AN AMERICAN VIEW OF ENGLAND'S POWER.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 937, 25 June 1878, Page 2

AN AMERICAN VIEW OF ENGLAND'S POWER.

The following- remarkable article is from tbe ' Philadelphia Express,' aa American journal of wide circulation and considerable influence :— It appears to be the disposition of the nationalities of Europe to uuderrate the power of Great Britain, and to regard her as too weak to exercise any potential influence m the settlement of the Busso-Turkish question, 'She has ouly about thirty or forty millions of people,' they say, ' and she is moreover a nation of shopkeepers, and averse to any warlike pursuits. True, she is necessarily great upon the sea, for her geographical position**, compels her, as an island, to keep a large navy, as does also the magni tude of her commercial interests. But on laud, on the continent of Europe, opposed to the gigantic and victorious power of Russia alone, she would be unable to hold her ground, 'much less against the veteran armies of all Southern Europe. Those who thus reason greatly en- m their estimate of England, her people, and her power. The shopkeepers of her marts are very plucky shopkeeper?. They have m their veins the blood of the veterans of William the Conqueror, and of the bold knights and men-at-arms who followed the standard of Bichard of the Lion Heart. Bouse that blood once by insulting the British, and see whether they will fight ! How long would it be, think ye, before the yaru-stick would be exchanged for the rifle — the scissors for the sword? John Bull may be sleepy, but he is not dead ; and the English, though loving the peaceful pursuits of commerce, because of tho gain they bring, are yet a fighting nation, who will cjuibat, and that too with the grit and stubbornness of their own bull-dogs, if once they go at it. '.the disinclination of the people of England to go to war does not proceed from any degree of fear. He greatly mistakes who-. thinks thus. It is the high Christian enlightenment of that people, not fear, that makes them averse to an appeal to the sword, and all its attending horrors and practical opposition to the teachings of the Saviour. But touch the national honour, threaten the trade interests, or insult the flag of Old England, and the Lion will shake his shaggy mane, arouse from his lair, and shake the world with, his roar, as, less than a century ago, when he stood alone, defiant and victorious against the tremendous power of Buonoparte, when all the nations of Jim-ope cowered beneath the armed heel of the Corsican. Think? you that the power of Britain lies only m her little sea •virt island? Think you that because her standing army is small compared with those of Europe, that she has no soldiers 1 Let but the trumpet of battle sound and, as m our own war times it was proven, a million of brave volunteers would, (lock to the standard of St. George, to give, for the honor and defence of their country (not for the paltry hire of a mercenary or despot's slave), thoiv blood, their lives, all for the eau.se of thdr native land. Let lUi-sia throw down the gauntlet! What thent Why, then, not only from the British Isles and provinces, but from India also, would rush the hosts of war. [From the twenty-five million of her Indian subjects who hold the faith of Mahomet, would spring to action hosts; of fanatic Mussulmaus, who should England raise the ' Standard of the Prophet,' would spring with eager will to the defence of the ' City of. the Faithful.' Then, backed by England's enormous wealth ; supplied with England's terrible war engines ; backed by England's matchless soldiery, they would rally round the walls of Constantinople, revive the hopes of the Sultan and the Porte, and bring the invading Muscovite face to face with a power that would tax his utmost strength, even though backed by the half of Europe, m a fearful, pi'otracted and tremendous conflict: with Asia, backed by the AngloSaxon race of England, and the mightiest navy of the world.