14 NOVEMBER 1896, Page 2

An extraordinary debate occurred in the French Chamber on Tuesday

upon the conduct of English missionaries in Algeria. M. Saint Germain, Deputy for Oran, complained that English missionaries had told the Kabyles that if England had Algeria she would restore the land to the natives and pay Kabyles five francs a day wages. M. de Mahy, Member for La R6union, followed, calling upon the Govern- ment to expel English missionaries from Madagascar, as they were carrying on "a political propaganda." M. Cambon, formerly Governor-General of Algeria, and now Minister for the Colonies, made a feeble reply, defending religious liberty, but admitting that he had compelled the missionaries to quit the districts governed by military law ; and the Chamber unanimously passed a resolution calling upon the Government to deal with the missionary "Methodists." The idea that the missionaries are provoking insurrection, and even fur- nishing the Kabyles with powder, which is gravely asserted, is simply silly, and we presume the truth is that some mis- sionaries have passed incautious criticisms upon French administration, which have been repeated to the French officials, probably with much gusto, the Kabyles delighting in a criticism for which they were not responsible. There will be much agitation here if the missionaries are expelled from Madagascar as well as Algeria.