The Dominion. THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1914. WATERLOO DAY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2179, 18 June 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1914. WATERLOO DAY

To-day is the anniversary of the defeat of Napoleon by the combined British and Prussian forces on. the battlefield, of Waterloo on Sum IS, 1815. Next year the centenary of the great battle is to ho appropriately celebrated. Th« ooßimemoration' of this momentous event in British history is not inspired by any spirit of boastfulwess, nor is it intended ia any way to hurt the national pride of the French, peopk, who fully understand that their friends across the Channel'are sot actuated by any unworthy motives in this matter. After the lapse of a hundred years ■the two nations can look buck without any feelings of bitterness upon those stiring days when the armies of Napoleon' overran Europe and threatened to force Britain to her. knees. The danger has passed away long ago, and that great chapter in Kuroptan history has been closed. Time has wrought wondedul changes. The whole international outlook has been transformed, arid new problems have arisen which have led to fyesh groupings 'of the Powers. Britain ■ and France m longer face one another as implacable foes. They are now united by a firm bond of friendship, which lias been further strengthened by the recent visit of King Geobge to Paris. Wc can discuss Trafalgar and Water-' 100, and other events of those na-tion-shaking days as matters of historical interest much as we would discuss the Normafi Conquest or the. Wars of the Buses. The commemoration of Waterloo is just as natural to the British people* as the Joan ftp Arc festivities arc to the French nation. It is a right thing for every country to celebrate the outstanding events in its national story, and to remember with gratitude the great deeds done, by famous men—besides a multitude unknown to fame— in the clays oi our fathers and in the old time before them. It is only ignorance aad' pcrversencss that can take offentt at the proper observance of these, national festivals.

Home people haw endeavoured to explain what might have happened if the Battle of Waterloo had ended in a victory for Napoleon, It is possible that the whole subsequent history of Frarnpe might" have hern entirely different from what it has actually been. Australia,-and New Zealand might nut have liccn British possessions; the German Umpire might never have- enme into existence; and India might now be a French possession. On the other hand, it is doubtful whether N,\rou;o.\' could have Hjaiiilaiitecj his position for ftn.v length of time asaiiisl I he Allied Powers even- if be bad defeated \V[-:t.u.\-<vrn* at Waterloo But speculations as to v.-hat. miaht have, been if corac pivat event, of history had takes a. diflweiit turn a.re

too uncertain to-be'very'.-profitable. We have to take .history. as it has actually worked'itself out," and it is difficult enough to ascertain the precise details of what- happened atWaterloo without- trying to imagine what would have been the conse'qtumefls''6f'fi different set.nf circumstances. ■~ A recent authority points out that the accounts of the military movements'which took place in June, ISlii, are .soniewhat legendary in character,""fur'in those days staff officers did not keep war diaries, the orders given in the field were mainly verbal orders, and lengthy reports of actions were not in vogue." The whole of the first-hand evidence recorded at the time by. the principal actors in this epoch-making engagement seems to consist- of a short- letter from Whxikgtoh to Earl Batiiubst i brief reports by Bltjcheu and .Napoleon"; a statement by Grouchy regarding the doings of his own detachment ; Net's letter to the French Government on June 26, and his speech in the Chamber of peers: and a few. field messages. V/bcn asked to giw; a- description of the battle, Wellington said: "We pounded and they pounded, and we pounded hardest." Sonic authorities tell us that NAWJtfiON was not up to his usual standard of physical- and mental fitness at the time of, the battle. Others have denied this, and many other points are 'still in elis* pute; but it is no detraction from the greatness of Napoleon as a military leader to say that the- iron tenacity of WeaisoTos" and the splendid courage and endurance of the British troops' were mainly responsible for the crushing defeat of the French army. The British'race has a right to be proud of what its soldiers did on that fateful day, aact it is fitting that the eefttcuavy memorial has taken the form of a scheme for the preservation of the -battlefield. Britishers dp net. like the idea of the land being usotl for building purposes, and the Belgian Government has agreed to bring in a Bill to preserve the most interesting portions of tire battlefield and the buildings thereon, if an assurance is given that £ 10,000 will be .raised in Britain for .this purpose. It is also proposed to erect a mausoleum for the bones which were constantly being turned «p by the plough. At- a recent meeting in London, a co-rnmittoe was set up to go into the matter on the motion of the present Duke of Wellington, seconded by Lonn Soberis. Britishers in all parts of tlw world will wish success to tlie centenary memorial'of the Battle of Waterloo.