The Lisbon correspondent of the Times sends to Tuesday's paper
some reflections on the task before the young King of Portugal. He does not disguise the fact that it was with the late King'S consent that the Portuguese Constitution, which id theoretically very liberal, was fashioned more and more into an autocracy. At one time it had seemed that the country might enter upon a period of Constitutional development com- parable with that of the Victorian era in England. But the late King yielded to the intrigues of the " rotativist " parties, who had been working for a reaction even before he ascended the throne. As it is, the young King finds himself the autocratic head of a completely centralised system which extends even to the colonies. Within the last two months he has had to solve two crises entirely on his own authority. He consulted the leaders of all the parties, except the Republicans, and not unnaturally he has failed to please most people. In Portugal there is no such loyalty amongst Ministers as makes a British Cabinet shield the responsibility of the Crown, and the motto of Portugal to-day is almost "The Xing can do no right." 'The Crown has apparently lost contact, not only with the mass of the nation, but evdn with the professional politicians. This is indeed a difficult situation, but we sincerely hope that the King will regain contact and use it for the profit of hie country. The King is said to have both charm and intelli- gence, and these should surely appeal to the chivalry of the Portuguese.
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