Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-01-30
European Topics.

StfOy tne government ouiiuinSS 1"
London last week, American pub
lie opinion can await all arrests
that may be made, and can await
evidence, too, if evidence Is to be
adduced, and has plenty of time
for discussing all the collateral
questions that may grow out Of the
incidents of last Saturday. For
the time being the public mind con-
siders merely the picturesque part
of these incidents in London
Whether the attempt was made
upon the English Government or
upon the English people, will be
matter OF discussion possibly a
month hence, and what its ultimate
bearing was will still be matter of
fair and patient discussion maybe
six months hence. We have no
patience with the haste with which
many leading newspapers have
rushed to accusation of Ireland and
her cause, and we await develop
ments.
Unfortunately the " Irish ques-
tom as it is called has been kept
an open question for centuries.
Like all other great issues OF his
tory it has had its lights and its
shades. There have been English
tyrants, and Irish traitors for whom
British gold was an irresistible ap-
peal. Seven hundred years of
tragic history for Ireland has fol-
lowed her conquest by Henry the
Second of England. Athunree,
wis q fatal field to Irish indepen-
dence and though Irish valor and
Irish genius have illuminated the
story of human progress, Ireland
has had neither justice from Eng
land nor fair consideration from
tie world outside Of both Ireland
and England,
The buildings shaken by the ex-
plosion of Saturday last are his
torical, and there will be much
ga rnest examination of books Of
reference rs to the many interest
inc incidents that have occurred
Within their walls. Among the
buildings seriously injured or
threatened by the next explosion
was the Tower of London, famous
since the time Of William the
Conoueror and said to have been
erected by julius Caesar In its
original form during the Roman
invasion of Britain. Another con-
spicuous structure endangered was
the White Tower, where Guy
Fawkes was confined after his
attempt to blow up the House of
Parliament; where also Richard
the Third rushed in upon Lord
Hastings and delivered him up to
be surrendered on Tower Hill.
Salts worn by Kings and Queens,in-
struments of torture centuries old,
specimens of armor and gems, and
innumerable historical relics fill the
buildings within the localities
reached more OF less by the ex-
positions that so conyulsed Eng
land.
France no less than England has
trouble ahead. The fact that the
French troops have been repulsed
in an attempt to seize the Kee-
Lung mines in China is a serious
matter, unless the repulse be
promptly followed By decisive ad-
vantage. What success France
gained in Algiers was due, as was
the far greater success won by
ENGLAND in India. to the daring
that made the inferiority of her
numbers a matter of small account.
The foes she has to meet in China
are more formidable than were
. the Arabs of North Africa, but her
own resources are also greater, and
her only hope of carrying out her
veuturesome plans in China lies In
making the Chinese believe that
her troops are invineible. As a
matter of fact, not any Of the opera
ti1ns she has so far attempted have
made that impression or been
calculated to make it. If NJ. Ferry
wishes the soldiers Of France to
really overcome the opposition he
must meet at the opening of the
Chambers, he must see that they
have commanders who will first
enable them to overcome the
Chinese.
I'm Germany the gossip of the
politicians attributes to Bismarck
schemes more extensive than he
actually entertains. The acts OF
Germany leave no doubt that the
colonial policy is part of the official
pro gramme. Such a policy re-
quires Germany to take account of
Great Britain and to neutralize her
40 lar as possible. But it is I'M
likely that any serious attempt
will be made TO unsettle thepresent
balance of power in Europe, which,
lit be a check upou the ambition
of every one of the great powers,
is pledge for the existence OF
every one, secured by the mutual
jealousy Of the others.
."..
The first engagement between