The one hope of preventing such complications in future is that the Powers may be gradually brought to act together in a friendly spirit upon all questions upon which differences may arise, and thus, it appears, Lord Salisbury dreams of the Federation of Europe, which will enable the civilised globe to beat its swords into ploughshares audits spears into pruning hooks, and which will put a stop to the state of things he has himself described as going on — "on all sides the instruments of destruction are piling up, armies becoming larger, the Powers who concentrate them become greater, and each nation is bound for its own safety to take part in this com petition." England has during 1897 had her share of " little wars." The one upon the Indian frontier, provoked by the insurrection of lawless tribesmen, has developed into considerable magnitude, and necessitated a force of some 60,000 men being sent into the field to bring the tribesmen to submission. These natives are no mean fighters, and some severe conflicts have arisen, but thanks to the fallautry of tho British soldiers and their ndian allies the trouble is almost at an end. In West Africa there has also been fighting, and the district of Nupe, up the Niger Valley, has been purified of its horrible slavo trading and human sacrifice atrocities, and is now open to trade. Tho forward move ment into the Soudan has been pursued steadily and surely during the year, and tho Anglo-Egyptian troops arc now within an easy stage of Khartoum. With this secured, as we hope it will be early in the new year, Gordon's death will be avenged, and an immense territory that was formerly under British control will be reopened to trade and commerce. Wore important still, the head waters of the Nile will be preserved and the back door to Egypt shut in the face of the nation which has for years been striving to secure our ejectment from the land in which we have introduced such salutary reforms. Eng land is by good government and good general ship making her position in Egypt secure, and with the Soudan reconquered, she will have a sphere of influonco stretching in an almost unbroken line from Cairo to the Cape. 