The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-20
ENGLAND
.uEn WARS IN yicronrrs REIGN"
Tn N, Editor of the Dispatch:

caption appeared In the Dispatch over tne
signature Of Dabney II. Maury. The str1c,
lures of the writer appear hardly iair, anu
the bitterness of tone which character1zes
them Is the more remarkable rs pe'Ween
Virrinians and their cousins over the wa
tor there may certainly be said to exist nh
affinity more marked than appears In the
coso Of any other State, and 1t Is safe TO
claim strong feeling OF mutual admiration
and esteem, Certainly, nowhere was greater
admiration shown for the achievements OF
southern soldiers and leaders, ana espe-
clally those OF Virginia, than IN tnat
country which the article in question makes
the mark for depreciation. British acnie'e'
ments, believe. have been MS honestly ao.
mired here. A guess may be ventured tllat
General Maury's feelings have been tempo.
rarily nettled, and that In his heart exist
also those generous emotions OF conlrade-
ship and consanguinity. r..
General Maury seems to take strong eX.
ccption TO England for clarifying herseli
and rewardiug her officers, and would
apparently ridicu!e the "pDans" over her
late exploits in Egypt and her recently.
returned "hcroes." lie would claim that
for nearly two generations England has
produced no commander really worthy OF
the name; that her wars have been AZ IN.
significant as they have been unjust and
:. atrocious," and that che Is at best ma
ton "inexpert In war;" Worst OF all.
the charge is made that her sway over alien
races has been one long story OF "rapacity,
cruelty, and wrong"
The indictment is certainly n formidable
one. Does II bear to be analysed, or have
England's achievements been rs puny as
the article would impress upon reader to
believe?
As for the "paans" and "gloriiying" /:
II all can sympaihize with and profoundly
respect the feeling which causes Virginia
and the South ever proudly to exult in the
calm and noble dignity and gcncralship Of
Lee, in the intuitivc and fiery genius Of
jackson, and in the dashing cavalry ex-
PLOTS OF Ashby and OF Stuart, why should
it be n subject OF ridicule because England
and British subjects the world over arc
proud OF the brief but singliarly brilliant
campaign OF Sir Garnet Wolseley-oi the
soldicrly endurance and the stirring
charges OF the troopers. led by Baker
Russell and Il Drury Lowe! Or why
should the need OF praise be withheld
from the dark warriors from India, who,
with uuquestioned loyalty, struck so gal
lantly for their Queen?
There is no intention to compare In mag
nitudc the campaign just ended in Egypt,
which is merely an incident in England's
history, with the secession war OF these
now happily rcilnited States; but needless
is it to state that Great Britain entered that
campaign with vast responsibilities. She
knew her right, and "her right she dared
maintain" Numberloss were the proenos-
tIcaiions OF woe to England il by force Of
arms she cssayed 10 sustain regime to
which, rs a nation, she was, apart from her
own material interests, bound in honor to
lend her determined aid. General Maury
asserts that danger 20 England FOR This at
dacity is by no means oycrpast, and he pre-
diets that she Is even now upon the eve ol
a startling crisis. He maryclS that her
Government should exhibit 4 stolid and is
norant oQuanimity in the face OF this en-
pirc-shattciing storm. Let him at least
allow her TO express gratitude 10 her war
riors who, by success, have kept the lorna.
do in temporary suspense.
1t may be interesting TO follow the brief
narrative Of " England's Wars in Nictoria's
Reign" and II comment upon the odium
and the depreciation thrown upon them.
First treated OF in that list was
"IIIE WAR ~ AFGuANIsTAN AGAINST poST
MOHAMNED,"
ana the inference ~ DC drawn was that the
war was one OF aggression, punished by a
signal and appallingly calamitous defeat.
The retreat from Moscow was 4 terrible re-
verse to Napoleon, but in that instance it
was the elements which defeated him; 1t
could scarcely be claimed rs victory Tor
Russian prowess, or disgrace to military
France. The British, nor indeed with a
grand army. but with host numbering,
men, women, and children, over $4,000
souls, met from similar causes 4 very
similar calamity. Napoleon never got
back to Russia. England very speedily
went back to Afghanistan and tlirashed her
treachcrous foes. The cause OF the war with
Dost Mohammed WAS that he had attacked
Il British ally, Runieet Singh, and had
threatened hostiliiies upon British India.
War was declared against him in October,
1893, and the following year active opera
tons began. The British entered Afghan.
istan through the Bolan Pass, defeated the
Dost in repeated engagements, and by All-
gust had occupied bis capital, Cabul. Dost
Mohammed surrendered TO the British.
A military occupation Of the country was
neceSsitated, and il lasted about three years.
The populations Of the country. however,
instigated by the Dosts son, Akbar Khan,
were in continual conspiracy. The war
had never been for annexation. and finally
the British consented to withdraw, Akb ar
and the Afghan rulers, on their part, stipu-
lating to furnish them with provisions and
other material aid upon their route. The
march TO India commenced in January,
1912, but the British soon found that Akbar
and his confederate chiefs had betrayed
them with specious promises-ncither pro-
visions nor supplies OF any kind were forth
coming. Famine and fearful cold in Al
pine regions began their terrible work, and
then the Afghans fell upon and harassed
their rear. The end was the destruction TO
one man OF the column, with its retain
ers, which had started from Cabul.
Napoleon never got back 10 Rls sia to
ayenge his countrymen or his loss. The
British very speedily returned TO Afghan
istan. They defeated and routed the
treacheroJis Akbar, and then returned to
India. Was the whole no achievement (?
Twice, and from no inadequate cause, was
n country, the most difficult in the world
for aggressive military operations, with its
vast gorgcs and plateaus. rs at Ghiznee
and Cabul, 5000 aud 1900 feet high, peo-
pied by a fierce, warike, and an intelIi-
gent population, in numbers perhaps not
far inferior to the white population OF the
South twenty years ago, invaded by a
small British army, and each time, as far
as military operations was concerned, with
success. Some years later the Afghans
Joined the Sikhs in hostilities against the
British. They deserted the latter, how
ever, in the hour Of peril, and to-day the
fierce Sikhs, then subiucated, supply some
OF the best soldiers TO the native army OF
India.
"THE OPIUM WAR;"