country went with him, and he was returned to power with a large majority.
The Liberals came into office pledged to "Retrenchment and Reform." It was a false cry, as time has now proved, but it answered its purpose. Their very first acts were marked by a fatuity that seems difficult to understand, even at this distance of time. It is clear that much of it was due to party rancour, and to an unworthy jealousy of that remarkable statesman the Earl of Beaconsfield.
Events in Afghanistan had led to a war between the Ameer of that country and England; and, by a series of brilliant military exploits worthy of England's best days, the British power had not only been maintained, but the seizure of Candahar and other important strategical points ensured the safety of the Indian Empire so long as they were adequately held. The reversal of the Beaconsfield policy, however, had been a Radical trump card, and it had gone a long way towards giving them the political game. One of the first acts, therefore, of the new Government was to give up Candahar, and to retire from that "Scientific Frontier," which had cost so many gallant lives and so much blood to delimit. The fatal error made by the Liberals in this matter is now too well known, and needs no further comment here; but, as was subsequently proved, it was only the beginning of a series of startling mistakes which have hardly any parallel in history.
The affairs in South Africa now began to engage attention, and caused some anxiety. The Boers, no doubt deriving encouragement from remarks made during the "Pilgrimage of Passion," began to clamour for independence, although two-thirds of them at least had consented to annexation by the preceding English Government. Their daring and defiance increased to such an extent, and the outrages they committed became such a crying scandal, that the British Government was forced to send an expedition against them, which ultimately culminated in a crushing defeat of the British arms on Majuba Hill. After this defeat the English Government, to the astonishment of the world, entered into negotiations with the victorious Boers, and their independence was given back to them, under the suzerainty, however, of Great Britain. In a
