The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1883. The Past Year.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1038, 31 December 1883, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit. MONDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1883. The Past Year.

In one of the essays of Elia Charles Lamb speaks of New Year’s Eve as a time when the most solemn and touching thoughts occupy the mind. He calls it indeed an “ awful leavetaking,” comparing the event to parting with an old friend, and some such feeling as this must be experienced by those who care to expend sentiment upon the matter. There is not a single individual of the many thousands who will listen to the bells ringing in the new year to-night that will not recall some event of the past twelve months of great importance to himself, though it may concern the great majority nothing. The cry of “ L'an est mart, vive Pan ” has a mournful sound, and the joy at the birth of Eighteen hundred and eighty four, will be tinctured with regret at the departure of its predecessor. It is only the very young who rejoice at the flight of lime,‘for the more sober-minded recognise in the recurrence of the annual festival we are on the eve of celebrating a reminder that they have made one more step towards the bourne whence no traveller returneth. We will not, however, pursue this strain further, as our intention is less to sing an elegaic over the death of the old year, than to chronicle what has taken place during the past twelve months. So far as England is concerned the year which concludes to-day has not been prolific of events that go to make history. No important political changes have taken place in the affairs of the Mother Country, and although there have been rumors of wars Great Britain has kept herself free from turmoil. Even that great thorn in her side, Ireland, has been comparatively quiet, and it is satisfactory to know that the horrible crime that was committed in Phoenix Park on the memorable sixth of May last year, has been amply avenged. So long a time elapsed'siuce the assassination of Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr Burke, without it ; being made evident, that the slightest cue had been found to the perpetrators of the foul deed that people began to doubt whether the mysteiy would ever be solved. On the 13th of January, however, a number of conspirators were arrested in Dublin, and two days later several more were placed in custody, while a considerable seizure of concealed arms and ammunition was made. On the 3rd of February the enquiry commenced, and a fortnight later one of their number, a town councillor named James Carey, turned Queen’s evidence and disclosed the whole details of the diabolical plot. The testimony of this man and other informers, together with that of independent witnesses, fully proved the guilt of the prisoners, and the ringleaders were executed, while others were sentenced to penal servitude for life. But the last act of the tragedy had yet to be enacted. Carey, the greatest miscreant of the gang, had been allowed to escape, but he was henceforth a marked man, and few people were surprised when they heard that he had been shot dead by an emissary of the secret society. This took place at the Cape on July 29th, and it was only the other day that O’Donnel, the murderer, expiated his crime upon the scaffold. The law had of course to be vindicated, but no one could regret the removal from this world of such a villain as the informer Carey, Still, although, as we have said, disaffection has not so strongly manifested itself in Ireland as in previous years, proof of which is seen in the marked decline of agrarian crime in that country, it is only too evident that Fenian outrages are not things of the past. On March 15th London was thrown into a ferment by the news that an attempt had been made to blow up the Local Government offices with dynamite. As may be imagined, something very like a reign of terror followed this event, for no one knew when or where the next blow would be struck. Military guards were placed over the principal buildings in the metropolis, but the feeling of alarm was not allayed until the police had discovered the persons who were guilty of concocting the horrible plot. These proved to be four men named Thomas Gallagher, Whitehead, Wilson, and Curtin, and they were tried and sentenced to penal servitude for life on June 14th. At the beginning of November a similar attempt to destroy life and property was made, dynamite being exploded in one of the tunnels of the underground railway. There is only too good reason to believe that these devilish designs were concocted in America by the Fenian societies organised there. Apart from her affairs in connection with Ireland, there is little to chronicle of events in Great Britain during the year. The foreign policy of England has always been weak whenever a Liberal Government holds the reins of office, and the last twelve months have afforded no exception to the rule. At one time it appeared as if some trouble was going to ensue over what was known as the Shaw in

cident, when the French Admiral behaved in a high-handed manner towards an English missionary in Madagascar, but after a good deal of bluster and bounce on the part of the Parisian press the difficulty wa* tided over by an apology and compensation to die person most aggrieved. The relations between the two nations are not at present of the most cordial kind, and it is within the realms of possibility that should France and China go to war, as according to the present outlook seems inevitable, England may find herself forced to take part in a quarrel which would seriously affect her commercial interests. With other European countries Great Britain may be said to be in perfect accord, while the good feeling prevailing between the Old and New Worlds has been cemented by the tour of the Marquis and Marchioness of Lorne through the States during the early part of the year, and still further by the more recent visit of Lord Chief Justice Coleridge. In regard to the administration of Home affairs, the English people appear to be satisfied to allow the Liberal party to remain in power. Rumors of Mr Gladstone’s probable retirement from the busy scene of politics have been prevalent, but these have proved to be unfounded and the grand old man is still the greatest statesman England possesses at the present day, and should he resign office it will be difficult, if not impossible, to find one worthy to fill his place. The Conservative party, on the other hand, suffers from want of organisation and the absence of a leader has been felt ever since Lord Beaconsfield died. The most important events of the year, from a social point of view, are probably the Fisheries Exhibition, which was a thorough success, and the opening by the Prince of Wales of the Royal College of Music on May 7th. The establishment of the latter institution has been carried out with the greatest enthusiasm and is generally recognised as supplying a long-felt want.

Turning from Great Britain to the Continent, the nation whose affairs have received most public attention is unquestionably France. When Gambetta died on the last day of 1882, it was predicted that before long trouble would arise, and when the loss of her greatest statesman was followed five days later by the loss of her greatest soldier, it seemed that the fulfilment of the prediction would quickly arrive. On January 4111, two days before the great dictator was buried, General Chanzv, the only man who had shown any military genius on the side of the conquered in the Franco-Prus-sian war, expired, and on the 16U1 Prince Napoleon issued a manifesto which was placarded on the walls of Paris. He was immediately arrested by the authorities. The ex-Empress Eugenie hastened to the French capital, but her stay was limited to fortyeight hours, her return to England, it is believed, being hastened by a recommendation from the Republican Government. Dissension in the Ministiy followed this event, opinions being divided as to how Pretenders should be dealt with. A new administration, under the premiership of M. de Fallieres, was formed on the 29th January, but after it had existed for little more than a fortnight M. Ferry was called on to take office. Prince Napoleon was released from prison on February 11, and on the ultimate passing of the Expulsion Bill he was, to- • getber with the Due d’ Aumale. the Due de Chartres and other members of the Orleanist families, compelled to leave France. Thus ended the great “ Plon-Plon” manifesto, but subsequent events showed that the mind of the nation had been unhinged, and, as is not unfrequently the case with French Governments, in order to draw the people’s attention from home affairs, a policy of colonial aggression was entered into. In April on expedition to Tonquin, a country over which China exercises a suzerainty, began to be talked about, and the Chambers voted a credit of 5,000,000 francs to carry it out. The result of this expedition was at the first disastrous, Colonel Riviere suffering a decided defeat at the hands of the Anamese, the commander himself being killed. Further re-inforcements have since been despatched, and as China has shown a disposition to enter into the quarrel the war is likely to be an expensive one, while the advantages to be gained by the French, even should they be victorious, are very problematical. Another little war has been carried on by France in Madagascar, which appears equally useless, and has already caused bad feeling between Great Britain and the aggressor—a feeling that has been intensified by the subsequent action of the latter in attempting to use the islands of the South Pacific as abiding places for habitual criminals. The affairs of Germany have not aroused much general attention. Prince Bismarck has further strengthened the friendly relations between the country he virtually rules and the Vatican, and by an adroit move he has managed to bring his arch-enemy France and her neighbor Spain to loggerheads. Russia has been comparatively free from Nihilistic crimes during the past year, and the coronation of the Czar, which was looked forward to with much anxiety, passed over without any demonstration being made by the malcontents. The ceremony took place on May 27th and was characterised by great pomp, representatives of royalty being present from every European nation. The disgraceful anti-Semitic outbreaks in Southern Russia were resumed at the beginning of August, and several people were killed and a large quantity of property destroyed, but as we have not heard of any further disturbance since that time it is to be hoped that the half-savage fanatics have ceased to manifest their enmity towards the Jews. Matters in Egypt have of late assumed so unfavorable an aspect as to render it doubtful whether the war which cost England so much has really done anything to settle the affairs of that unhappy country. The false prophet, El Mahdi, who had been gathering a large number of fanatical followers in the Soudan, defeated an Egyptian force on January 17th, and it was determined to equip an army strong enough to crush his power. General Hicks Pasha accordingly was dispatched in September with some ; 10,000 men under his command, but [ we have since learned that he has met i with a terrible reverse, the army being 1

annihilated almost to a man. Several European officers were attached to the staff, all of whom have perished, the only people reported to be saved being a newspaper correspondent and an artist. It is possible that the report received may have exaggerated the nature of the disaster, as it still remains to be confirmed as to details. In the meantime El Mahdi will be increasing his strength, and no one can tell to what length his fanaticism will lead him. Another misfortune from wtych Egypt has suffered was the outbreak of cholera, which took place in July and resulted in 12,000 deaths during the first month it raged. Thanks, however, to the energetic measures taken by the sanitary officials appointed by j England the epidemic was not allowed to spread, albeit the mortality in Egypt itself was enormous. In South Africa there has been a considerable amount of fighting between the opposing tribes in Zululand. Cetewayo was allowed to return to bis country and was restored formally to the throne in January 26. This misguided action on the part of the Gladstone Govern ment soon bore fruit, as Usibepu, a rival chief, rebelled and defeated Cetewayo in July, the latter being reported to have been killed. The report was afterwards contradicted, but while England’s ptotegb remains on the throne there can be no guarantee of peace in that part of the world. As to the Australasian colonies, they have been progressing happily during the past year, the only matter of national importance creating much stir being the Annexation and Federation question. The proposals of Queensland in connection with New Guinea were at first received with unmistakeable coldness by Lord Derby, but the English press took the part of the colonies with great \igor, if not with striking intelligence. The Conference 1 which recently concluded its sittings at Sydney thoroughly exhausted all that could be said on the question, but it still remains doubtful whether there will be any practical outco- ae from its deliberations. So far as New Zealand is concerned, little interest is felt in the annexation proposals, while the idea of Australasian federation is considered altogether premature. In this colony the year has not been a favorable one for trade, and complaints have been heard on all sides. This depression is, however, purely temporary, and our faith in the future of the country is in no way disturbed. With the prospect of a good harvest before us, and the further development of the Irozen meat industry, we are sanguine that the year Eighteen hundred and eighty-four will be more successful than its predecessor, and it is with this feeling in our hearts that we heartily wish our readers

A Happy New Year.