TOPICS OF THE DAY.
during Mr. Chamberlain's last protest, would be hardly credible, did we not know how apt human nature is to Happy Family," ask himself what would be the satisfac- where it would have been perceived by no one. And so, too to their political raids on Great Britain, feel that there is debate on the greatest constitutional change which has recognised methods of enforcing the claims made by one been proposed since the revolution of 1688, what the nation against another. But though France is not doing a. consequences of brandishing this fatal weapon in the eyes anything contrary to International usage in establishing of his antagonists would really be. The Government must pacific blockade, it must be remembered that she does not certainly be held responsible not only for the passing of a acquire by its proclamation anything like the same rights great revolutionary measure by ministerial decree, without over neutral vessels which she would have acquired had a- any kind of discussion on three-quarters of its provisions, she proclaimed an ordinary blockade after a formal declar and without adequate discussion on nine-tenths of its tion of war. The declaration of war makes other nations clauses, not only for the consequences to the feelings of the privy to the relations existing between the belligerents, great party which it was silencing in this despotic way,— uts them into the position of neutrals, and makes them a great party which represents a powerful majority in Eng- land, and a decided majority in Great Britain,—but for the The case of a pacific blockade is, however, different. consequences to the feelings of the unruly Irish Party, for It is, speaking broadly, only good against the vessels which it was securing this unprecedented. triumph. As it of the Power blockaded, and neutrals are not bound. turns out, Mr. Gladstone has done even more mischief by to attend to it. But this fact makes very much stimulating his Irish partisans into an orgy of insolent against the effectiveness and utility of the French exultation, than even by inflicting on the National Party action in Siam. Two-thirds of the Siamese trade is in England a deep sense of humiliation and political carried in neutral bottoms, and hence the Siamese will feel resentment. No doubt Mr. Chamberlain used language very little inconvenience from the pacific blockade. How that was needlessly provocative when he spoke of the clear and well defined is the position created by a pacific- adnlation to Mr. Gladstone as having exceeded in slavish- blockade may be seen from certain declarations made on ness anything known to us since the time of Herod. So the subject by the Institut de Droit International, at its strong an expression was certainly injudicious, though we do meeting in 1887. These, quoted by Professor Holland in not doubt that it was strictly Parliamentary. But a certain Thursday's Times, are as follows :—"L'6tablissement d'un margin of irritation is always excusable in the representa- blocus en dehors de nitat de guerre ne doit etre consid6r6• tives of a defeated party, which is not at all excusable in comme permis par le droit des gens que sous les conditions• the representatives of de victorious party. We should suivantes :—(1.) Les navires de pavilion stranger peuvent have been glad if Mr. Chamberlain had stopped at the entrer librement malgr6 le blocus. (2.) Le blocus pacifique point at which he said that if Mr. Gladstone said black,' doit *etre d6clar6 et notifi6 officiellement, et maintenu par his followers say ' It is good,' and that if he exchanges une force suffisante. (3.) Les navires de la puissance the word • black' for ' white,' the same voices ejacu- bloquile qui ne respectent pas un pareil blocus peuvent late, ' It is better.' That was a sharp, but perfectly etre s69iestr6s. Le blocus ayant cease, ils doivent etre just criticism • but when he came to accusing them restitues avec leurs cargaisons A leurs propri6taires, maw. of "slavish adulation" in the very moment of their sans d6dommagement a aucun titre." In other words, a convulsive exultation, any one who knew the temper pacific blockade is not good against neutrals. Both France of the Irish Party might have anticipated a scene. and England have, no doubt in times past, failed to respect But if there had been,—which there is not,—even an atom this principle ;. but, as Professor Holland tells us, this of magnanimity in that party, they would have made practice has always been protested against, especially by allowance for the feelings of one of the greatest Par- French jurists, as an unwarrantable interference with the liamentary orators of the day in a moment of very deep rights of neutral Powers, and was acknowledged by Lord and painful humiliation. They made no such allowance. Palmerston to be illegal. "The British Government dis- They never do. They enjoy trampling on their antagonist tinctly warned the French in 1884 that their blockade of most when he is suffering most. And we cannot but hold. Formosa could be recognised as affecting British vessels the Government responsible for bringing this avalanche of temptations down on the spirits of a party which would willingly have forced the whole measure down the throats THE SCENE OF THURSDAY. of their foes at the point of the bayonet, without even the IT is only too clear that triumphant injury breeds the pretence of discussing it at all. The first great disgrace of desire for triumphant insult. That the disgraceful the House of Commons was the natural result of this policy.
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