The Poole Telegram. — 1879-09-26 (Poole, Dorset, England)

BLUNDERING BLUSTER.  The incapacity of the present Government is dealt with most conclusively by the economist, in an article which we reproduce on our ninth page. Our contemporary has had the reputation of a tenderness for the Government; but their failure at Cabul has destroyed the last remnant of forbearance, and it is shown that whether their "spirited policy" was indeed brilliant and masterly as Conservative optimists would argue, or tinsel and showy as any hater of imperiousness in the leaders of a free people could believe,--at least Her Majesty's Ministers, as they delight to call themselves, are infirm of purpose such as no Englishman should be.  "Turkey to have the line of the Balkans," was one of the triumphant results they claimed; yet by their agreement with Russia they left Turkey powerless, for the Ottoman army could not hold it in case of war, without the danger, almost the certainty, of being cut off in the rear, and compelled to surrender. Next they agreed to defend Tutkey's Asiatic provinces in exchange for certain reforms in favour of the peoples governed by Turkey. But no specific reforms have been agreed upon, and the defence of Asiatic Turkey seems limited to the acquirement by Britain of some power over Cyprus, which can be better defended by England's fleet than her army, seeing it is an island, and is yet unhealthy for troops. No army can be kept on Cyprus sufficient to threaten the flank of any Russian advance, even if it should take the direction nearest to the island and go southwards through Syria to Palestine. The next weakness charged is the entire surrender, at the instance of Russia, against whom it was to have been established, of the Balkan line, whereby Turkey was left entirely at the mercy of Russia and her allies, as far as England was concerned. Next, after sinking the greatest part of Mr. Gladstone's savings in the Suez Canal, the Government have left us in the position of having an immense property with no special means of defence, in a distant country, over whose rulers we exercise no more influence than other Powers. One ruler of Egypt has been upset, and his successor is no more likely to do justice by us and our property than the first. Among the blunders passed over is the Government's weakness towards their own servant, Sir Bartle Frere, censuring him for war, which if not justified is murder, and yet carrying on that war blamed by themselves, and so becoming partners in the guilt they affected to blame; but in spite of the bearing down of the Zulu battalions, the capture of Ketchwayo, and the settlement, which Natal people may think good for them, it must not be forgotten that the Zulus have been acting on the defensive throughout, while the Ministry have shown no capacity for escaping from their servant's crime, but have drifted into committing more of their own, not justified by their apparent success. _  Yet, if nothing succeeds like success, so the contrary will condemn Ministers, especially OA they have courted and merited failure. They forced an Envoy and suite into a hostile country by dint of war and bribery, and allowed that Envoy and suite, in the face of a warning precedent, to remain among enemies with an insufficient force, and once more, England has been flouted and set at nought, and the Ministry have failed. It is nothing in their favour that all these blunders were f ollowed or accompanied by an unfavourable season. Bitterly may the Government plead for mercy because of the constant rains and the bad harvest ; but the fact is that where a prudent, murder-hating, bombast-despising Government,—a set of Ministers who would have made friends abroad and secured confidence at  home—would have saved a handsome sum to tide us over the "rainy day," we stand before a bad harvest, an inelement season, with a purse whose strip have been loosened, whose gold has been scattered, like that of the Prodigal Son, who wasted his substance with  I. • t • •  riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to he in want. Happy will it be for the country if, repenting, like the Prodigal Son, it leaves the service of those who would make it do worse than "feed swine," who would set it by constant quarrels feeding wolves, vultures, and hyenas, and becoming in turn eaten up by the vermin and weakness bred of war.