Current Topics

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 30, 16 November 1888, Page 1

Current Topics

AT HOME AND ABROAD.

THE NEW GOVERNOB OF QTTEEK BLAND.

The appointment just announced of Mr. Henry Elake to the Governorship of Queensland is one against which all Irish colonists have a right to protest. All the claim that Mr. Blake has on the Government for promotion, on account of services rendered, is that which he may urge from the faithfulness with which* ■ome few years ago, be discharged his duties towards Dublin Castle. Mr. Blake.aa our readers may probably remember, was the functionary who shared with Mr. Clifford Lloyd the glories of the Castle's campaign against the Land League. Mr. Blake's career otherwise, as is also well known, has been rather a romantic one, although, as commonly happens in cases of the kind, some exaggeration has occasionally entered into the acconnts given of the matte r . It is not true, for example, that Mr. Blake ever endured the terrible disgrace of serving behind a counter of any kind, either in Dublin or any where else, as we have now and then eeen it thrown in his face, even in quarters where we might hardly have expected to find a reproach uttered against any honest branch of labour. So far as tint goes, Mr. Blake's record is unexceptionable, and be may boist with any evictor cf them all that he is, SB the old soDg says, a gentleman born who scorns a trade. Mr. Blake, by birth and education is a member of the landlord caste, and in dragooning the Irißh people after the requirements of the Castle, he was but performing a congenial task. He is a member of a respectable family belonging to the West of Ireland, who, before the Encumbered Estates Court sold them out, were the Blakes of Corbally,in the County Galwiy. His father was either a Stipendiary Magistrate or a County Inspector of Police, we forget which, and ha was brought up amid all the surroundings of Irish gentility. The legend which has led to bis being associated with counter-skipping in Dublin has its basis in the fact that in his early youtb, being lt-ft with his mother and sißters slenderly provided for, he held a situation in either a Bank or the General Post Office in that city, either pot-ition being acknowledged that cf a gentleman, according to the old-fashioned views prevailing there in genteel circle?, and not placing any obstacle in the way of its holder's social standing. Thence Mr. Blske entered the Constabulary j>B a sub-innpectori passing the competitive examination necessary fur the office with eclat. It whs, however, his brilliant social qualities that led to his chief luck in life. He was very musical, possessed of a beautiful voice, and a charming singer, and his talents as an actor on the amateur stage were of a high orde r , and it was while taking part in private theatricals that he was brought within reach of hid foriure. This took the delightful shape of a young lady, the younger daughter of the late Mr. Bernal Oaborue, and the only sister cf the present Duchess of St. A 1 bans, whom, after the usual sentimental occurrences had taken place, denunciations by an angry father, vows of undying fidelity from a fondly-attached young lady, and the protection and advocacy of the piide of the family, her Grace of St. Albans, he married. The young lady was considered to have made a mesalliance — but the grounds of this assertion are not co very clear, as according to even the mosf exacting notions, a member of the respectable Irish middle-classes could hardly he looked upon as of baser blood than the daughter of a msn who by near descent was a German Jew, owing his Irish estates to marriage with an heiress only. We believe MrBlake to be personally h gentleman of many excellent qualities agreeable and ta'ented, and in many respects deserving of esteem — and. further, so far as he was personal'y concerned , we have seen that in serving the Castle he was but carrying out the traditions to which he had been born, in vsLich he had been educated, and which were those of his cabte. We have written thus fully on this matter because, in the first place, we have seen Mr. Blake frequently alluded to in quar.ers wheie better should be known as havißg been promoted frcm very low beginnings— a? if any hone6t calling were low, or as if it was a disgrace to »ny man honourably to rise in life, and, in the second place, because we shou d be unwilling to enter a decided protest with, out making the case fully understood. Did Mr. Blake come to Queensland merely as the br< thei-in-law of the Duchess of St. Albans, and as the husband of a lady for whom it was thought fit to make pro-

A BRAVB lEPLT.

vision in the highest ranks of society, we should hare nothing to taj against it. He iB, we believe, q:alifiei to fill the not very responsible position of a colonial governor with sufficient credit. Bat coming, a* he does, fo rewarded for a faithful career in the service of Dubliav Castle, and recompensed for fa ring aided in dragooning the Iriih people, the appointment, we p ■ >test, ia a most unfit one. It is An outrage on the Irish settlers „.< the coJouy of Queensland, who are taxed to pay the Governor sj^l. iy, R.i l£* ?rish colonists generally it is a wanton offence . Mm, JLa f '• YouaJuajpjtv, ?-t7« .8 clear." Such was the anr.wer ut la ' ue other day by Mgr. StroMmayer, Bishrp of P &kova, when the Emperor of Austria reproved him, and the answer was certainly a noble one. Hit Majesty's anger had been aroused against the Bishop because he had addies ed a message to the patriarchs of the Russian Church, engaged in celebrating the ninth ceu :ury of their country's conversion to Christianity, praying that Gc might bleßs Russia and help her in the true belief so that sbe might icomplish the great mission entrusted to her. That the Bishop's pr> er was a good one we may well believe, for thai Russia has a missio: cho can doubt. A country whose population increases at the rate »f a million a year, and which must necessarily over-run a great irtion of tbe earth's surface — much of jt already occupied to some .tent by non-Christian peoples, is certainly destined to exercise an influence of no light kind for good or evil. And what a hop(ful thing it would be for the world were it guided by the truth. Bisbop iStrossmayer, however, is known to ba particularly sanguine as to the n -union of the Eastern Church, now lost in schism, with the Church nf Rome. To forward this re-UDion he has devoted bis life, and has obtained from the Pope concession! which he considers like'y to piomote such an end. Who can wonder, therefore if the Bis Lop judged it oppoitane to avail himself of what he might reasonably believe to be a favourable occasion for appealing to the Russian hieiarchy, and making an impression that might pave the way for better things. We are not, perhaps, in a position to form a just judgment as to the circumstances on which the Bishop builds his hopes. He deals with things of which he must have an accurate knowledge, and which he views as an eyi-wituess. But, at the same time, we know how easy it is for me i to deceive themselves even ai to things with which they aie intimately acquainted, and to be led away from the understanding of evident facts by their desires and aspirations. Long accustomed as we Lave been to hear from credible and undoubted authorities of ite degradation of the Russo-Greek Chuich, and certain as we are, if it were only from what has been done over and over again among the Catholic populations of the Empire of its extreme spirit of anti-Catholic bigotry aad hatred, it is impossible for us to look upon its union with Rome as within the range of practical movements — that is leaving miraculous intervention out of the question. Although the Russo-Greek Church, in fact, possesses tiue Ordeis, aad is on many points much sounder in doctrine than the Church of England, there would seem to be greater difficulties in tbe way of her submission to Rome than those which oppose themselves to the submission of the Englita Church. But whatever may be tbe value of Mgr. Stro6Bmayer'a confidence in this matter, no one can doubt his noble and feailess sincerity. " You do not seem to be awaie of what a culpable step you have taken against the Church and the State," said the Emperor Francis Joseph to him, referring to tbe message spoken of. " Your Majesty, my con-.cience is clear," was tbe Bishop's reply. That the murders at Wbitechapel, LondoD, by which five unfortuna'e women of the abandoned class have each in turn c^me to a terrible eni, have anything to s*y to the manner in which the navigation of the period is conducted would be an assertion for which a lunatic only might Siem accountable. And yet we find certain statements made that in tome degree bring the consideration of both these matters at the same time before as. In connection with tte Whitechapel murders the Morning Post, a high Conservative orgaD, and the cewspiper wuicu of all others has always been that of the aristocrptic world of England, summai ises in a very telling way 'he condition, as it eayc, of thousands and tens of thousands of our fc low creatures. Referring to the house where one of the murders was committed it speaks thus. " There is a continual coming and

going. Precepts of decency are not observed, tbe standard of propriety is low, the whole moral atmosphere is pestilential. Poverty in its direst form haunts come dwellings, ghastly profligacy defiles others, and this in street after street, alley after alley, cul de sac after cnl de 6ac, garret after garret, and cellar after cellar. Amid «uch gross surroundings who can be good I With this atrocious miasma continually brooding over them and settling down among them, who can rise to anything better. Morally these people are not only lost— they are deal and buried." E^en high life, then, we Bee ha* been startled from itscomposure and brought faca to face with the horrors that exist in its neighbourhood. Bat what has all this to say to the question of navigation as it i 3 now carried on? Only so much that these methods were taken the other day by tbe President of tbe British Association, in opening the annual meeting of the Association at Bath, to illustrate the effects of machinery on the civilisation of the world. " Thj introduction of prime movers," he said, "as a mere ■übsiitute for unintelligent manual labour is in itself a great aid to civilisation and to the raising of humai/ny( by rendering it very difficult, if not impossible, j|A human IMBr to obtain a livelihood by unintelligent work — the worn of the horsefm the mill, or of the turnspit." Tue President wentkm to take as an illustration the modern Atlantic liner, quickly propelled by means of engine 3 of 19,500 horse-power, but which 117,000 men would be needed to propel slowly by oars,— with 117,000 others in reserve. It need not, however, be ■aid that no'hing of this kind would be possible. The serious question, meantime, is as to the degree ia which, if at all, the prime movers or steam-engines, to which the President generally alluded as promoting civilisation and raising humanity by making it almost impossible for unintelligent work to obtain a living, contribute to the state of things described by the Morning Post as existing in London. That condition of things can only arise from abject poverty the prolific source of vice and the consequence of a want of employment, sufficient to afford the decent means rf living. It is not for us to contradict so eminent authority as the President oE tne British Association. He gives it as his opinion that machinery by preventing unintelligent work from earning a livelihood promotes civilisation and raises human nature. But we see thousands and tena of thousands of people, even in the very heart of the worthiest, the healthiest, the most civilised city of the world, as the Morning Post says, whos3 condition is utterly out of joint with civilisation and whose human nature is debase! far below the level of brutality. The question, therefore, forces itself upon us as tj how they h*V9 come there. Are they all unintelligent, and, if they were not so, would they be able to find work that would provide them with the meaus of earning a decent livelihood / Or does the B ( eim engine, while it promotes the intelligence, limit the numbjr of those to whom it affords employment .' it is in ihts Wriy thac we have mix j d up the consi Icr mon of too Whitechapcl murders with that of the navig.Uioj of the Atlantic Ocean.

BLACK PfIOSPECiS.

The who'c condition of British naval uiJvirs appear to be doubtful as things now arc. Admiral Burd'd experiences in the late manoaavres seem to have proved convincingly that the days of the blockade have gone by, He was commi--sioned to blockade BeraLaven, but hi 0 failure to do t>o was complete. The bteamers of the enemy, had tut re been suet) vessels iherc, cou d have got out at night unperceived, and the sueoglh of tlie men and officers of the torpedo boats, without which no blockade could be maintained, could not sustain the labour required of them fira eulßcient length of time. Tne hope, tnerefore> that, in case of war, the enemy's cruisers might be shut up in port and renderei harmless against British commerce mu^t be abandoned, aud nothing remains but fu.l preparation to watch them upon the open Beaa. It seems to be generally a Imitied. however, that the British navy in its present condition is not by any rueins sufficient for this. If we may trust Lo"d Charles Bcrcsford as an authority, and he is possibly as good a, one as can easily be found, it is not even cer'ain aa to the number oi ships that would be required for the pcupose. He would have the matter submitted to alla 1 1 ibe mott competent ixpcrls who only after mature consideration and cjmbiutd diseus-sio j would be able to pronounce upjn it. Lord Charle?. nureovcr, looks upoa the mat'.tr ab imperative, for, as he says, and as it must be palpable to all of us, it is one of life aud deata :—": — " What enemy," he aske. 1 would be mal enough to invade this country, unless he had command of the sea? And what enemy it he had command of the sea would be mad enough to jiik the cc v ianct& of a military descent when he could .starve us all into absolute submission by simply stopping our supplies of food ?" TII2 question, meantime, is one that cannot be without its less agreeable aspects to the British tax-payer. That 1 c should run the risk of either suffei ing |the horrors of famine or submitting to a foreign enemy cannot fail to be a most unpleasant contingency for him to contemplate. But a more immcrtiaU: and more directly touchin,' uuplc,i.saatuo-s must bj undeigoirj by him )1 he would a^oid such a ih^. TLe increase of the fleet demanded. i» fact, rrKa::d a 1. i_:e additunal (axition, for ships ot war are ccbtly to build, aud an adlituual nu'ubjr oi them means-

besides, an additional and constandy improved armament, as well as a strong reinforcement of sailors. Lord Charles Beresford also proposes a training fle;t of brigp, by means of which the heavy masts and spars encumbering tbe men-of-war might be dispensed with. It is evident, then, that John Bull must pay pretty dear for the privilege of importing his food supplies. Ecgland, in short, is perhaps destined to suffer as severely from the support of an effective navy, as Germany or France suffers from that of a gigantic army. But just at present, whatever ber capabilities may still be, her claim to be actual mistress of the seas seems to be somewhat doubtful. All that appears certaia is that the conditions of her n.vy are altered, as we said — and that decidedly for the worse.

MB. DAVITT LOSES PATIENCE.

Mb. Michael Davitt has caused a commotion by a rebuke that he has g : yea to the Liberal party. Mr* Davitt accuses the Liberals oE not acting with sufficient vigour iv aid of the Irish people while they prevent the Irish people from helpiag theuaselvc. The people, he says, are forbidden to resort to violence for the defence of their homes, lest they should injure the Liberal party by duiog so. Meantime 50,000 tenan's are liable to eviction for arrears dve — whereas their holdings will not yield the bare rents.without speaking of arrears. Mr. Davitt points to the effect produced in England by the action of the Liberals whea the Bulgarian atrocities occurred. Hs, however, was not the first to make the charges referred to. Some of the English Liberals themselves had already begun to move in the matter. Their organ, the Newcastle Leader, for example, had spoken on the subject as follows :— "The public either do not realise the position or they do not care. The Unionists are either right in their bsast that the country is with them, or, if they are not, the country has a precious queer way of showing its faith in the cause over which the next political battle will rage. If the English democracy only realised what is being done in the name of law and order we have sufficient faith in their sease of right and their humanity to say their protest would go up to heaven in thunder tones instead of feeble whispers aa now. Is it really the case that our people are cowed by the despotic daring and the callous cynicism of the Castle's tool, Mr. Balfour ? Are we who struck the lion down in Bulgaria to crouch before the wolf in Ireland ? Once more, we ask, are there any numbers of us here who really care for Ireland and for the persecution of her sons, or is all this cry about Home Eule and our determination to see justice done a hideous sham ? " It is, nevertheless, not fair to demand that Irish evictions should produce as great an effect on the English masses aa was produced by the Bulgarian atrocities. The truth is bad enough without resorting to exaggeration, and it would be wild exaggeration to nccuse even the most cruel landlords of excesses like those of the Ba'-hi Bazouks. Besides, the English masses have long been familiar with ,tli3 general notion cf tha Irish eviction, though not with its details, and we all know what the old proverb tells us as to the results of familiarity. Nor do we quite clearly see that what is wanted on tha part of the English ma?sea is aa outburst of anger and indignation as passing perhaps as violent. A radical aod thorough conversion that shall prove enduring for all time is what 13 required, and that we have every reason tj believe is now baing workeJ. Mr. Davitt'S impatience, however, is easily understood, situate! as he is within sight of the wrong-doing, and touched to the quick by the sufferings of the victims. A man in such a position may well be impatient.

GOOD ADVICE.

OUR contemporary, the Marlborough Express writes as follows concerning the Parnell Commission :—: — " The newspapers are likely to be flooded for some time to come with iecords of the doings of the Commission, and, as the inquiry proceeds, it is probable that tre public excitement will grow in intensity. For the charges are of an entirely novel and startling character, and they are made at a very critical juncture — in fact, just as the hopes of the Home Rulers appeared to be approaching fruition. And the rebuttal of the charges will involve a good deal of sensational evidence in all probability. If ever the fact of a case being svb judice made it incumbent on the public prints to maintain a profound silence, as the spectators in a court of justice are bound to do, it does in this instance. The situation is the moit extraoidinary in all history. A great newspaper, the mirror of public opinion, h«s nndeitakoa to show that the leader of a great na'ijual movemcat has sanctioned and has assisted in a plan of campaign which includes outrage, and murder, and other crimes— and that leader a member of the British Legislature. On the other hand, the leader and his party undertake to show that the charges promulgated by the paper are based upon the evideuee of informers traitors, and suborned witnesses. The issue must be of a grave character. If the Times proves its case, the power of the Press will b; seen to be the mightiest of all powers in human affairs, and the national cause of Ireland will have received almost a death-blow, at least fur many jcirs, I F , on the other hand, the leader emerges urjsinged from tli3 tiery trial, not only will the Times receive a mortal blow, but the cuusa of Ireland will become tho cause of. humanity,

The result of the inquiry, whatever it may be, will certainly cause intense excitement. When such grave issues depend upon the inquiry, it is meet that silence should be kept in the Court, which is the whole Empire ; and we trust party (organs on both sides will observe such silence, and not import agitation into a judicial process."