The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-02-02
THE OUTLOOK.

The news which we have been re-
ceiving for some time past from the
outer world, and more especially
from the Old World, is of a disquiet-
ing nature. 1t has so often happened
In these later days that similar con-
dItion of thugs has received a peace
ful solution, that the threatening
tbundercloud has been dissipated
without any storm and, on the other
hand, there have been so many in
stances of far less strained national
relations suddenly eliminating in
war that it is quite impossible to
frame forecast of the future. Ger
tain it is, however, that more ele-
ments OF national discord exist at the
present moment than usual-more,
perhaps, than ever existed at one and
the same time before during the
present century. Those who merely
read the Geographic summaries Of
time cannot fully appreciate the truth
of this statement. 1t is when we re-
ceive the journals published amidst
the scenes in which the events which
we have called disquieting" are
transpiring that we begin to realize
the meaning of things, and the effect
they have upon the public mind in
various countries. From these sources
we can discover how much irritation
there is abroad, especially in the Old
World, and how much anxiety about
the future Is mingled with it. Per-
haps still more instructive is what we
read in the press of the great cities of
the United States, more especially
that of New York, which reflects, as
&c were in q mirror, all the turmoil of
the debate which goes on from day to
day in the Old World without it's
heat.
The central figure in affairs at the
present moment is undoubtedly Eng
land. Never did she have to stand
more completely by herself. The New
York Herald, in a recent article, sur
veyed her situation in very gloomy
terms, which, though much exaggeT-
ated in their pessimism, have, never
theIess, foundation of fact of which
even the most cheerful Interpretation
cannot make anything very encOur-
aging. In the article referred to, hel
troubles are set forth at some length,
and she is pronounced to be not only
the most isolated of nations, but also
one against which movement is pre-
pairing itself in Europe as formidable
IS that which was organized against
the first Napoleon after Austerlitz
Reviewing the affairs which England
has on hand in all parts of the world
the Herald says that without inquir
ing with whom the responsibility
rests, cit is not possible to overlook the
fact that she has, in these later years
become enfeebled to such point thai
she ia generally considered to be in
capable of any grand effort" The
state of her navy, as lately revealed by
London journals, and the fact that il
the more or less insignificant wars
which are all that she has been en
gagged in since SebastopOl fell, he
military officers have developed only
the most elementary qualities, ar
taken as ground for the assertion tina
If the aggressive policy of Germany
Egyptian complications, or the pro
gress of France in the far east, shoulC
bring England face to face with ;
great war, she will find that she ha
neither generals nor an army, neithe
fleets nor allies. The article is wounC
up with some antieipatory regrets a
the fate sketched out for a country
which has so often held the prout
position of an arbiter among nations
and declares that it will be quite sal
for "a Power so rich in glorious an
mails to fall like Spain, and have N
longer a place in the council of tn
nations"
Those who think that Great Britai
is "no longer capable of making
great effort" will, if the worst shout