IMPERIALISM.

Kumara Times, Issue 841, 11 June 1879, Page 4

IMPERIALISM.

In an article on Imperialism and the forces required to carry it out, the Spec tator says:—Where are the men for it all! We are not just now condemning the Government for all these wars, though they are the natural fruit of its ideas, but for the inconsistency between their policy and their preparations. They have decided upon what the Americans, with their racy, depreciatory humor, call the “ wave-the-banner policy,” or what they themselves call “ the policy of Empire,” and the country has either supported them or condoned their action; but that policy, even it is right and if it is popular, requires to be supported by sonfe material preparations, and where ate they ? A threat to Russia means a possible occasion for the employment of an army of 50,000 men. Is it ready 1 Let the scramble to get together reinforcements for South Africa give the sufficient reply, Onr army is so insufficient for European war fare that on the first alarm we are com polled to call out our reserves, yet we are exhausting this army by wars in every corner of the world. We have already 8000 Europeans in Afghanistan, dying or invaliding very rapidly, though not much injured by the enemy; we shall have directly 15,000 in Zululand, engaged in a serious campaign ; Burmah occupies now 2500, and if we are to annex Ava or chastise Ava, will require at least 5000 more. Well, have we added those 30,560 men to our disposable fore 1 Have we added 10,000 ? Have we added 1000 1 On the contrary, we have reduced the estimates : for the navy, and we have not added a man to the strength of the European army, and we are, for fighting purposes, except as regards stores, precisely where we were seven years ago, with this single difference—that we have disgusted our landwehr, the reserves, by calling them out, and then sending them back beggared, but unemployed. Indeed but for the Zulu incident, 4000 men would have been struck from the strength of the active army. Grant that this parsimonious care is wise, the countiy being in distress, and what are we to say of Imperialism ; Grant that Imperialism is wise, and what are we to say of the want of preparation ? It is the boast of the Tories that, unlike the Liberals, they are patriots, that they are ready to maintain British interests everywhere, that they “do not shrink from the sacrifices demanded by an Imperial position but how do they fulfil their lofty promises ? By pledging, or allowing the country to be pledged, to endless enterprise, without making the smallest effort to increase its immediately available strength. The Liberals, it used to be said, though the saying was untrue, cut down the navy and starved the army ; but then, at least, the Liberals were consistent, and avoided occasions which might compel them to display a strength they did not possess. If they cut down the navy they avoided expeditions; and if they starved the army, they brought home every regiment not imperatively required for Indian or colonial garrisons. It was reserved for this Government so to manage that it had at once a quarrel with a great Power, two little but serious wars on hand, a third obviously probable and dependent on the discretion of a boy barbarian, with a reduced navy and an army not increased by a single regiment, or brought, for the regiments which exist, up to the standard of active service. We are to browbeat Russia, bully Bulgaria, coerce Afghanis tan, conquer Zululand, and probably annex Burmah, without additions to the army, and with reductions in the fleet. And the only defence is that the Government has neither foresight nor power of making itself obeyed ; that it did not intend the Afghan war to be more than an expedition, that the Zulu war was begun without orders, and that it never contemplated difficulties with the Burmese King. We ask sensible men of both parties whether this is is not the “Government by blind-man’s buff,” of which Carlyle speaks, and which ends in the “ general overturn.”

Another phase in the Maori war is reported. A gentleman, who has just returned from the scene of the Taranaki disturbances to Wellington, informs the Chronicle that Te Whitn in sending bis followers to plough up the lands of the European settlers, is acting unde- the advice of Mr George Higinbotham, Q.G., the great Victorian lawyer, who has given it as his opinion that the lands have never been legally confiscated. Tb s is an entirely new aspect in the s ate of afMrs, and it would be a strange thing after all if the Maoris, through some blunder on the part of the Crown, should have legal right on their side. In this case Te Whiti instead of being looked upon as a fanatical prophet would rank among the most farseeing shrewd men of the present day. At the annual licensing meeting at Westport petitions were presented from a number fof the inhabitants, and from the Good Templars, in favor of reducing the number of public-houses, one of the petitions stating that in the town of Westport there were 14 licensed houses to a population of 500. or one house to every 36 adults. The Chairman (Mr Broad, R.M.) admitted that the number was too great for the population, bn sail that so long as they were re*pe tably conducted. the Bench would not refuse any of the houses at present licensed. The Jnst-in-Time Company, Reefton, com menced crushing on Thursday, and the battery is likely to be employed for months. The show of stone is considered favorable. The survey of the railway from Westport to Reefton will be commenced this momh ; at least, so says Mr O’Connor in reply to a telegram from Mr Henry, M.H.B. The Pirate brought a nice little cargo from Auckland to this port on Thursday,consisting of 400 cases of kerosene and 520 kegs of blasting powder, quite sufficient, if a fire had broken out in her before she was discharged, to lay Greymouth in ruins.