New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-02
FIGHTING "FOUDROYANTn
1.-THE FOURTH PARTY-SIR HENRY WOLFF
NAPOLEON III AFTER THE SEDAN
AND BEFORE.
Westminster, September 81

1.-THE "Foudroyant" and present her 10 the British
Nation. His Imperial Majesty is not to be pre-
vented from following impulses of the moment be-
cause they lead to maladroit actions. But. TO
use an expressive British word that fascinatee
the Frcnchman, this would be too shocking. The
IFoudroyant, as all the world knows, was Mel
sons flagship when he was in command Of the
Mediterranean fleet In her cabin. still full Of
the smoke of Aboukir, Sir Ralph Abercrombie
died. With the exception Of the Victory. which
sixty years ago narrowly escaped being broken
lup, she is the only present link that holds the
Navy on to Nelson's time. That she should have
lbeen sold in order 10 he chopped into ire
!wood-above all sold to firm of Germans-has
deeply stirred what Is called the heart Of the
people.
. The odd thing is that the transaction was
carried out by q Conservative Administration,
the custodiaSs in peculiar degree OF the honor
of England its ancient fame and glory 1t would
have been well enough quite in the order Of
things, had this pennywortl OF mcarness been
committed under the Premiership of Mr.. Glad
stone. 1t is easy TO imagine had such thing
happened how THE Tines would have thun-
dered at the Admiralty. and how the roar would
have been echoed along the batteries OF the
Conservative press in town aud country. An
opportunity for denouncinG the infany in the
House of Commons would have compensated the
gentleman learning 10 style Sir Ellis
fAshmcad-Bartl for the fate that relegates
him to the Opposition benches 1t would not
have been quite effective party weapon as
the "dcSertion of Gordon" but it would have
come in good second, especially if Mr.. Glad
,tone had also coded Hcligoland to the Germans.
DO begin with that and lead up to the selling Of the
fighting Foudroyant for five thousand pieces OF
gold, would, skilfullv managed and perslstently
rharped upon. as Sir Ellis Ashmead-Bartett might
have been counted to do, have been almost
enough TO turn out the Ministry 1t is no ex-
aggeration to say it would have dealt them
serious blow at the very start Of their new jour
ney. But alacls the bargain was struck under
Lord Sasbury's rule, and the pen that approved
the contract was held by the Civil Lord Of the
Admiralty-a person less than Sir Ellis Ash
mead-Bartlett
The worthy German ship breakers. seeing an
opportunity of turning an honest penny, are
deeply moved by the outburst of feeling evoked
on discovery of the pending fate of the Fou-
'droyant. They propose TO return the ship on
ipayment of $500 over and above the sum they
paid the Admiralty for the hulk. public sub
scrption is being got up TO meet this demand
q subscription started, above all places. in the
columns of Conservative evening journal. the
proprietor of which lately made a baronet
In recognition of services rendered TO the Min
the transaction coming to light few weeks
after Earl Spencer had been installed at the
Admiralty the Conservative editor attracted
to the subject by instructive suspicion that "Glad-
stone was at it already Further inquiry would
show that at least the opportunity had been
denied him. In such circumstances all that
can be done is sedulously TO avoid reference TO
the personal agents in the business and to talk
at large about the disgrace 20 England, and the
insult to the memory of one of her greatest
sons BY and by as timo rolls on and memory
grows dim, it will be easy enough in summing up
Mr.. Gladstonc's iniquites 10 enumerate the
simple matter of fact that within two months Of
his comirg into office the pinned and shamed Brit
fish public were subscribing their soyereigns,
their shillings and their pence in order 10 buy
back Nelson's old flagship sold 10 q German ship
breaker for $500, BY soullcss, nigcardly
Admiralty.
Some stir has been made in political and social
circles by the announcement that Sir Henry Wolff
has had printed for private circulation 81 Some
Notes Of the Past. These. freely joted down by
the gentleman who is her Maiesty's Minister
at Madrid. will be equal in interest TO the Grcville
Memoirs. and will have the advantage OF touch
with events and Wrsons of more recent date
There are few men who have seen and heard more
of the inner life Of English and. indeed Of
European nlstofy curing the last Twenty-Five
years than has Sir Henry Wolff He came into
prominence in the Parliament of 1880 which
gave birth to the Fourth party But before that
he had been in the diplomatic service. and was a
prominent and acceptable figure in London
society. The more energetic and picturesque
figure Of Lord, Rardolph Churchill monopolized
public attention when il fully drawn 10 the
Fourth party. He in time became the leader Of
that association l'nt its creator was Sir Henry
Wolfr-or Drumr'ond Wolf. as he was then
known. The Fourth party, the most potent
factor in the life of the Parliament of lSs0-'s5.
sprang into life at touch of the trouble about
Mr.. Bradlaugh. which entangled Mr.. Gladstones
second administration In the first DAYS Of its ex-
istence and went troubling il Till the end
came. When Mr.. BradlauRh first presented him
self AT the table of tie House Of Commons and
demanded permission to make affirmation instead
of taking the oath Lord Randolph Churchill did
not happen to be in his place. II was Sir Henry
Wolff who first saw the opportunity and swiftly
seized it, and il was he who. when on the follow
ing day Mr.. Bralaugh repeated his attempt TO
take his seat stratcgically. occupied the corner
seat below tic gangway. prepared. If necessary.
physically 70 bar his approach to the table BE-
fore n week was out Lord Randolph
and the cutie unknown gentleman who WAS then
Mr.. JOHN GoIst Joined hands and the famous
Fourth marty was constituted presently having
its ouadrila tcral completed by the recruiting Of
Mr. Arthur Balfour Lord Randolph may have
Matched the bird. but Drummond Wolff provided
the egg
There is, perhaps unfortunately. nothing indis-
Greet in Sir Henry VOLTS Notes Of the Past y
There may lie something more piqnant in prepa-
ration 10 be given TO the world when death on
one side or the other has made such a thing pos
siblc In the meantime these Notes" contain
nothing more startling than an account OF Sir
Henry VOLTS campaigning in the rear OF the
Army OF Sedan. They are graphic and interesting
IN their many personal touches But there is no
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