The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-25
Fears that the Government Has Committed
a Fatal Errer in the Face of Deter
mined and Ruthless Enemy.
Childish Effort of the English Peers to
Check DemOcracy's Progress.
Discouraging Features of the Cholera Epi-
demic in Spain-SucceSsful Use of DR..
Ferran's Preventive Of the Disease.
STANDING ALONE.
The European Combin alton Against England,
and What Is Said of It.

Tne European COmDfna alton Against England,
and What Is Said of It.
LONDON, May 23.-The European combina-
ton against England is the theme of every jour
nal in London to-day, no matter of what p..rty.
OF course the ministerial papers treat it as IL
Illustrating the inherent wickedress of the conti-
mental powers which hate such truly good n n
as those who constitute the British Cabinet
while the Tories regard it AS the natural result
of the wickedness blundering and indecison of
the Minister'S but on the fact of hostile condi-
tion all are agreed.
It is impossible to say what issue is now
uppermost in the public mind, for on every side
looms some complication, foreign or domestic,
which in itself seems to overshadow all others.
There is for the moment lull in the
vigilance of the watch over the news
from Russia, but the chief national
anxiety is centered there. 1t would be nonsense
to call this feeling jingoism, for it is nowhere
stronger than among the Liberals in the House,
and in Liberal papers like the Telegraph, or even
the News Of course, there is large body Of
Englishmen who are proud OF the old motto "a
word and blow, and a blow first" and who sigh
for the time when, had Bosphore- Egyptien
question arisen, the first orders from London
would have been to pitch Tillandier into the
Nile.
Not only are these truculent spirits wrathful,
but the great mass of informed men fear that
the govern ment has committed fatal error in
the face of ruthless enemy. The ominous hitch
in the negotiations, the resumption of councils
of war at st. Petersburg, and the ugly
tone of the Russian papers are enough
in themselves to constitute grave crisis, but
this crisis is only one of many. The last recess
of the dying Parliament finds England con-
fronted literally with a maze of difficulties and
dangers. In Egypt alone there are three distinct
elements in the trouble, any one of which in
day may spring into an issue of vital Importance.
One of the clearest in the public mind, because
the easiest understood, is the insoent mendacity
of France over the Bosphore affair She tacitly
promised that the paper should not appear but
it has come out, and is as saucy as ever, and
France has chip on her shoulder, and is wait
ing to be catechised on the subject. England
can hardly fail to ask some questions, or fail to
gain an insulting answer, after the fnan-
clal convention, which Mr.. Gladstone
whipped through Parliament as necessary
to conciliate Europe and save Egypt,
has been eeatemptuously hung up by the pow
ers, while they insist on the naturalization of
the Suez canal. which would mean nothing short
of manacling England in case of war. 1t is said
on ali sides here that England must be unflinch-
ing on these points or lose her place as power;
but nobody sees how to be firm without fighting
France, and if there is to be fighting, Russia has
the first CALL The French understand this, and
are keeping big force of troops back from Ton
quin, lowering near the Egyptian ports, ready
for an emergency. The English understand it,
too, and the Guards are accordingly held at Alex
andria, not to menace Russia so much as to
restrain France
In cold truth, Gladstone to-day is almost as
near a rupture with his model republic as he is
with his civlizlng friend, the Car, and the old
man is almost overcome with despair and morti-
fcaton at such treatment from two chosen allies