23 FEBRUARY 1895, Page 2

The French Judges have found seven of the eight jour-

nalists accused of blackmailing, guilty of that offence, and have inflicted sentences on six of them varying from five yeare imprisonment to one year's. The remaining one of the seven,

M -1,anivet, though declared by the Judges to be guilty, is 4 not mished, as he is covered by the statute of limitations. Thar sa.ts which came out in the evidence are most

blackmailers to proceed against, one of whom, it is reported, is a Senator. We comment elsewhere on some evidence of the universality of newspaper corruption in France published by the Westminster Gazette, and must reluctantly believe that with the exception of a few strictly political journals, the Press of Paris is deeply tainted with corruption. Even in the case of the better papers it is wise for readers to distrust the financial columns, and not to believe entirely in diatribes about the Colonies. Half the Colonial policy of France is dietated by men who are seeking "concessions," and we have never forgotten Mr. Gladstone'e declaration in Parliament, almost at the beginning of the Egyptian occupation, that if he would guarantee the Egyptian Debt the French opposition to his policy would vanish. It is to the credit of the present Ministry that they do not seem to be screening anybody, but all the corrupt were encouraged by the escape of the Panamists.