It is difficult to read M. Hanotaux's speech of Monday upon the Franco-Russian Alliance without a feeling of amazement. It is so entirely unlike anything which any French Minister has hitherto said upon the subject. The note of the debate, which was nominally upon the estimates of the Foreign Ofice, had been a certain querulensness as to the action of Russia, rising in one or two speeches into an almost bitter complaint that the Franco-Russian Alliance had as yet tended exclusively to the advantage of the Enstern Power. The complaint was the more important because it ex. presses the feeling of important pol cians in Paris, and is repeated day after day in some of the most widely circulated journals, It was expected, therefore, that 'M. Hanotaux, who, it must be remem -red, is one of the best informed, as well most thoughtful, Ministers that France has ever had, would in his reply. take the opportunity of defending the Alliance, would express hearty confidence in Russin, and would dwell on the position to which, in the judgment of French diplomatists, the Alliance has raised France. Instead of a speech of this kind, M. Hanotaux read carefully prepared memorandum, in which he dwelt on the fact that there was on Alliance visible to all men, but said nothing either for or against it, and deprecated discussion because there were points of French policy: which should not be placed in too bright a light," an idea repeated by the Premier, M. Méline, who earnestly entreated the Chamber not to' discuss the Alliance too much, lest they should "sap ity foundations, us some journalists were doing." All this may be friendly, but it is not cordial, and prepares one to believe that M. Hanotaux did recently say in private that it was all he could clu even to keep up appearances," a sentence which, strictly interpreted, would mean that the Alliance retains at present only a formal or apparent existence Mon do not, asa rule, pardo their frier ship; but the friendship which must jot be spoken of lest it should he dissolv.a is a very thin affair.
'The causes of this alienation are both positive and novative. The Russix' Government, it seems certain, has for some time past treated that of France ¥ ith a neglect which statesmen who think their country the first in Europe feel to be almost insolent. 'The Romanoffs have mu' te arrangements with the Hapsburgs as t " the future of the Balkans in which Fra' ice is not invited to share, and which, "5 france expects Russia one day to fight by her side against the Triple Alliance, ar.d thus to restore to her Alsace and Lorre'ine, are most unwelcome and annoying. Frenchmen have, it is true, no dislike of Austrians, whom they refuse to consider German, but still they regard the Triple Alliance as a single and hostile corporation; and if Russia is so friendly to one moraber of that corporation, how is France to rely upon her aid whea the final struggle comes off? Then, as regards the treatment of Turkey, Russia has gene her own way without remembering that France has always been friendly to Greece, and ivithout cating that. Franco has her own ambitions in Eastern Europe, and her own claim to prominence and respect. So long as the Concert of Europe existed this did not matter so much, for if France was dragged at the Czar's heels, so was Germany, and the pride of France was unwounded by any visible neglect of her opinion; but when the Concert was suspended by the proposal of Prince George for Crete, French statesmen felt as bitter as wives would do if their husbands. selected new housemaids without consulting them. BE. Hanotaux was not even informed that Prince George would be proposed, and though he now says ini the Chamber that
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.