The crisis in Portugal has now lasted nearly a fortnight.
The King is unable to form a Ministry, statesman after states- man finding himself baffled by the refusal of leaders of factions to coalesce, and the reluctance of any politician to accept the Foreign Office. The Foreign Secretary must sign the English Convention, and if he does, will be exposed to the anger of all factions of the Chamber, except the Conservative, and of the Republican mob of Lisbon, which makes of the popular jealousy of England a convenient stalking-horse to assail the Monarchy. The Royalists will probably triumph in one way or another ; but the situation is somewhat dangerous, because it may tempt some of the Colonial Governors, who are half-crazy with spite and wounded pride, to some overt aggression on the British. In that case, it will be well to terminate Portuguese rule in East Africa, which produces nothing but evil, once for all.
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