MILITARY COMMOTION, ETC., IN ENGLAND.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 250, 27 July 1872, Page 3

MILITARY COMMOTION, ETC., IN ENGLAND.

An old New Zealand colonist writing from Wales by the mail just to hand, says : “ It seems strange to me that no one lias remarked in the papers the great activity now prevailing among all connected with military departments in this country. Even in our remote locality of Wales the villages are over-nm with militia, regulars, and Volunteers, all so much like one another that, to use a vulgar expiession, you can scarcely tell 1 t’other from which.’ Whether these are merely preparations in case of external aggression, or whether this activity U«s..inanifested itself hi consequence of the jealousy now felt in this country at the growing power of the Gorman Empire is perhaps doubtful. I am of opinion that it has been induced by a feeling of inferiority super-induced by the high tone of authority assumed by Prussia ; a tone which now manifests itself almost insultingly in all our negotiations with that country. I certainly do not consider'that it isi anywise the result of the Alabama difficulty, which, if Grant remains in power, will assuredly be satisfactorily settled. This has been the wetest winter and spring that have occurred here for a period of over 20 years. The farmers arts all complaining of their grain crops, and to make matters worse, last Saturday (May 18) .there was a very heavy fall of hail and snow followed by a severe frost/whuii has almost ruined , the potatoes in this district. Too much of one good tiling (particularly when it is wet) is considerably worse than the feasts at Mauku and Pukekolie, and the tiials that old colonials undergo in the ordeal of being rc-acclimatisrd are far preferable iu imagination than in reality. It is therefore no wonder that those:who have been long accustomed to the pleasant climate of your charming province should feel the re-action produced on the mind by a long continuance of heavy, dull, misty, showery, thundery, snowy, sleety, and regular knock-down weather. It is my intention to return to Auckland early next year.”— Cross.