The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-25
SOME NEW ROCKS.
Herbert Pa,il's INaory OF Modern Eng

The History Of Mo1err Engidnd, by
HERBERT PAUL lMacmillans,, will be COM
peted in five volumes and will cover the
period from the repeal Of the Corn Laws
to the close of Vctoria's reign, The first
three volumes, which have already been
published, carry III to 1879; that u to say
through the first year or two Of the Beacons-
field Parliament. Mr.. Justin Mccarthy
has dealt with the same period but in
more desutory way Not only is the work
efore us destined to take high rank among
the political histories OF England by virtue
Of knowledge, style and impartiaiity, put
the authors interjected summaries oil
the political, social scientific and literary
events, by which the epoch was distin-
glished are OF surprising interest ana
value The work in truth is OF 80 much
importance that before marking some
OF its features, and especially references
to the view taken of the civil war by its
English contemporaries. it will be SER
yiceable to note the authors conception
OF the conditions under which narrative
Of this time should he penned.
].
II i, obvious az Mr.. Paul reminds us in
an Introductory chapter. that the beginning
OF Nctoria's reign constitutes no proper
starting point A history of modern Eng
land should begin cit her with the passage
of the first Reform act or We'll tho repeal
of the Corn Laws and there are several
reasons why the latter point OF departure
should he preferred, The first Reform
act left the two historical parties. the wing
and tho Tory confronting each other,
and for some fourteen years thereafter
il remained uncertain which would pre-
vail. Moreover, the social, industria and
economic condition OF England remained
substantially unchanged during the in
term. On the other hand. the dramatic
ending of Sir Robert Peel's official career
marked turning point in English history.
II broke UP political parties and disor-
ganized public life.
Toryism disappeared for generation.
and for some years the Wings held the field
as the only possible constructors OF a
Government Nor, indeed. until the death
Of Lord Palmerston in 1885 could the Wings
realize that they. too. were fated to sue
cumb to Liberals. As for Peel himself,
no Minister ever had a more glorious fall.
"The moment" he wrote to an intimate
friend, Lord Hardinge, then Governor
General of India. the moment when sue
cess was insured and had the satisfaction
of hearing two drowsy Masters in Chancery
humble out at the table of the House OF
Commons that the Lords had passed the
Corn and Customs bills was satisfied
The author OF this history opines that he
might we'll be satisfied. He had restored
the finances Of his country, which. when
he became Prime Minister in 1871, were
In great and grievous peril, BY the simple
expedient Of free trade he had given the
people bread, putting, as Mr.. Bright said
long afterward the Lords Prayer into
an act Of Parliament. He thus saved
England from the danger Of revolution,
then no vague or imaginary peril, for it
broke a few months later upon Europe.
But he did more. He laid deep and strong
the foundations OF commercial system
which has outgrown the ideas and pros
pe,t, Of 1919 "a much as they had surpassed
the dream, Of the Tudors. Tho greater
part of the vexatious tariff which provoked
the pungent satire OF Sydney Smith lwho
declared that everything was taxed, from
the nails in the coffin to the riba nds OF the
bride had been swept away and indirect
taxation was limited to a few articles which
contributed a large revenue without IN
necessary distu rbance OF business
OF course. the effects Of free trade were
multiplied and enhanced by contemporaries
ous improvements in the means OF loco
motion. Modern England may be said
to date from the substitution OF the railway
for the stage coach. AS Mr.. Paul points
out, from the days Of Chedorlaomer to the
days of Stephenson there was very little
advance in the speed OF travelling. a
-. 6.
Stafford Northcote's we'll known handbook
Twenty Years Of Financial POLICY, the most
readable Of all financial essays, will show
at a glance the enormous progress in the
means of communication during 1914, ls45
and 1886 Up to ls44 the annual expendi-
ture on railways had not exceeded five
million sterling. In the next three years
it was hundred and eighty five millions.
The railway mania as it was called, led
to consequences some Of which we're dis
astrous The permanent effect OF the iron
horse upon the comfort and habits of society
has been far greater than any legislation.
Combined with the electric telegraph a
later, but not much later discovery, 1t called
a new world into existence, or. at all events,
revolutionized the old. Watt and Wheat
stone annihiated distance and almost de-
etroyed time"
Another mark OF transition from the Old
World to the New by which the fifth decade
Of the nineteenth century was disting uished,
was the disappearance Of dueling to which,
undoubtedly, the influence of Prince Albert
contributed in some degree. BY the law
vi England dueiing had always been a
crime and to Kill man in duel, however
fairly fought, had always been murder,