The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-10-27
AN EMPIRE ON REVIEW.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
The troubles in South Africa are
second time placing the British empire
on review before the world. The first
time was just after the Jameson raid.
Great Britain was then at the height Of
her splendid isolation" There vas
some unpleasant, not TO say menacing,
talk upon the continent. The spectre of
hostile intervention began to take form.
1t was necessary for the insular Athana-
sius to make a demonstration, against not
the Transvaal, but the world. The word
was given. And in the twinkling of an
eye, from every wave made hollow Of all
the Seven Seas, there seemed to start
a British battleship, with decks full
cleared for action. Never, perhaps, was
more startling exhibition made of q
great nations readiness for whatever
emergency might appear Never was
there quicker recognition OF such readl-
ness by the potential threateners. AS
that amazing reserve fleet steamed into
view the possible meddlers vanished. AS
loom Paul" put it in his racy speech,
"The Old Lady Just sneezed; and then
where were they?" For answer, here is
what the Neue Free Presse, of Vienna,
says: There can be no question of the
intervention of any European power. No
one will rob the British lion of his prey"
o
Today this second review is of a differ
ent character. 1t is not the navy, but the
army. Now, the British army has been
much despised upon the continent since
the memory of Waterloo began to fade.
Its hideous mismanagcment in the Crimea
discredited its system as much as Bal
aklava honored its individual ValOr; and
since then it has had to deal with none
but petty tribes or with remote enemies
Upon the fields of Europe 1t has been
I
by Duppel, SadOwa and Sedan. With no
| conscription, outnumbered more than ten
to one by rivals, and scattered to the
four corners of the earth, it has come to
be regarded as a negligible if not an out
right minus quantity; but now that es-
innate is reCOnsidered. With prompt
ness, smOothness and an ease that
make the Continental captains rub their
eyes, q British army is mObliZed and
sent half way around the globe for ac-
ton; and it shows a fitness of physical
condition, a perfection of equipment and
Of discipline, and, in brief, an al-round
efficiency that excite the amazement and
admiration of even the German headquar-
ters staff and call therefrom formal but
most cordial compliment. True, 1t is a
small army compared with what the
great military powers could put into the
| field. But size does not always count, 1t
shows in field action the efficiency which
| a German expert in the Soudan campaign
pronounced "slmply Incredible" True,
| also, it has to be summoned from dis
tant parts. But then, too, all the scatter
| ed colonies stand ready with their con-
| tingents. 1t is not an army from Great
| Britain and Ireland alone, but from that
| Greater Britain which includes the Do
minion of Canada and the United States
| of Australia.
So the world is made to realize that the
| British empire Is still military force
| on land as well as sea, and on sea as well
as land. There has been some vain talk
| OF Europes opportunity while British
hands are busy in South Africa, for max
| ing anti-British advances elsewhere in
| the world. In the first place IT is not to
| be believed that any power or powers
| have such a purpose or desire; and in
| the second place it is to be observed that
| despite her business in South Africa
| Great Britain is just as free as ever to
| deal with any other foe, The hands with
| which she has been expected TO grapple
with Russian or French or German ag-
| gression are not tied nor busy, Her fleet
! Is not engaged in the TransVaal. Just Il