ADVANTAGES OF A WAR WITH ENGLAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IV, Issue 179, 2 August 1869, Page 3

ADVANTAGES OF A WAR WITH ENGLAND.

o (From the New York Herald.') . Talking of the advantages of a war with England might astonish such timid old fogies as our Secretary of State, Mr. Fisb, and men of the same narrow-minded views; but ■with all the horrors and cost of such a conflict there can be no doubt tlie result would be of advantage to the Uuited States. It would put, all our shipyards, workshops and manufactories in full operation ; vessels of every description would spring into life as if by magic ; the ocean would soon be covered with Alabamas of the most formidable character ; British ships and commerce would be swept from every sea, and in the end this country would become the first maritime nation in the world. As to war vessels, monitors, and all the other terrible naval engines of modern warfare, we could construct them more rapidly then the Monitor which fought the Merrimac was built, which only took a few weeks to prepare for the greatest naval fight in history. This country is comparaatively invulnerable to British armies or fleets, and a war would leave us in the position England was in after she destroyed the Spanish Armada and the fleeet of Holland, the first naval and maritime nation on the globe. We say nothing of the British possessions in America, which must necessarily be lost to England and become a part of this republic, nor of the thousand millions of American bonds and securities held in that county, which would be rendered valueless. We look only at the question as affecting our shipping interests and manufactories. But there is no reason to believe England would go to war, with the United States." She is too wise for that. Still, war or no war, it is absurd, cowardly, and an insult to the American^ people to talk of fearing such an event. Any public man who gives expression to fear, as Mr. Secretary Fish has, ought to be kicked out of office without a moment's hesitation.

How Superficial observers and ■flippant writers, like Mr. "Wentworth Dilke, get up the materials for a book about Australia, is very well described by the Sydney Morning Herald which says :-"-" A stranger drops down at Hobart Town, passes rapidly across the country, forms his estimate of the people and their tastes, looks into the public institutions — crosses to Victoria — runs over the gold fields, visits the Legislature, the police offices, the ports, and then deigns to visit Port Jackson. He scans the aspect of George-street — moves along without a pause through the populous districts, and goes home to England and writes a book ! If he told what he really saw, he . would have little indeed to tell. But meanwhile he has picked up in various quarters anecdotes — sometimes,- no doubt, misstated, but often ill-remembered.. These are embellished by a florid pen, and so served up in a volume, printed in pica, with a broad margin. If the book bears a name some what' notorious, nnd is 'brought out; by* publishers of influence^ an. edition is sboxi woi-kecl off. The most sinking passages ■'■ are A extracted by the reviews, and so it goes through the country repeat-

ing old scandals and inventing new ones ! It is really pitiable to find men professing to give an account of colonial life, running off with such absurdities, and pretending at a glance to estimate men and things of which nothing but a long acquaintance could enable them to judge." "I am willing to split hnirs with my opponent all day if he insists on it," said a very distinguished American lawyer, in a speech at the bar. " Split, that, then," said the opponent, pulling a coarse specimen from his own head, and extending it. " May it please the court, I didn't say bristles." Old Sir Peter Pole, the banker, used to exact an excuse of his clerks whenever they arrived late. Oue morning a married clerk, being behind time, was promptly interrogated as to the cause. Slightly embarrassed, he replied, "The truth is, sir I had an addition to my family this morning, and it was not convenient to be here sooner." " Very well," slid Pole, in his fidgety, nervous manuer, " very well ; but don't do it again " A Traveller inquired" of a guide the reason why " echo " was always spoken of as a "she," and was informed that it was because it always had the last word.