The record-union., 1897-03-11

for any wrong or indignity placed upon
one of his countrymen.
A SOURCE OF ENGLISH PRESTIGE.
That was the source of "Old Pam s
strength both at home and abroad, ana
the fact remains that England never
enjoyed so much prestige in foreign
countries as she did when he was at
the helm of the Ship of State. He
has been dead now many years; but his
policy in this respect, at any rate, is
still adhered to, though in perhaps
slightly modified degree, and 1t Is
worthy of note that since the war OF
1870 Germany has, figuratively speak
ing, taken a copy of this particular leaf
out of Great Britain's book, since II
is known throughout Africa, the ORR
ent and the regions of the PACING ocean
that any indignity placed upon Ger
man citizen is at once followed by the
appearance upon the scene of German
rnen-of-War, for the purpose of exact
i,tg immediate reparation.
One has only to look through the long
list of England's wars since the begin
Ting of the present century, and IN
particular during the reign of Queen
Victoria, in order to perceive how many
OF them have originated in wrongs
done to British citizens abroad for
Which redress was refused. Thus the
Abyssinian expedition of 1867, which
nn6prtalpn cost 70 the Eng
lish treasury of some $4,000, 900, was
organized solely for the purpose of
furnishing the Negus for his imprison-
r1ent of some missionaries and of
Consul who had been imprudent enough
tc visit the dusFy potentate in spite of
the most explicit and peremptory COM
mands of his Government not to do so.
If ever England was warranted in leav-
ing people to their fate ii was the cap
tiVes of Emperor Theodore of Abyss
mia
PROMPT VENGEANCE BY ENG
LAND.
Yet without hesitation or dissent from
any quarter an army was sent to secure
their release-there were only eight
English subjects among them-and
soon as ever this had been accomplished,
the Nesus killed and his stronghold Of
Magdala stormed and destroyed, the
British troops re-embarked and left the
country, for the purpose of thoroughly
impressng upon the world al large that
III undertaking the campaign they had
no idea of conquest or territorial ag-
grandizement in view, but only the re-
dress of wrong done to English citizens.
Of oh MT Xlc Of
the Emperor Theodore may be, there
fore said to have cost the British Gov
eminent in the neighborhoOd of $40
100000. Would to-day the United States
Government be prepared to unhesitat-
ingly and without discussion spend
similar amount in order to secure rep
aration for wrongs done to American
citizens who had become involved in
difficulties with a foreign Government
through their own fault?
During the last week the cable dis
patches have brought the news OF the
capture of Benin, a city situated in the
most inaccessible and unhealthy por-
ton of Western Africa. Yet it seems
but the other day that the outrage was
committed which has now resulted in
the overthrow of one of the most blood
thirsty tyrants of the Dark Continent
Within a fortnight after the arrival in
England of the news of the massacre of
Mr.. Phillips and his companions (who
with every knowledge of the Kings
character had imprudently gone up the
river in a large party, but utterly un-
armed, thereby exposing themselves to
almost certain attack and DEATH troops
~. Il n
avenge their countrymen: and now the
storming of Benin and the overthrow of
its King have demonstrated once again
the well-knoWn fact that England, at
any rate never permits her citizens to
be maltreated or killed with impunity.
Had not the King of Benin's knowledge
Of civilization been restricted to use of
gin and of gunpowder he would have
known this popularity of the British
Government, and would have been more
careful about rendering himself guilty
of unfrendly conduct toward the sub
jects of Queen Victoria.
WHAT THE FRENCH DID IN CHINA.
In 1860 an Anglo French army
marched from the Chinese coast to Pc
kin. and after having besieged and cap
tured the capital proceeded to destroy
by fire the famous summer palace OF the
Emperor-an entire city in itseif-as
penalty for the murder of the French
Able de Luc, of Mr.. Bowlby, the special
correspondent of the London Times"
and of Mr.. de Norman, who had been
beheaded by the Chinese after their cap
ture. And of the four or five other
campaigns against China that have
been undertaken at enormous expense
by the British Government during the
reign of Queen Victoria three at least
have been organized for the purpose of
Furnishing outrages of one kind and an
other perpetrated against English mer-
chants and missionaries established in
China. From the Neapolitan Govern
ment Lord Palmerston demanded and
obtained a large indemnity for the de-
struction of British property in Sicily
sustained during the insurrection of
1913. and when the Neapolitan Govern
ment offered to pay the indemnity in
State bonds he declined to accept them,
and insisted upon having the entire
amount in cash.
The port of Piraeus was blockaded
by the British fleet in 1850 in conse-
quence of the refusal of the Greek Gov
eminent to satisfy the claims made by
Mr.. Pacifico, a Gibraltar Hebrew,
for damage done to his house and fur
niture in a riot at Athens and in spite
of all the pressure brought to bear
upon him by the various powers of
Europe Lord Palmerston declined to
recede from his position until the Greek
Govern had maid over fha whole