THE MOST WARLIKE NATION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 20 April 1901, Page 4

THE MOST WARLIKE NATION.

Few People will bo surprised to learn that Great Britain has been a long way ahead of other European nations in the great game of war daring the past reign. The wars great and small which this country has been engaged in number in the neighbourhood of sixty—or almost one for every year of the Queen’s reign. They include (writes a correspondent ot the Daily Express) big wars such as that on which wo are still engaged—the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, the campaigns in Zululand, Afghanistan, Ashantee, Egypt, the Soudan, China, and Burma, besides such miscellaneous items as operations in Chitraf, the black Mountains, Tochi, and the Mirazai Valley. There have been wars during the past reign which few people over think of. Who now remembers that wc once had a war with Persia ? And yet it is, comparatively not so long ago. There have been four Ashantea and three Chinese wars. These arc startling facts, and bring homo to all of us the warlike character of the English race.

It is hardly an exaggeration to say that British guns have hardly ceased to thunder, and British bayonets to strike terror into the enemy in all the sixty'iiroo years of the reign—sometimes in die foetid, miasmic swamps of West Nfrica, sometimes on the sandy wastes of the Houdan, but in whatever quarter of the globe, with honour. Franco and Russia have each ten campaigns to their credit. The former has crossed swords with Germany, Austria, and Russia (tho hist in alliance with England and Turkey) in her time, and has carried tho tricolour into Dahomey, Morocco. China, Mexico, Siam Madagascar, with more or less success. Russia’s luck in war has not been startling. Shu had to bend (ho kneo in the Crimea to a combined army of English, French, Turks, and Sardinians, though sho was, however, successful in the conllict with Turkey in 1877. Tier Afghan and Central Asian campaigns have given her a vast amount of trouble, notably the iinnloiisantiiess in Xbokland in 1K7.7 and J 878.

The Turk is a first class fighting man, and tho Cresent, has been almost uniformly successful when it has llown in battle. Tho first Greek campaign (during this rrign) took place in 18:55, and tho last in 1897, hut Hellos was humbled every time. The Ottoman Empire has also had trouble with Montenegro and Scrvia, and lias come out, on top ; and though defeated by Russia in 1877, tho plucky fight put up by the Turk will always bo remembered with admiration. It was an honorable defeat.

Spain comes next with six foreign wars, tho first in Morocco in 1 Ssl> and the last with the Hinted States in 1898. Austria, Greece, and Italy have four campaigns each. Germany has the same number, in each of which she was successful; and little Denmark brings up the rear with two. Both conflicts were with Prussia, and in both the bigger nation won. The map of the world has been greatly altered since the Queen ascended the throne, and on the whole Britain has no reason to regret these changes, for they almost invariably meant expansion of Empire for us. The price of Empire has often been dear, but our gallant sailors and soldiers have never grudged paying it in full.