few, the diversity of languages so great, that nearly all tongues must
have adopted foreign alphabets. I cannot therefore understand the almost a
priori objections raised by the learned.... Do you attend to Indian
affairs? The disbanding of our Native Indian armies, the prospect of a
sure surplus in the Indian treasury, with the necessity of a conciliatory
policy to all the Indian princes as soon as we are disarmed, seem to me as
light pouring in through a dark cloud. But I am not easy (far from it)
until we get out of this Chinese scrape. I have for years maintained that
the more we fight against China the more we shall teach them the art of
war; and unless we tear the empire in pieces by aiding insurrections, they
must beat us at last, and become masters in the Indian seas. We cannot
contend against three hundred and eighty millions of ingenious,
industrious, homogeneous men under a single monarch with compact country,
splendid rivers and harbours, unsurpassed soil and climate--if once we
drive them to learn the art of war from America, as Peter the Great learnt
it from Europe. But I seem to be _insanus inter sobrios_, for nobody
accepts this thought from me.

"Hearty regards to you all.

"Ever yours,

"F. W. Newman."


It will be remembered that in 1851, though not until December, Louis
Napoleon, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, had been successful in his aim of
becoming President of the French Republic. But he had practically led his
army through a sea of blood to reach this autocratic position. Later, in
1852, he made the French people designate him "Emperor of the French"