volume presented to-day to Sir Austen Chamberlain, at the Hotel de Ville, is q unique expression of the senti. ments of France towards the ally who stood by her steadfastly throughout the great war. Its title is:—"France to the British Empire." It is illustrated by reproduetions of old prints, portraits of celebrated French men and women, and photographs of places of great natural beauty and historic interest. Many of the most eminent Frenchman of.the day have contributed to the letterpress. The preface is written by M. Briand, who so; "To the country wi in "our northern here conveys: a reflection of herself. This is an offering, heavy with friend to another." In another preface, M. Poincaré says that the post-war years frequently have put to the test, in the course of dificult negotiations, the strength of the {feeling shat unites the two nations. Tt has been proved, he observes, that their underStanding changeable. They do not always agree on the best means of carrying out the treaties that set the seal fon their common victory, but these differing points of view never have disturbed a friendship which heart fand mind agree in maintaining.
Among. shorter contributions is one from President Doumergue, who says that the equal political mature of France and Britain, and their slorioas history, make it incumbent fu both of them to continue the close! collaboration which enabled them to secure the triumph of the cause of Justice und civilization in 1918, Clemenceau confines himself to single aphorism:—"To love is not merely to say it, but to prove it"—very natural reflection on the part lof a statesman who so frequently was accused of being pro-British Marsha Joffre pays to. Lord. Kitchener, stood. us eeause he Marshal Foch writes that, from the very beginning of the great war, the British soldier showed himself worthy of his ancestors, and Marshal Franchot d'Esperey observes that "war is less onerous than tude." Throughout these ions from statesmen and alike runs the conviction:
United we stand, divided we fall, A Good Daudet Ancedote A. good story about the escape of Leon Daudet, the Royalist leader, and his collaborator, M. Delest, from their prison in Paris, is being told. Readers no doubt will remember that these militant politicians obtained their freedom through a telephone message purporting to come from the Minister of the Interior and confirmed, by another conspirator, when the Governor of the prison rang up the department for further During. their detention, Delest received from friends and sympathisers, and among these gifts was a bottle of very old brandy—1846 Armagnac, ecise. M. Daudet, who is something of a gourmet, cherished this bottle exceedingly and put it aside for some special occasion. It was still waiting to be uncorked informed the two Royalists Hberated They hast. ly packed their personal belongings, and, after taking leave of the prison staff with great cordiality, gumped into a taxicab. They had. travelled barely 50 yds. when M. Delest rapped on the window, as a. signal to the driver to ' stop. "What's the matter?" inquired M. Daudet. "My dear man," was the reply, "we've forgotten the bottle of Armagnac." "It's a pity," said M. Dandet, "but we had better not, tempt Providence or prison governors. Let us drive on," and they did. "We are not told what became of the bottle of brandy. Perhaps the Minister of the Interior is en-Joying it now!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.