The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-06-15

less consequence and result followed be-
tween the close of the War of the Roses
and the accession of Henry Will, but
during the early years of that monarch's
reign there sprang up theory that rem
dered future meddling simple and easy
matter. The idea was that two or three
leading States of Europe should each
have about the same strength, whether
in area, population or military resources,
and that when one became too strong the
others should unite in readjusting the
equilibrium. France, Spain and the EN-
pire were the leading Powers, and Eng
land undertook the job of rearranging
matters whenever, in the judgment OF
the Government, a Encouragement seemed
necessary or desirable. It was clearly
understood that either France, Spain or
the Empire might rob their weaker
neighbors with impunity, and. on an
emergency, two of them might unite for
the purpose of robbing the third, but they
must not take too much, for large dis
tricts of territory taken from any one
would destroy the balance of power,
and generally, when such conquests were
made, readjustment was effected at the
expense of some unimportant State,
which the plundered Power was left at
having anything to say on the subject.
France was then the leading Power
England was jealous, but the balance OF
power was barren ideality TO fight
about. and it was doubtful whether the
English people would support war with
no better reason behind it. SO in 1912
pretext was found in an appeal made by
the Pope against France. The pontiff,
the warlike Julius H., had been trying
tn al TO n
France, and, being caught at it, was
forced to fight France. In so unequal
struggle he was certain to be worsted, SO
he appealed to England to aid the church,
a side consideration being that France
was grown too strong and must be re-
duced. Henry VIII. readily took up the
Pope's quarrel and started in to restore
the balance Of power on the Continent.
DURING ELIZABETH'S REIGN.
He did not do it, nor did he come any
where near doing 1t. but he established
precedent that was afterward strictly fol-
lowed, and he successfully demonstrated
that England had perfect right to poke
her nose into anybody's business with or
without an excuse, and if people did not
like it SO much the worse for them. So
during the entire reign of Elizabeth.
while the interference rarely reached the
extremity of war, it was constant
source OF irritation to continental nations,
and it was partly due to this cause that
Philip of Spain determined to make
Encouragement of European affairs by
blotting England from the map, and
hence the ''Invincible Armada" that was
beaten by the light English men-of- ar
and shattered by the clements until the
few battered ships that escaped to the
Spanish ports could not serve even as
reminder of the glory OF the departing
fleet. The interferences grew moro
numerous and holder during the reigns of
several of EliZabeth's SUCCESSORS. James
l. was rather too dull to attend properly
to his own business, to say nothing OF
the affairs of the Continent, and Charles
l. was so engrossed during his reign with
the civil disturbances and conflicts Of his
kingdom as to have little time for outside
matters. The ironhanded Cromwell was
both able and willing to interfere, and
when he gave q stern warning to the
Pope that if the prosecutions of the
Professionals did not cease 1.-THE English
guns should be heard in the Vatican"
Charles Il. did as little as he could, and
James IL. had no time TO do anything,
for by the time ne was fairly seated on
the throne he had to run away.
William, the successor OF the unlucky
James, was, TO the last, intensely inter-
ested in continental politics, and the wars
he waged on the mainland were all di-
rected toward hum bling the influence of
France, and promoting the welfare of the
other States, particularly of the Neither
lands. During the whole of his reign,
and that OF Anne, England never needed
more that the fimsiesr pretext for inter-
ference in continental affairs, and some
times did not pretend 10 look even for
that. The most notable instance of med
ding during this time was that OF the war
OF the Spanish succession, from 1902 to
lib. This tremendous conflict, made for
ever memorable by the campaigns and
victories of Marlborough, was brought
about by an effort to maintain the balance
OF power which was dangerously men
aced by France, The death OF Charles II.
of Spain ended the Spanish house of
Hapsburg. and both the brothers-inlaw of
Charles, Louis XIV. of France and Leo
pold l. OF Austria, began scheming to
get the throne for some relative. The
will of Charles decided in favor of Philip
of Anjou, the grandson of Louis XIV,
and Germany and Holland at once pro-
tested that this was making Spain mere
province of France. The matter did not
concern England in the least for it was
none of her business who sat on the
throne Of Spain. but by hook or crook
she managed to get identified with the
cause of the allies. and thus was Marl-
borough enabled to display his consum-
mate military and political abilities. Eng
land pr0flted by the war to the extent of
gaining and retaining the fortress of
Gibraltar and the island of Minorca,
taken, not from France, but from Spain.
the country in whose interest she claimed
to have interfered, while the other pow
ers interested all got something, and their
accessions of territory were mostly at the
expense Of Philip, who retained his
crown by giving up large part OF his
dominions.
IN AMERICA
These and other wars between England
and France would not have been so dis
astrous in their effects had the conflicts
been limited 10 Europe, but both coun-
tries had colonies in America, and Eng
land was just as anxious to limit the
power of France in the new world as in
the old. Left to themselves. the French
and English in America might have lived
side by side without more pickering than
waste be expected in the case of neighbors
speaking different languages, having diff
ferent customs and practicing different
forms of religion, but when both were
stimulated to ill-humor by the home
Governments. the result could be easily
foreseen. One of these conflicts broke