Poor Old England.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 130, 26 February 1887, Page 6

Poor Old England.

Our Berl'n correspondent, in hie telegram yesterday, retcrred to the woik of Major Otto Wachs on "The Position held by England axong the Nations of the World,' considered from military and politic il points of view, especially with regard to llu&hia. and described it as " written in a decidedly friendly but critical tone." A perusal of the brochiue confirms this description. Major Wachs eurvejs the world further than from China to Peru ; he discovers that the British Empire includes almost all that part of the earth's surface worth having in the shape of colonies, but that the means or Great Britain to defend her unique Empire by no means correspond to its greatness. Time waa, he says. when tho proud song, *' Rulo,Britannia,o'er the -waves " thundered on every breeze, buthemoietban intimates that unless we are aroused to our danger that time i? gone by. When a learned Germpn critic misquotes even our national song, things must indeed be in a bad state somewhere Seriously he inclines to tho view that the British Empire at pre sent is in its vast extent, " Length without strength." " Let me have command of the English Channel for six days, and on the fifth I will be in London," eaid Napoleon. ♦' Thank God," says the writer. " we ore far from that result, and. for the sake of Europe and tho world, may it never happen ; but the careful observer cannot close his oyes to dangers that threaten Britain's supremacy. So far aa this rests in her geographical position no Power on earth can shake it, but thero are other forces of tho greatest moment, on which tho strength of England rests. Are her people the same as of old ? Is the mother country prepared against all eventualities ? Is the possession of her colonies safe, and can she maintain unbroken the connection with the colonies ?" Commencing with the second question, our critic pronounces the English coast and harbour defences inadequate— "judged by the Gorman conception of what is required"— remarking that the eye seeks in vain at the wide estuaries of the Clyde, the X umber, the Tyne, the Bristol Channel, for military positions, excepting the Mersey, which is covered by the Seaforth battery, with seven heavy guna. As to our artillery, the ccrps stationed in England would not sufllce to servo the 940 heavy and 1,5*20 lighter guns, and it is very doubtful if the Woolwich factory is iteelf what is required. In regard to hea^y guns generally the author assert* -what Lord Bragsey ir. his "Naval Annual" does not concede— that in range, penetration, precision, and facility ofloading.both the German andFrench artillery are superior. France, on the other hand, has executed wonderfully strong work around her coast, particularly on the English Channel, and u how dangerously near Franco is to the British Islands is shown by the following farts : Steamers can cro?-? from Calais to Dover iL one and a half hours, from Boulogne in two and a half. from Havre in 12, from Cherbourg in 1G hours. The embarkation of troops and artillery can now bo effected in the sb'orte*t possible intenal, and on the largest scale, co that the English coast, v hich on the evening of any day saw not a mast, irny next day cH-cover a hostile fleer at anchor, and buby landing its trcops." In succession the author r.e-'.t examines the position in regard to our distant colonio=, our harbour? in the Atlantic, the situation as affected by the Panama Canal— about which he prophe-ies a eoverer struggle than has been occasioned by the Suoz Canal, "and the list word with regard to it has not yet been spoken"— the Meditenancan, and the Indian Ocean. Everywhere the writer sees England's po*er threatened, her def«nces and preparations inmihcient. In Central Atb. hi appeaiv to think Gieat Britain -ho.: Id have a^vaaced to drive out Russia, ardhe h'jld? an " delusive the hope that Afchanfctan can pervo a a a bulwtui: for Ir.uia.'" The strategic positions now are <;hu,;ni and Khendahar, a hich are for Hindostan what Met*: and Straeburg are for Germany." Meanwhile, 'f the Bolan Pnes, the Rubition of India's future, bo fortified according to the rules of defensive scsencp, and Pe&hawur raised to a tir«t-cld?» miiitai j position, the Russians \ul' be absolutely unable in that direction to niaWc their way into India through some of the lo f &eH and moat difficult passes in the world. On the other hand, England must not wait for Russia to appear iv the Indies With regard to the British Q^ot Major \YachB consider* that its relative p-iwcr has been weakened by thedevelopmentuf thercaritime power of other nations, by tliG introduction of torpedoes, ami by the complete change in the conditions of naval •warfaro. The old skill and daring ot tho British tara will not avail now that ovst j thing is scientific and men-of-vva- are huge machine?. He points to the reront dcclai ations of French admirals and Ministers to show thuc they aro straining every nerve h order to be equal to Great Britain on the seas. But if the?e are possible au-. compira tive defect?" of the fleet, the ruin*, i* iiiiic 1:lously in(>utrcient. Its number:? aam.e 'n. '11, and tho technical training «>t it* office-'-far below the German ideal Ir> tho Albi.n of to day, the writer a-ke, the Albion ot Crecy, Aginonnrt, Trafalg.v, Ml'M 1 ' AbouUir? —the same Britain a3 that whic i a-iain&t tho invincible Asn.ada pre*erv ; d i> own r tm] Europe's reiiaious liberty? -th- 1 i-ame Lnjrland a^ thar iv which at tlji* b^^lnnir^j; of theoentmyl rcedom found lioi l).-r rof-ure V Is the nation the same as that v. in to " lio\i Duko'" joinoa in brothorhoua oE -mir.Miit'; Marshal \"crv.art? at WateHc.^, aud thotin.il and annihilatinf^ 'oiiw ii ths French conqi'eroi '! Major V.')",^ 07-in^ that tho n,ation it the fame, but Ih unwiluno; to make the sacrifice which tho timi^ tie tnand. When England reali-es tne consciout-ness that .she muet arm like the rest of Europe, then she will have- nothing to fear in Europe or in Aw)-. At a tima when Kussia and France are caeting Mephi=topbelian glances at each other, Oeimany muet wish that England r-hould " ever. at the eleventh hour — fcr ho ttv. elfth is at hand — £Qt her hou u o ia order.' 1 *'one does not need to ho a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, to r«ee the handwriting on the wall." "The high tide of Penslaviarn threatens Eo^and. fiwt, but in tho day ot need Germany vilf not hoar in vain the alarm-bell. When all otbor hanri* ape loosed tho3e of blood will remain." This note of danger from Ruwia pervades Major Wachs's work, and he quito admits that it would require sharp eyes and a benevolent disposition to find evidence of goodwill to Germans 7 in B/issi'i. He parts with h'l3 readers in hope that Eugland and Germany may be firm allies— a hope in which many will concur who do not quite accept the author's view? as to Britain** " military and naval rctrength.' — IFrom tho London '♦Daily Telegraph," December Ist.

It ib Baid of A, McClure, tho witty orthodox parson of Maiden Church, because he read trom the pulpit a notice for ix meeting of the ladies exclusively in tho veetry, thus:—" On Wedneeday afternoon all the old hens in this congregation will meet for the purpose of a general cackle ; no rooster will to admitted,"