| Show CURRENT TOPICS IN EUROPE the scramble ble for africa lord boord mayors day in london salis burys speech Englan englander glands En dEf army new french coins Boul Bou angera langers bluster austrian reform Bis marcks burdens rosalan Ry salan rant lately the news from africa has not been of a very reassuring nature and it really looks as it the scramble for africa was going to have unfortunate results for the powers interested the italian occupation of Maa Masso has beep been costly both in blood and mon money the belgian congo free states have e an expend expenditure out 0 ol 01 proportion with the returns and now ihbe latest german enterprise has bas had bad a Re defeat it is true that the ger african company was only a private t ii undertaking but the encourage ment and support given to it by the government were each bach that the power oj of the german empire in africa has ha been shaken by the defeat the immensity of the african continent aud and the difficulty ot ol coping copies 11 with the slave traffic render useless the isolated attempts of the iti individual powers to bring about an improvement in the situation ita great european federation for the civilization of africa were formed and the work undertaken in a broad spirit of bu humanity manity and not on a narrow commercial basis in which the old influence of et rum occupies a first place the effect would soon be visible vistale vi siele stale true a policy of common action has been agreed upon between germany and russia on the east african coast but this agreement is limited to naval ac tion by blockade or to prevent the transportation ot of slaves the bomen boersen says the fiasco of the german east african company can no longer be disguised and it is feared this fiasco will have a fatal influence on the proposed expedition tor the relief of emin brain pasha on the other hand a d if the present system of filibustering ter I 1 expeditions prompted by b international ter rivalries is continues continued th the subjection of africa will be tae work of decades perhaps of centuries and will be accomplished by brutalities discredit discreditable ablie to the age such methods were practiced by the spaniards in america three hundred undred la years ago lid and with the worst possible results but with such men as livingstone speke burton gordon and acid stanley we should shoal a not despair of success toe lord mayors procession in loudon london this year was quite a changed affair from f orn the pomp and page anity auty of former forme Nimes siimes but it if the money so 80 saved can be devoted to better purposes we may be sure that everyone will forgive loid lord mayor whitehead for his bis deter doe mineer breach of a time honor fid precedent pree it was feared that the new policy would provoke impatience from the populace but it was not so the day was characteristically gloomy the rain kept off but buc the air was bleak aud laden with damp and the streets were dirty over and over again 0 the sun gun wea tried to break through gain the leaden clouds and once or twice tice succeeded but eventually confirmed dullness settled down some good natured people attempted to add a little amusement to the crowd by tossing toast dg copiers cop and even AC of silver il v e i into n th the e g street t a as e a k dmd ad edof of easa charity r i ty t to e tobe the p poor oo 00 r treed and h half a ll 11 famished ones that stood there shivering what a curious assembly it was waa an upheaval as it all that wee most moat forlorn and woebegone woe young men la in old mens coats lads lade in grandfathers clothing down at heels beels unkempt and aad mud stained A little more dirt a trifle more untidiness tidiness could make very slight alight difference the road way covered over with A thin coating of greasy mud was as a slippery it apery as ice and they thought it fun to see eee the street boys anil and men tor for the matter of that dart across to catch the descending cop copper er or to scramble for or it in the r bably filthy kennel A youth would rush forward at highest speed and fall ignominiously on the ait ol of his back amidst the roar of the our surrounding multitude the crowd that had bad issued from courts and alleys and frowsy drowsy neighborhoods showed tio how willing they are to be amused in the evening there was a banquet at which the prime Kini minister stet lord salisbury made a speech sad and seldom has it happened jeaan a sa minister inister could speak of the policy and general condition of his country antry with greater satisfaction upon the great and main question peace or war in europe talat anat throws its pall over par gar cent century cen ry his words w were ere I 1 W aad d 1 toe the five g were at 1 I the continent mainwal maintal resent twelve millions of men mea wi r arms and the colli collision elon of such euca implies nowadays not merely th test but bat the annihilation of the vanquished they most of all understand how bow terrible a thing war has grown to be in this age when science the resources of chemistry metallurgy and of engineering to arm to tile teeth the countless torn from industry and home life to fill the barrack aad the drill ground well might the minister confess that thai increased armaments are nece frary far the fare dare natt sait elty ty of the brition empire it is evident that great britain stands imperatively in needom need of a strong army well equipped and well co commanded ra does it possess thle thin let fie consider consides con a few abw ot of the most ellent facts to begin with the system of voluntary enlistment at mateli in theor appet irn verj ui caf in practice answers very badly the lowest or orders sl el men can be persuaded to join ana these only th through roOkh the thet employment ol of numerous recruiting sergeants sergeant ta who dressed out in the most brilliant uniforms ply their trade of decoys with ith but sea scanty a t success edw such refuse ol 01 the streets et enlisted w it an utter ter indifference as to physique and general SU suitability It ability cannot ni naturally make mak a the oest best soldiers t the population could coald farish and the deception that th t awaits 1 t 8 tte them in the stern realities 0 of t b barrack c k lile life causes caus esthe the number of deserters each year to be very large english officers on the other hand band are a very fine class of men supplied as a rule from the me highest ranks ol of society they possess abundant t courage it being a point of hi honor with h them to stand in an all the exposed positions while their men lie audi shelter but of military science flavo next to none it is a social distl distinction option to be an officer in an english army and such a man is 16 Ate literally laterally rally beset ged with invitations invitation 8 to haner ue r 11 garden parties bails etc but boat regrettable of all to is we the intemperance prevailing among english officers as a class every reader must have noticed the frequency with which the Sou Soo danese surprised the english expeditions in ia the desert A sergeant who fought all through toe ill fated cam and earned tho the victoria cross tor for his gallantry told the writer that on several faDS when the camp was attacked at night every officer was drunk another instance of the same sort was the threatened mutiny of the officers when sir garnet Wel wolseley seley inaugurated his command in Za Zulu luland tand by stopping the brandy drinking which thud bad probably bi killed wore more cear and p privates than had bad ulus themselves thus in recruitment in organization and in soldierly habits the english I 1 0 lot army is alarmingly defective what at then would be the role ro e of england in a future war one of the principal topics of conversation verEa tion in paris is concerning the new french coins coine the administrators of the french mint have haie decided to dethrone the copper sous that have so long reigned supreme and worn out so many pockets since caesar captured gaul nickel will soon replace copper and the model of the coin that at present is most favored government ern ment as well as by the most prominent bankers and merchants is a small nickel piece witti with a hole bole in it the only objection to nickel Is that it is easily mistaken mi tor for silver but the authorities at the mint propose to obviate this by having a hole la in the mid dle die of the coin which coin can belelo readily even with the gloved hand band then again the economy to the preach french government will be about two millions of francs a year a sum equal to about fo four U r hundred thousand dollars moreover the abe work of counting and handling money especially ally in offices railway cars toll gates theartres theatres the atres counting rooms etc will be greatly simplified for the coins of various values can be strung on wires or little spikes ant and counted or carried carried about with the greatest ease gen Bou langers latest addition to his oratorical efforts throws no light on the rese at political situation like moo most of his speeches etries it was full of inflated phrases and rounded periods which when reduced to the level of common sense mean kotbin nothing g at all abe reiteration of the well worn try ry revision and dissolution has lost allm all novelty ovelty after the gener general al elections next year an attempt to te revise the constitution will no doubt doub be made but with the chambre de deputies as at present bevla IOU ion would be out of the question during thelast the last eighteen yeara eaas ao 80 many any ministers even 4 wun with less les influence than ga ao Ul atimer possesses have had their a short b aft period ot of supremacy that it would be rash to r as ay y that he will not attain his object but if experience points to his pow pou bible success it still more strongly to his seedy I 1 all ner her conservatism Is 1 atlant at last making progress toward CC cal freedom count the austrian premier who he has hitherto main himself in power bv a strong coalition of the catholic bohemians Bohem ians poles foleo and german ultra arra is likely to encounter a tomi formidable dable op position in the austrian parliament through the influence 7 ot of herr von mon and other liberals a fusion hm has been brought about of the different liberal groups and under the dewor new or berof things we way may expect a little more mere social and religious liberty even austrian is losing its hold upon the masses por for some time past there have been rumors current adient the resignation of prince bismarck and the silence of the german official press in im this thin regard is very significant the formidable iga to prince Bis marcks policy has been b by no means weakened by us cent deve developments 0 prents As a rule great statesmen never resign unless forced to do so go and in two notable instances that qt ot M balers and mr gladstone gladston the world has seen statesmen who used threats of ef resignation simply as a a means of silencing opposition to their schemes there are some who say that prince bismarck is inclined to work with the same weapons but bat it in nevertheless true that the idea of his ais resignation ties has produced consternation even coven in paris le partie saye it is easy to be comprehended that mat the proposed change cannot be regarded by prance france sitoa indifference the state of germany has brencon been considerably sider ably modified since the death of the emperor william 1 I this is 18 scarce ly ay the moment lor for prince bismarck to withdraw his hand from the helm of the empire the work to be doue done 6 exceedingly a arduous and up to this time e his probable successor count herbert erbert von bismarck has given so BO proof prod of his bis fathers fathera ap aptitude tude in affairs bairs lofstate of state 11 gen gourka gourko the commander in chief of the russian bussian force in role poland ad has lust loot been makine a warlike speech at a banquet in warsaw he said we are told that the situation to is pacific yet the russian army must be pre prepared for war public opinion is against us the army of russia Is IH laughed at nevertheless within 24 hours bours we could cross croes the frontier and show the world that we know the road to berlin and vienna in russia where military discipline is severiand severe govere and ead the press under strict censorship ouch words coming from a dign military officer possess a peculiar significance some of the wise ones are shaking beads and asking what has happened bapp ened to cause russia to suddenly menace her neigh neighbors borsI 3 II 11 W europe nov 19 1888 1889 |
