15 APRIL 1882, Page 2

The quasi-insurrectioa in Bare !lona has suddenly subsided. The factories

have beea rerspened, and the shopkeepers are again selling their goods. The Ministry is apparently trium- phant, and adheres to S. Camacho's plans, but it is more than probable that the King, who is most disinclined to the use of force against Barcelona, which would have added thousands to the Republican party, and perhaps have pointed daggers against his own life, has succeeded in arranging a compromise. The duties on French goods will be reduced more slowly, and the English treaty be given up. The deficits will go on for the pre- sent, and S. Camacho, whose plans are spoiled, will quietly retire. The King is probably right, as far as his dynastic in- terests are concerned, but one more attempt to impose severe taxation on Spaniards has been, we suspect, defeated, in a way

1 which will discourage many succeeding Ministers. The only alternative is to reduce expenditure, and as this can be done only at the expense either of the Bondholders or the Army, the former will be the ultimate losers. For the present, we pre- sume, the Treasury will endeavour to stagger along in the old -way.