A RETROSPECT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1166, 29 July 1885, Page 4

A RETROSPECT.

("Pall Mall Gazette.")

It is worth while at this moment, whon so many demented ones are indulging in grotesque visions as to what thoy aro going to do with the marvellous victories which they promise themselves they are about to gain over Russia, to remind them that all these dreams were dreamed before — and falsified. In 1854 pooplo talked tho same nonsense as some of thefr heirs are now ; talking about arranging for the dismemberment and destruction of the Russian Empire. We had France, Turkey, and Italy as allies then, and what did we do? In the field we were victorious, but we utterly failed to secure any of the results the hope of which, lured our hot-heads into the war. As it has been, so it will be; Success in a war seldom has secured England the objects for which she set out. We were viotorieus in the Bayuda Desert, but we did not relieve Gordon; we have smashed Osman Digna, but we are not going to open the road to Berber; we crushed Arabi with ease, but Alexandria and Tel-el-"Kebir have neither made us supreme in Kgypti nor restored Egypt to the Egyptians. In the- Transvaal we massed sufficient troops to crush the Boers, without effect. We won every battle but one in Afghanistan, and were further from our object, when we ended than when we began. As it has been, so will be. If we are mad enough to pick a quarrel about a straw on the other side of Afghanistan, we may or may not win battles, but we shall utterly fail to secure any of the results promised us by those who are now hounding the Government into the fray.

It is stated that teetotal principles are in the ascendant. And yet M'Gooaley | hears that in the city, even the money is tudit, tho very water gets drunk, that ships on the ocean are often half S3as over, and that even when dead, and not screwed _down, most people require theic bier. A beau ideal.— -Cupid.