The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-29
Mr.. Bayard as a Character In Eng
lish Fiction.

A novel recently published in England,
and reprinted in this country by the PUT
MANS, presents a vivid and somewhat anus
ing picture of British Jingoism in an en-
tirely new aspect, namely, that of Astounding
admiration and affection for the people OF
the United States. While this book can
hardly be regarded rs n representative eS-
| preston Of British sentiment, it Is worth
considering as an indication of a tendency in
England in her present isolated state.
The story is of the future, and 1t Is
called The Final War;" the final war
being n stupendous military and naval con-
fllct in which Great Britain and America,
fighting side by side for the supremacy Of
the Anglo.Saxon race, lick the eternal
stuffing out of France, Germany, and Rus
STA combined. 1t is II narrative which we
believe the Hon. THOMAS FRANCIS BAYARD
will peruse with gorge up and eyes dimmed
with proud and joyful tears.
All this occurs before the end Of the
present century. The jealousy of England,
IN the part of both France and Germany,
is so bitter that the two nations have almost
forgotten that the river rhine exists.
Their common hatred of the island king
uoth Is inspireu ny tue DISQUALIFICATION tbat
she has grabbed most of the earth's surface.
or, as the author of THE Final War"
euphemistically expresses 1t, that she has
secured all the best markets for her produce,
that her ships carry five-sixths Of the COM
merce of the world. and that her surplus pop
ulations have the pick Of many continents
wherein to live and prosper" The three
powers before mentioned determine not
only to cripple England by a sudden, con-
certed attack, but to annihilate and eXter-
inmate her. The head devil in the plot for
Britannia's destruction is NJ. HANoTAUx,
the French Minister of Foreign Affairs.
His most active accomplice Is Gen. CAPRIvI,
representing the Queens German grandson.
Russia lands a little in the background,
scheming with characteristic astu teness to
secure as big Il share rs possible OF the debris
Of the doomed British empire with as little
expenditure as possible of martial effort.
At a memorable secret meeting at Versailles
on the very eve of the attack, Canada Is
apportioned to France, Germany gets East
Africa, and Gen. GoURKo for Russia stolidly
appropriates India, to the disgust Of Mon
sieur HANoTAUX, who has views in that
direction. This is merely a starter; the
division of the rest of the British colonies is
postponed to a time more favorable for the
rrangcmen of geographical details.
The war begins Oh May 3, 1895, with the
sudden descent upon England's Channel
coast, near Brighton, of a vast fleet OF
French AMI German ironclads, conveying a
swarm OF troop ships. The first attempt of
the invaders to land their forces is thwarted
by the heroism of a worthy linen draper,
who happens to be at the same time the
Mayor of Worthing and a Major Of Voluu-
teers. This modern LEoNIDAs holds off
France and Germany until the Channel
squadron under Lord CHARLES BEREsFoRD
gets to the scene of operations. BEREsFoRD
sails in against overwhelming odds, sinks or
disables a surprising number of the enemy's
ships, and, before n single foreign heel has
been planted on Albion's sacred soil, drives
the shattered remnants OF the allied fleets
back to the French coast in dismay.
The story Of this first naval engagement
and of the succeeding battles on land and
sea that crowd four or five hundred pages,
is told with considerable technical knowl-
edge and n variety and vivacity OF imagina.
ton, not unrelieyed by hurnor, that make
the narrative almost rs interesting in its
way as was the Battle Of Dorking." What
distinguishes Mr.. LOUIS TRACY's book from
that pioneer Of prognostic literature, is its
hugely optimistic Jingoism. Here the au-
thor's sense OF humor s%urrenders uncondi-
tionally to his enthusiastic patriotism. Tho
battle of Worthing Is II type OF all the en-
RaRements subsequently recorded. Eng
land conquers her foes everywhere,
no matter what are the odds against her.
Her triumphant progress is unchecked,
afioat, ashore, or In the conflicts OF diplo-
macy. Fortune favors her Mt every turn,
1t is the ene,ny's commanders who make all
tho mistakes; 1t is the French or German or
Russian soldiers who always yield to panic
and run. The uninterrupted invincihility
OF British arms in this novel, while it may
be thrilling to J.rSo pride, is somewhat
monotonous.
We must hurry along to the appearance
of the United States upon the stage. An
immense uprising of British yalor and
British pride follows the first victory. Eng
land resolves to invade France and Germany
simultaneously. Party politics are lost to
sight, and the conduct OF the war Is COM
United to u Council OF National Safety, CON
sisting of Lord SALISBURY, the Prince of
WALES, Mr.. GLADSTONE, AID Lord WoLsE-
LEY. Under Field Marshal Lord ROBERTS n
British army lands hear Havre, gap
lures that port, and, after several tre-
mendous engagements, marches on its
triumphant way toward Paris. An
other British army, under General Sir
EVELYN WOOD. outwits the German
strategists and effects a landing at Strsl-
sund. The Emperor is forced to appeal to
BISMARCK for counse in the emergency,
and the veteran advises the young potentate
to make peace with his grandmother
on any terms. Finally, Lord ROBERTS