The Evening Star SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 2909, 15 June 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 1872.

The news by the Suez mail contains somewhat more to think about than the summaries for some months past. In some respects it is better—in some, calculated to create apprehension for the future. So far as European politics are concerned, the chief cause for uneasiness is the evidence of a desire on the part of the French Government to renew the struggle with Germany : we suppose in order to gratify national revenge or to recover the forfeited provinces. It may be only the dream of M. Thiers, whose notions of national glory are those of a past generation; but we should hardly think it is shared in by the people of Prance generally. The country requires rest and time to recover itself after its terrible troubles. It is high time that civilised man hit upon some scheme by which the interests of the world may be protected against such senseless interruptions as result from idle wars betweex two nations. No doubt much may be said about the humiliation of France, as well as the division of her territory by the seizure of the Rhenish provinces ; but other nations regard -these events from a different point of view. They see that France brought her troubles upon herself: the Emperor rushed into a most unjustifiable war, for which he was not prepared: his sole objects were to destroy the power of Prussia, and to secure to his son undisputed succession to the Crown of France, and that the elements of revolution, kept down by the strong arm of power for so many years, seized upon the moment the pressure was removed to assert principles subversive of the industrial and commercial interests of mankind. With this conviction so universally outside that country, but little sympathy can be felt with the unwise utterances @f M. Thiers. Patriotism is no doubt a good thing : no Statesman ever succeeded in raising his country in the estimation of the world without it. But then it should be directed to the attainment of really desirable objects. M. Thiers is unluckily of the old school. His idea of national greatness is that of superiority of anns. He does not seem to recognise the now well-established fact, that the most powerful country is that which can command the largest amount of material weslth j because then it has the means of obtaining and sustaining the most efficient armies, the highest class of arras, directed by the best military talent. Neither does M. Thiers recognise the fact that every war, even if successful, weakens the conqueror in proportion to its cost. England’s weak point is its national debt, the annual interest on which is ab0ut.£27,000,000; a sum nearly equal to the yearly maintenance of the army and navy. New Zealand’s drawback is the debt incurred for purposes of war, the annual interest on which, if available for investment, would have enabled us to make annually about eighty miles of railway. Vast as is the burden laid upon Great

Britain by the mistaken wars of our forefathers, it is but little felt in consequence of the small proportion it bears to the national income; and heavy as the annual charge is upon New Zealand, so rich are our resources that if no unwise impediment is thrown in the way of the importation of labor, in a very few years it will be thought little of beyond remaining a standing record of the incompetence of the Governments by whom it was incurred. The true glory o ? a nation is the power of its Government to allow the utmost liberty to every inhabitant ; to develop to the utmost every resource ; so to diffuse the blessings of peace as to encourage education in literature, art, and science ; and so to establish its influence as to protect its subjects throughout the world. No doubt these have been the ends aimed at by France in seeking military supremacy : but France has failed. Great Britain, of late years, has adopted a different course, and has succeeded : peace, commerce, and industry have done indirectly what military bounce never yet effected. On a small scale we see the same result in New Zealand : justice and industry have conquered the Maori. So far as the Alabama claims are concerned, there is every indication of a peaceful solution of them. Judging by the tone of the telegrams, the absurd demands for consequential damages will not be pressed, , Commercially, there appears to be a little sickness in the wool market though it does not seem to affect the superior classes. These fluctuations • must naturally be looked for wher prices are abnormally high. They are then affected by the slightest increase or cessation of demand, for no buyer! will take more than is needed for im mediate consumption. Rising anc L falling in price is generally an indica tion that an article has reached iti highest point, and, other circumstance : being equal, will not materially recedi from it.