STORIES OF WATERLOO.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 24, 26 March 1915, Page 4 (Supplement)

STORIES OF WATERLOO.

NEWS FROM THE FIiONT IN ISIS

In a time of stress such as the present it is curiously interesting to try to estimate what was the state of the public mind during past crises that called for all the fortitude of whuii our nation was capable. Since times newspapers have altered alriy>«; a? much as have means of locomotion, but the sheets of a hundred years ago even as those of to-day, give the readiest reflection of the temper of -he country in those stirring times. The "British Mercury" or "VVediisday Evening Post," as produced in Fleet-street a century since, may fall far short of the modern sub-editor's ideal of what a paper should be. invents o: world-shaking importance were reported and discussed under insignificant single headlines; first descriptions of the battle of Waterloo were so modestly introduced that they were in danger of being overlooked altogether. Journalists in those days were innocent of the art of "splashing" news. While Belgium was resounding with the marching of armies and Napoleon was making his last tremendous effort to repair his fortunes, the " British Mercury" calmly printed letters of inordinate length on general subjects, gave its customarily genteel critiques of theatres and pictures, and printed columns of not indubitably deathless verse.

FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE BATTLE

A closer scrutiny of the newspaper, however, reveals the intense feeling with which the deepening combat on the Continent was followed in Britain. But journalistic comment expresses a distinct note of confidence in the eventual success of the Allies. On June 14, 1815, four days before the battle of Waterloo, the' "British Mercury" observes :

The French army will, we apprehend, present a very formidable front, but it will be opposed by one of the finest armies in Europe, commanded by abje, experienced, and victorious commanders, in whom the troops have the greatest possible confidence. Bonaparte will command the French army of the north in person, and the conflict, which is expected daily to commence, no doubt will be tremendous.

The patient readers of the newspapers found in its issue of June 21—three days after Waterloo was fought—brief unofficial reports which carried them no further than the fierce though minor engagements immediately preceding the decisive battle. Official confirmation was still lacking, although the "British Mercury" had "waited till the latest period with the most anxious solicitude, in the hope of obtaining some official document to alleviate the natural anxiety of the public at a crisis so awful and momentous."

NAPOLEON'S FAILURE. The "Mercury's" "Postscript" could, however, state: — Although no Extraordinary Gazette has yet been published, it affords us some satisfaction to know, by two gentlemen (Mr. Fitzgerald, of Kerry, and the Hon. J. Butler) who arrived in town last night from Brussels, which they left on Sunday, that with some trivial exceptions the accounts in the Brussels papers are perfectly accurate. It seems that this first attack of Bonaparte has wholly failed of its object, as he did not. separate the English and Prussians, as was obviously his design. The battle was a most sanguinary one, as will be seen by the extracts we have given. The Duke of Wellington and General Blucher are exerting themselves to

concentrate their force, and they have retreated and taken up a defensive movement at Waterloo. This movement is considered advantageous, and Lord Castlereagh, in the course of conversation last night at the Opera, observed that the result of this sanguinary conflict had been glorious to the British arms.

In its next issue, that of June 28, 1815, the paper has these reflections on Bonaparte, whose overthrow was now definitely known : What his feelings may be now, what tbe bitterness of bleeding pride, and slow remorse, and furious shame may summon like phantoms round the closing hours of that God-aban-doned heart, we must not pain ourselves by the conjecture. But his plume is torn —the bird of prey can ravage and pollute no more —the hunter has come upon him, the arrow has found him in bis flight, and his fall

shall be rapid, precipitous, and final

Let us hope that similar words will be used about another great adventurer before tbe centenary year of Waterloo has run its course. A.H.

HOW LONG WILL THE COPPER SUPPLY LAST?

Since the commencement of the twentieth century eight million tons of copper have been extracted from the'; ores,

raid have been consumed in the chief manufacturing countries of the world. The value of this metal, at an average price of £6O per ton for the whole period, is £4SO,000,()00, or nearly twothirds the National Debt. Mr. John B. ('. Kershaw, writing in "Engineering,"' wants to konw: How long can the earth continue to supply this 1 enorni- ■> it amount of copper, or to keep pace with the increasingly rapid growth in the demand for the red metal? It would '•••rtainly seem probable thai within the lifetime of most of the readers of this note—or within the uext twenty years

the "known "ore reserves ( ,f the existing mines will bo worked out, and that unless ore deposits of vas-t extent are discovered, copper will become one of the rare and more costly metals before half the century is passed away. However, by that time some other meUil or alloy will have been found to serve eoually well the purposes for U'hleli copper is now used, and the distirbance and inconvenience caused by the rise in the price of copper in the marine and electrical industries, will be reduced to a minimum by the change from copper to some oilier metal. Will i his irteial be -dominium °