The sun., 1895-04-21
FRANCE AND 7HE BRITISH "JIN-
EOS.D

IeEuhy NTe CuTluusly III lat CRlii-
! mendations which they bestow upon the brief
but unusually clear aud emphatic reply of Sir
Edward GREY, the Parliamentary Under Secre-
tary OF State for Foreign Affairs. to certain
questions put to him by Sir Z. Ashmcad Bart
lett on Thursday night in the House of Com
mons touching reported invasions by Franco
into the sphercs" of British influence on the
Nile and on the Niger in Africa For the first
time in now many months responsible mem
Der of the British Executive Government has
used language in regard to a reported collision
between the colonial pretcnsions of Great
Britain and those OF France in Africa which
commands the appreciation OF tha; body OF
British opinion habitually described by british
Liberals as "ingos." The memory Of the
world Is very short in these days and perhaps
your readers or some OF them, may need
to be reminded what "jingu!sir" really
means. The word had its origin in the
music halls of London in the ramy day 3
whea Lord BcaconsfieG for short tims re-
vived the defiant traditions OF Lord Palmerston,
and. having bestowed upon the Qscen the gilt
toring but perilous title OF Empress of India
!n,intned the General mind OF England with
visions OF n Worthwhile domination, such AS ihe
great Chatham had dreamed Of aud so nearly
brought to pass in the last century. when lie
overthrow the power of France in North Amer,-
ca and shook Off tho hold established by few
great French leaders. Of whom France proved
herself unworthy. upon the Last Indies. y pop
ular vocalist ctubodicd the spirit aroused by
Lord Beaconsiled in 4 song. the refrain Of which
brought down the house" with what the news
papers cali ;hunacrs of applause;
We Go no; want Ia lSht. but, by lingo II we DO,
We've so: the ships we've got the .nca. we've sot the
money. too.
As n matter &C fact, when London rang with
this impassioncd dttv England by no means
wanted 20 fight. and it is very much - be
doubted whether She had either the ships or the
m6n or the money necessary to the successful
waging of such Il war mus: then have been
encountered had the Car of Russia, victorious
over the Turks 10y land, and holding Constants
nope almost under the guns OF his army. chosen
TO put Lord Bracoasileli aud his Government
and the British fleet in the Bosporns 10 the
test OF an actual collision. That the Gar did
not choose 10 do this is due. all the world now
knows. not in the least to lis dread OF the ships
and the men ID the money OF John Bull but to
the influence over his mind Of the old Emperor
William |. and OF Prince Bismarck. who made
him clearly understand that complete pros
trat!on at that time Of the Ottoman Empire
and the final expulsion OF the Turks from
Europe would Involve such a collapse OF
the Austrian empire as might fatally embroil
the close and friendly relations which then
listed between Russia and Germany.
This everybody now knows even in Eng
land but in ISIS. when London was ringing
with lingo songs. everybody did not know this
in England. ami so when in that suminc: Lord
Bea eacon-feld came back from Berlin, with Lord
Salisbury under his arm, bringing peace with
honor" ali England hailed the great Jewish
statesman the victorious negotato- OF n
treaty which would never have been drawn up.
t;,l Md; UrFN u.
sired and promoted il. The victorious armies OF
Russia. after grand review almost within
sight OF the people of Constantinople, were
w!thdrawn: new lease oil life WAS granted by
the treaty o; berlin to ,. tht Ottoman Empire: the
san Steiano. dictated by victorious Russia,
would have been :. settled By putting
Christian Armenia directly under a Rus
sian protectorate, was .e:t open by the
substitution OF the great powers Tor the Gar:
huzzaed themselves hoarse over the recovered
From that day to this. ",jnsoIsm" has
pl.t! ed in the comedy OF pubic opinion Tin
l.oii'ion very mach the same pan which,
nChauTippism plays IN the sine comedy in
ready TO Clansr lor maintaining against all
mIaAlnd .he dominion ot the SETS. as the
OF revenge" and fo- the recovery OF Alsace and
Lorraine. But 10 cool observer outside OF
republic will commit suicide BY rushing into
war with Germany to recover A!sace and or
raiue; and no cool observer outside of Eng
land really be!!ev.s for moment that any
british Goverhucnt, Radical. Liberal or Tory.
will risk the existence ot the Brtis h empire Oh
any attempt 10 maintain il or the dominion OF
the seas by force Of arms. Doubtless. should
Germany force Il war upon France. the French
people would igh, desperately 10 preserve their
national existence, and probably in the end find
even great war not too high price 10 pay for
rptting rin OF the ntoerabiy corrupt vexations.
and scandalous regime now called u republic.
Doubtless. too. were II great war forced upon
England by any one or two of.the great powers,
Fikl. fitrt,f IN "a
determination To prevent successful invasion
OF Great britain. though it is much 20 he doubt
ed whether any really competent British soldier
or sailor honestly believes IT TO ue possible for
England single hand ed To maintain i'll such war
ssF w@nf the IS Snfa e Of s o S a e
is II most noteworthy proc! OF the profound
change produced in the relative position
ment OF The German empire and the unitcation
Of Italy. tnat the Chan vnisIn of France has grad
toward the Rhine INTO looking toward tho
BRUSH Channel; and that the jingoism Of Eng.
from looking toward the Bosporus. and Rus
STA into looking toward the Nile, the Niger. the
African lakes. and France. In fact. at the pres
ent moment the rcnch are showing something
much more ike CONSERVATION than like anger
tho sudden revival in Germany Of the Bis
MARKHAM tone and TEMPER while the English
tue Car Nicholas ii. is their best friend; that
Russia in Asia, ant that it is high time to CO.
operate with Russia N putting an end to that
iurklrH uoninlOh over ARMENIA Wnlch Great
Britain tried so hard in 1873 10 bolster up by the
treaty OF Berln.
II your readers will bear this in mind, they will
not only be edited, but amused by the applause
which the British press is now bestowing upon
the attitude assumed by Sir Edward Grey. three
nights ago. in behalf of the British Foreign Or
ilcc, toward the French in Africa. They will
understand. too. tn" quiet Significance OF the
brief. dry, and slightly cynical comment made
in the House Of Commons upon that attitude Uy
Mr.. Henry Labouchere, 10 the effect that tho
Language Of Sir Edward Groy II it meant any.
a R'rntt
W hat were the facts on which this attitude was
taken up by the Under Secretary OF Foreign
Affairs Briefly and in substance they were
that, according To a report made to TIE Foreign
Once, not, IL would seem. by any Official Of
the British Goyerninent in the regions of tho
river Niger, bat by = british CONNER rcial COM
pany called tho Royal Niger Company doing
Duslnesa and making eI Iplorations III those re-
guns. The authorized representatives of the
French Government In those regions have or
gauZ.I expeditions which have passed beyond
The admitted boundaries Of the French Posses
siOns into territory alleged To DC within the
"sphere uf influence" either of Great britain or
OF ;his British commercial company. On the
lace OF these facts, rs indicated rather than
stated by :'ir Edward Grey. it hardly appears TO
calm neutral observer that the colonial aI-
thoriliGs of France In West Africa have been