Life, 1885-04-23 · page 2 of 16
Life — April 23, 1885 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Life Magazine, April 23, 1885 The masthead cartoon depicts a figure labeled "LIFE" in a dramatic landscape. The accompanying text discusses international tensions: British military preparations, Russian naval activity under the Czar, and conflicts in Central Asia (Afghanistan, Pendjeh). The satire criticizes Russia for aggressive expansion that threatens British interests. There's particular concern about General Komaroff and potential war. The piece suggests England should pressure the Russian government at St. Petersburg for redress, while warning that unless decisive action occurs, conflict ("a Gehenna-roff time") is likely. The cartoon likely personifies Life magazine itself as an observer of these dangerous geopolitical conflicts. The overall tone is alarmist about Russian imperial ambitions and their threat to British colonial interests.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
APRIL 23p, 1885. NO. 121. 1155 Broapway, New York. Published every Thursday, $5 a year in advance, postage free. Single copies, 10 cents. to this office.’ Vol. I., 0 cents per number ; Vol. II., 25 cents per number ; Vol II. and IV., at regular rates. Rejected contributions will be destroyed unless accompanied by a stamped and directed envelope. Notice is hereby given that no person is authorized to solicit subscriptions or advertisements for this paper without written authority from the publishers. tao ne dollar per copy will be paid at this office for Nos. 7 | and ro of Lire. Copies must be in good condition and may be sent by mail. E learn on undeniable authority that the name Komar- off, when literally translated, signifies “Son of a Mosquito.” When we reflect that the Russian army contains also a General Guneroff (Son of a Gun) and Captain Gambédlieroff— another familiar Sonofa—we cannot but feel certain that England's prospects of a Gehennaroff time are remarkably promising. . . . USSIA seems at the present writing to be most culpable in precipitating what cannot fail to be a most disas- trous war. England's interests in Afghan are centered around Nincompooh, Gottembad, and Jellacake, and if Russia, through the errors of her general's at Penjdeh and the suburban villages of Guddeh and Smotherdeh, imperil those interests, gore must be shed. That Komaroff was instructed to start her off by the Russian War Office one can readily believe, and for that reason England properly calls upon the government at St. Petersburg for redress. The Czar’s most ultimate ultimatum inspires distrust, and unless some decisive action is taken by Mr. Gladstone at once, the Ameer will undoubtedly grow restive ; then treach- erous; and the condition of affairs at Verabad will grow much worse. There is much to be feared in the neighborhood of Mushed, and the low country between Yezdedeh and Ter-morrah is ripe for insurrection. Lord Dufferin is doing the Gladstone government much | service by his dress parades before the Ameer in India, and | the native chiefs have been much conciliated by free passes on the new railroad just built between Steemcah and Pwollhy- | whogg. Back numbers can be had by applying | HE preparations for war are still going on in England, and the Cunard Line has been purchased to give the British officers first-class passages to the seat of the trouble. The Weehawken Ferry Company is negotiating with the War Office for the transportation of the rank and file of the Army. . . . N Russia preparations are no less active. The Czar has ordered five torpedo vessels from the Bloskihiski works at Pszt, and Count Shovlesnowski has been given charge of the recruiting office, . . 1% the meantime the Mahdi is enjoying his Otium cum Osman Digna at Barber, as the timely tweak of the lion's tail by the Russian Bear has drawn the Britons’ atten- tion elsewhere. . . . "TTHE New York Suz, writing of the Mugwumps, says that their combination of transcendental doctrinairism with hard cheek stimulates the observer and invites the analyst. It is not surprising that Mr. Dana should call the Mug- wump an ingenuous transcendental doctrinaire, but that he should speak of the Democratic party as synonymous with “hard cheek " is, to say the least, startling. Has Mr. D, gone over to the “ rascals ?” T® Insurrectionists in Central America were exceed- ingly vain over their destruction of Colon, until they discovered that Dean Alford, a meek professor of Christi- anity, knocked out 1000 commas in less than a week's revision of biblical text. A EWSPAPER states that Mr. Buddensieck, the builder of telescopic tenements, was in a state of terrible suspense lest some of the workingmen were killed in the recent collapse. We are glad to hear it. We would likewise rejoice greatly to hear that Mr. Bud- densieck was suffering from that state of terrible suspense which falls to the man who dangles on the end of a hempen | rope, with plenty of room for waving his legs. * * . UR highly-colored contemporary says: “Our E. C., Lire, has just printed a “sample page” of Puck, which we are glad to find a fair reproduction of the original. We congratulate our esteemed dude contemporary on having at last achieved one funny page.” Of Puck? Our E. C. is too modest by half. There have been two funny pages of Puck. The one mentioned above and another equally recent containing an obituary poem on a very live | subject. comicbooks.com