, Miss
Hartford, Miss Violet Lindsay, Mrs.
Wheeler, and the Countess Of Lonedale.
ALPHA