The sun., 1881-07-03
WHAT 10 CONC ON IN EUROPE


scrutin de liste has caused considerable excite
ment In France. II will be remembered that
| the Chamber OF Deputies. in the secret voting
| as to whether the measure should be brought
before It. decided In the Affirmative BY the mar
row majority Of eight This vote probably rep
| resented the real sentiments OF the Chamber
with respect to q measure which would revo-
lutionzs the present method OF electing repre-
sentatives to the lower House. NJ. Gambetta.
however. is Of opinion that the safety Of the re-
public depends upon this measure or one SIM
liar to It; that 1t will take the political power
out Of the hands Of the small clique OF political
adventurers who at present. In much the same
manner as with US. control the elections. Gam
betta is 80 welded to this view OF the situation
that he has declared that he will never accept
any Responsible place In the Government until
the present method OF electinR representatives
Is modified. He welded his immense personal
influence to force the s1titin de lste through
the Chamber OF Deputies. and. when the voting
was divested OF secrecy. succeeded In carrying
the measure by decent majority. When the
question as to whether or not the bill should be
taken MP by tho Senate came before that body.
Gambetta. not being Senator. could not bring
his oratorical powers or his personal m aen etism
to bear. and the Senators decided not to take the
measure into consideration. 1t Is doubtful
whether. had the voting been open. such large
number OF Senators would have found courage
to reject bill which Gambetta had set his heart
upon passing. As the vote was taken by ballot
the sctttin de iiste stood no chance OF becoming
law. The debate which preceded the voting
was not brilliant ono. and 1t was evident that
the Senators had made up their minds on the
subject before II began. Perhaps the line OF ar
Rument taken by the friends OF the measure
was not the most likoly to influence in Its favor
hN1y ~ ikof fh<on ttaE Era nah
Senate. Threats Of extinction-similar to those
uttered against the English House Of Lords
when 1t opposes the popular voice-wers freely
used. but we're disregarded. On the other side.
NJ. WaddinRton declared that the adoption OF
the measure would. in all likelihood. bring
back Cesarism. with all its perils. to the repub-
lic This was an unkind out at Gambetta. for 1t
is generally believed that his preference for the
scrtitin de lise arises from the fact that. should
1t become law. he would soon be occupying the
Presidents chair. The matter. however. is
settled for tn present. but 1t will como up again
In the autumn. when the elections are likely to
turn on two questionable scrutin de liste and
the revision of the Constitution Of 1875 which
gives the Senate the power 1t has just made use
OF to thwart the popular idol. Should no re-
vulsion OF fee.ing take place among the electors.
the threat uttered against the existence OF tho
Senate may become stern reality.
It is probable that tho approaching French
elections will have q great effect on English
trade. In 1860 Napoleon III. entered into q
commercial treaty with Great Britain. which
will expire next November. about the time
when France will be In the throes OF political
warfare. A new tariff is in course OF construc-
ton which. unless q new treaty can be nego-
tiatod. will be prohibitivo OF British mercantile
dealings with France. 1t seems that the pro-
tectionist spirit OF this country has been COM
municated to our sister republic. but whether
such a policy as ours will be successful In
Frlnce is very doubtful. Tho goods which
France exports are not. as ours are. necessary
to existence. The majority OF Europeans can
get along without French wines or silks. But
1t 10 certain that France is more than evoi in
want OF British iron and steel and OF American
beef and grain. Whatever may be the result OF
the movement. the British lion is far from
pleased at the present prospect OF diminution
OF the trade across the Channel. and his dis
pleasure has found voico in tho Commons. By
a considerable majority tho homo OF Free Trade
passed O resolution to the effect that. II France
does not reduce the existing duties instead Of
increasing them. the present treaty be allowed
to die q natural death and no new one BE- en-
tered into. This bit OF bluster may have uti-
matey the effect OF frightening the French into
accepting free trade. although at present 1t
seems likely to make them more stubborn In
carrying out their proposed policy Of protection.
The English are striving hard to maintain
their belief in their supremacy mt Hea. Tho dis
couraging view taken Of her MaIssty's navy by
distinguished Admiral Is evidently not en-
dorsod by the British press. for. in face OF his
facts and figures. London daily boasts that this
navy is equal. II not superior. to the combined
navies OF the world. Tho Lords OF the Admi-
ralty. however. must feel some doubts on the
o. A. A.
OF a man-oi-war that Is to be as powerfully
armed as the Duillio and the Roma. the latest
additions to the Italian navy which are undoubt-
edly the largest war ships now afoat. The new
ships cannot be completed for some time to
come. but there was recently launched at
Chatham dockyard n new kind Of vessel. which.
1t Is thought. will knock the stufIlng out of
anything 1t may attack. This engine Of war
for II would be a misnomer to call 1t a ehip-s a
combination OF ram and a torpedo boat. 1t is
shaped like soda water bottle. and is 24O feet
long and 40 broad. Its engines are OF S 500
horse power. and it's twin screws are expected
to propel 1t through the water at the rate Of sew
enteen knots an hour. 1t will literally travel
through the water. for only very small portion
will appear above the surface Tho ram is twelve
feet long. and is constructed with view to
striking an opponent below the belt OF armor.
This attack can be followed up by discharGing
a Whitehead torpedo from . portfolio placed on
one side OF the ram. Two moro portfolios. one
on each side amidships. are also designed as
exits for more torpedoes. The armament OF
guns will consist OF Nordenfelts. which are said
to be superior to Gatlings. These are to be
placed upon the deck. in order to keep off board
ers. The crew will number $50 men. whose life
on board is not likely to be pleasant one; from
the smallness OF the deck most Of them must
remain below the greater part OF the time they
are afoat. Everything that ingenuity could
suggest has been pressed into the service to
light and ventilate the sailors quarters; but 1t
is said that the air which is forced into the in
terror OF the vessel is " far from bracing" and
unless the electric light can be put aboard. the
crew will scarcely be able to see each other.
The ship is named the Poyphemus and Is
officially styled a double screw. steel. armor-
plated torpedo ram" which name is in itself.
sufficient to terrify most foreigners.
Maior-Gen. Strelbitzky. one Of the best Rus
sian geographers. has Just published pam
phet in which he sets forth the results OF the
scheme OF territorial acquisition carried out
during the reign Of the late Gar Al the time