The Evening Star THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 3015, 17 October 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1872.

The European intelligence hy the Nevada is only three days later than that already to hand, so that no surprise need be felt that so little is added to what we before knew. There are, however, some few items deserving of special notice. The chief of these is the award of the Geneva Hoard of Arbitration. It is quite unnecessary to go over the ground already traversed, and to enter into any discussion on the merits of the case.' It is to be hoped by this time that every intelligent person is so far posted up in the matter as to be aware of the circumstances that rendered a settlement of the dispute difficult. It was not merely that a breach of the conventional law of nations had been committed by certain subjects of Great Britain for their own private emolument: that had been the custom in all time: but deep-rooted prejudices had to be overcome. It matters little with a very large class of persons that the transactions in which they engage violate the laws of their own country, and tend to involve it in expensive disputes or war. The profit to the builders and outfitters of the Alabama, and the other vessels complained of, could not have been more than a few thousands of pounds, to purchase which two nations have been put to the cost of more millions than the thousands gained, besides the loss of life and ruin or distress of families: so that the half dozen individuals who made the profit may boast that the world paid upwards of a million of money for every thousand pounds that went into their pockets. We suppose this system of measuring the evil effects of war by a ledger account of profit and loss will be denounced by many men of many classes as mercenary, low, grovelling: Very well, take the moral standard, and try it by that. There is not one of those high-minded men, who profess such contempt for the dirty dross that figures as Dr. and Or. in the ledger account, but would pronounce it the height of wickedness to commit a wrong in order to enrich oneVself at the expense of the country. Every one of them would applaud to the skies the man whose high piinciplft led him to sacrifice life or property for the benefit of his countrymen. For our parts, we arc of so utilitarian a turn of mind that we think it better that a man should live to do good, and we had rather be benefited by a living i»an than a dead one. Fully appreciating that nobility of soul that would lead a man to peril himself for our sakes, we consider there are too lew good people in the world to spare them, and on that ground also we condemn that selfish recklessness which, in the grasping spirit of the builders of the Alabama, seeks a trifling profit by breaking well-established international laws, and thus involving a country in wrangles or war. The national dispute that we trust will be resolved by the Geneva Board of Arbitration would have been put, fifty years ago, to the rude arbitrament of war. There was quite enough of grasping displayed by the United States to have justified our forefathers in refusing to treat on the subject; and there is quite enough of the old soldierly spirit left in all parts of the British dominions to lead many to say that all claim whatever should have been resisted even at the cost of a war. The old Tory party, in the true standstill spirit, have no idea of glory excepting such as is won by hard knocks, rifle bullets, cannon, and gunpowder. Kill ten Or twenty thousand human beings in an hour two, and it is a glorious victory for one party, and an ignominious defeat for the other. Going to the ledger again, and totting up the cost of killing each man, we are within the mark in saying it is at least directly and indirectly fifty pounds—very likely five times fifty—besides the bones and sinews that might have been so useful, and which have cost so much to feed and to educate, utterly wasted. Our idea of this Geneva arbitration is, that it is the most glorious victory the world has yet witnessed. Though it does not create so much noise as a battle, nor raise such intense momentary interest in lookers-on, wo hold that to save is far j)iore glorious tlmu to destroy 3 and this G the victory achieved by

the Geneva Board. It has shewn the world that betwen civilised countiies war may be avoided. It has shewn that in the intercourse between nations there should be an exhibition of moral principle equally high with that which binds men into communities. We are not so sanguine respecting this higher development of national character as to believe it will at once do away with the curse of war. The events that are talcing place in Spain and France, and the outburst of the President of the so-called International Society, forbid any such hope. Nations educated for war cannot cast oh notions ingrained into their habits of thought and everyday life, like wornout garments. However intellectual or polished a man is, he must have manhood and skill enough to defend himself against roughs : and So it is with nations. As the present advantage of the Geneva arbitration is that it has shewn the world that between civilised nations war is unnecessary, one great step has been gained towards lessening the chance of future international conflicts.