THE POLICY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 722, 11 October 1870, Page 2

THE POLICY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

A writer in the " London Fortnightly Eeview" referring to the position of Poland, and to what should have been the policy of England in connection with its dismemberment, says:—" But even if England had been alive to the iniquity of this celebrated transaction, it is contended that she could not have resisted it without running counter to the whole tenor of her foreign policy, which was to humor Eussia and Austria, and stand aloof from France and Spain. But the Tory party, which waa then in power, ought to have known better. They ought to have known that the French alliance was their traditional policy. And in allying herself with France to resist the encroachment of Eussia, England would only have been doing for a Christian power what, eighty years later, she was obliged to do for a Mahometan. Lord North, we say, should not have allowed himself to be frightened by the Bourbon bugbear. But in this case, as in many others, it is only too probable that he gave way to the predilections of the King, in whoso eyes, to fight side by side with the French against any German Power whatever, would have seemed downright impiety. It may be that the kingdom of Poland fell, because it deserved to fall. Turkey would have fallen, too, but for the timely assistance which was rendered; yet she has now recovered a position, regained her strength, and seems capable of performing the most important services to Europe. A powerful kingdom of Poland, re-established by the joint efforts of England, France, and Turkey, might have done the same; and would certainly have relieved us of the whole burden of the Eastern question.

To have based the protection of Poland od these grounds would, we are aware, have bespoken a degree of foresight which no English minister of the day was likely to possess. But the consideration of what might have happened in this case should teach us the wisdom of doing right, even when we don't see any immediate material gain from it, in the hope that this will follow in its due time and place."