BIG ‘IF'S’ IN HISTORY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 17756, 3 January 1920, Page 3

BIG ‘IF'S’ IN HISTORY.

One would have said that the most momentous event of 1789 was the fall ot the Bastille. Yet on a summer day ol the same year a young artillery officer .bathing in the Saone, was seized with cramp and nearly drowned. If he had been drowned, Napoleon Bonaparte would never have added a single line to the history of Europe. It is believed that Oliver Cromwell was. on the quay to depart from les native England when he was detained by the soldiers of King Charles. If it is true, then the king must have regretted i’. later. But if Cromwell had gone! In that case it is quite likely that Charles would have won the Civil War, and that his House would still be in possession of the British throne. The fate of India was decided at Plassey. Sr.rajah Dowlah had an arntv of 60.000 and Clive one of 3,000. He railed a. council of war which sail “Don’t.” Clive pondered for an hour, and decided to reject the advice of the council. With a loss of twenty-two killed an.l fifty wounded, Clive scattered the 60.000. But if he had been a reasonable, sensible man, and taken good advice, India would nor. now be British. Canada became British when Quebec fell, but if Wolfe had not encountered a man who knew the way up the cliffs from the river. Canada would, in all probability, have mainej French to this day. and the whole history of North America would have been different. It is possible, indeed, that there would have been no United States! Great Britain nearly lost the tremendous start which the invention of Hie locomotive gave her in the world’s trade. George Stephenson at one time struck a had patch. His wife died and left him an infant son. th? son who later on built the NorthWestern and half the trunk lines of Britain. His old father met with an accident which deprived him of his sight vbilst George himself was drawn tor the Militia .and bad to find a substtiute, or pay a big sum—for him. In his despair he would have emigrated to America, but he could not raise, in’s nassage-money . So he stayed in the old country .where great triumphs and much prosperity awaited him.