News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-01-06
Brief Review of Modern Euro
pean History-England
PART Ill

FART Ill
The Revolution of 1883 assured Eng
land of the enjoyn ent of Constitutions
Government. 1t also insured "a Piotes
tant succession upon the throne. This
was most important provision, for the
had been the aLlempt of James III t.
force upon the nation the acceptance oil
the forms of his own church in defiance
# he laws of the realm.
For nearly one hundred and twenty.
five years after the Revolution of 1855
England was to be engaged almost with
out intermisson in war. There was war
practically of more than one hundred
years With France and during much of
the time other European nations were
involved. The ostensible points of issue
were often questions concerning the sue
cession of heirs to certain European
thrones. The real issue was the attemp t
of the French monarchs and later thai of
Frederick of Prussia to dominate the
affairs of Europe.
The long struggle on the American
continent known as the French ana In
dian Wars was one phase of this great
struggle, and the successful issue of our
American Revolution was one of its Incl.
dents. IG was because England was SO
deeply involved in European warefare
and because France was glad to give help
to those whO'fought against England on
this side the great water that the Thir-
teen American Colonies were able to OBJ.
tain recognition as the United States of
America.
The close of this great struggle be-
tween the nations of Europe came in
1915 at Waterloo. Since that day Eng
land and France have never been at war
against each other, aud twice they have
been allies; in the Crimean War of 1915,
and in the great conflict against Pan
Germanism. During the struggle two
great events had taken place. England
had established itself in India, laying the
foundations of its present eastern empire,
and it had lost its American continental
colonies south of Canada. 1t is hard to
say which of these results has been most
to highlands advantage. India has
proved source of wealth and apparently
of military strength; but the lesson that
England learned in the loss of her Ameri-
can colonies has been a most useful
suide to her in the government of her
oversee possessions ever since. Accept
ing that lesson she has granted these
colonies such great measure OF self
government that the English empire is
largely composed of federated countries,
bound together by common interests and
An illustration of this re-
suit is seen in the aid that Canada and
the Australian Commonwealth have
given and are giving to England in the
prese t war.
The greatest source of material gain
to England, however, during this period
came from an unwarlike source. The
application of steam first as a means of
running the machinery of factories. and |
second as power for traffic locomotion |
on land and sea, was as great a victory |
for England as were any in her wars. |
While England has been at peace with |
Europe since Waterloo, save
for the brief Crimean struggle, in which
she was allied with France and Turkey
against Russia, her foreign troubles have
been numerous. There have been the
,o-caled Opium War with China, the
war in Afganistan, the South African
War of 1879; the seizure of Egypt in
1872, and the subst quent long struggle
with the Mahdi ending in Kitchener's
tic DRY the Soudan; and the two Boer
Vars, of 1881 end 1s99-19O2. In 1878 a
no W of naval strength against Russia was
he means taken by England to prevent
he former country from taking Constan-
inople in the Russo Turk ish War, then
n progress. II
Once and once only has there been
erious danger of war between England
nd the United States, during our Civil
Var, when the blockage of southern
orts by our Federal Government caused
reat suffering in English industrial cen.
srs where thousands depended for their
wing on work in the cotton factories
nd when the sympathy of the governing
lass in England was with the South.
he friendly attitude toward this coun- s
y on the part of Queen Victoria and
he Prince Consort, firm attitude of our
AMBASSADOR to England, aud the gradual
'alization by the working classes that r
meaican slavery was their real enemy,
nd that Union success meant the de- y
ruction of that hateful system, these
ere the important forces 10 maintaining
Ie peace. We now celebrate full GEN.
Try of Peace with the firmest belief c
lat it will never more be disturbed. I
In the great success ofEnPland in trade
Id the upbuilding of colonies lies one of
e great causes of the present war. Ger