The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-01-10
fhe LONGEST War in History Lasted One
Hundred and Fifteen Years.
A GREAT ENGLISH NAVAL VICTORY.
Won by Edward u. OF SIuys In l340- Capture Of
Calais Gave England an Open Door 10 Heart
offrancs For 200 Years.

FRANCE were .nolf SlIalneh ItccHiiy
than they were at any time for nearly
century. Ut is s3 years since the two
nations have been at war and this
marks the longest period of time
since the eleventh century that has
elapsed without war or the two nations
being on the verge OF II. rhe situation
il shown clearly by the fact that until
1901 the arms of France were part OF
the royal arms OF Great Britain. and
the kings OF England claimed sover-
eighty for centuries over their Galllc
neighbors. For much OF this time the
sovereignty was real. A glance at
map Of that period will show that IN
the 18th century the king OF England
was master of "A greater part OF the
territory now known as France than
was he who claimed to be king or
France alone, says the Chicago Tlmes-
Herald.
England's modern history Is generally
supposed to date from the Norman con-
quest. when the bold Frenchmen under
William of Normandy won the battle
of Hastings. William was crowned De-
cember %, 1866. anu IL is not very
sweeping assertion To say that from
that time until the capture OF Napoleon
by Capt Maitland on July IL, 1915. the
two nations have always been night
ing. or near it, These wars have their
origins In the pretensions OF the Nor
man kings To lands i'm France, as Wen
ss To those they had conquered. Nor
mandy was restiYe under "a non-resl-
dent king and revolted The defeat OF
Henry l. by Robert i'm HOG was decisive
for generation. But Philip Augustus,
king of France, regarded King John as
his vassal. and summoned him FOR trial
for the murder of his nephew. Refusal
-. 4. ..Isa.a Ion hn oh
had forfeited his French lands. ana,
war ensuing Philip won 120D not only
Normandy. which gave him the control
of the mouth of the Seine, but also
Anjou. Maine and Touraine. From that
time a real state of war existed De
tween France and England each nation
preparing for the conflict, which, break
ing out i'm 1928 lasted until 1855, or ll5
years. the longest war known 10 MS
tory The specific 100 years were 1881
TO 1881 Edward III. began the war. Al
first doing homage for his lands in
France. he at last became exasperated
and laid claim To the French throne.
He assembled n feet and defeated the
French off Sluys In 1910, thus winning
the first great English naval victory.
Then he ravaged the country 10 the
very walls OF Paris. The battle OF
Crecy. 1886, resulted In the capture of
Calais. affording the English, for 200
=.
France. The war was one OF continu-
Gus fghtng but was broken by breath
ing spells Agincourt and Poitiers We're
notable English triumphs and Henry
VI. was proclaimed At Paris king or
England and France. But when the
warended England had lost all of
France but Calais. The Anglo-SaXon
nation. desolated by the War of the
Roses" was unable TO continue the
struggle. Edward ". invaded France
in l475. but Louis Xl. defeated the
British and bribed Edward to return.
Another invasion of France took place
in 1914 under the leadership OF Henry
VIII This was i'm revenge for the aid
given by France 10 Scotland. and re-
suited in the battle of the Spurs-so
known because the French cavalry fled
so fast. In 1858 Guise took Calais for
the French. The next great war in
which France and England were OPP
posed was that known in Europe as the
Second Coalition. which began i'm 1858
and was known i'm America as King
Williams War Louis XIV. after over
running Flanders and lighting Holland.
invaded the Palatiuate OF the Rhine.
Europe formed "A coalition against him.
and William of Orange, then king of
England d,-svGs the man who succeeded
i'm checking the French kings ambi-
tions. The 18th century began with the
war Of the Spanish succession, due Ia
Louis claim OF the crown of Spain for
his grandson Marlborough distin
guishcd himself; i'm this war. fought by
all Europe against France and one re-
suit of which was the cession of New
foundland and Acadia to England. The
French and Indian war i'm America, due
to the rival claims Of the colonizers,
quickly followed. eliminating I'm the
battle Of Quebec. September l3, li59
which lost Canada To the French.
n the xNav oi American .nlgpeuQpnCC
Louis Nv assisted the American colon
ists at first secretly and aftcrWard
openly. war existing between the old
rivals until 1893. when the peace OF
Versailles was signed. England was q
party in the great coalition against
France. formed in 1892 To check tht
conqucstS of Napoleon. who was rapid
" becoming master of the world. II
was this war that ended I'm the fiua
downfall OF Napoleou and that gave
enduring fame to Wellington and Mel
son. The world has known NO greater
war nor one more hotly contested. Tn
tl the final defeat Of Napoleon al
Waterloo the issue was in doubt, and
"A looked as IL the COrsican would be
come the ruler Of Christendom. Sine,
then the mower of France has beer
checked The nation has been torn by
internal disputes until after th'
Franco Prussian war. and unable 90 s.,
10 war with first class power. Rapi,
recovery from that disaster has mad,
the nation ready for wa, but with onl,
one wcr-Germany-the recovery o
Alsace and Lorraine being uppcrmos
i'm the minds OF the people and prevent
ing assent TO the cars proposal fo
disarmament The British would rathe
fight France than any other nation
is this that has led Lord Salisbury {,
be firm in hls dealings with France
on the other hand. France is more on
of humor with Germany. aud this VII
probably prevent her from doing any
Thing that VIII lead 90 war with he
more ancient enemy. With whom sh
has a longer score. Tie more tccnn
war wipes ont thc memory uf th