23 JUNE 1894, Page 2

Lord Kimberley has not made a success of his first

efforts. Not only was France offended by the " Anglo-Congolese " arrangements, but Germany, which desired, for unknown reasons, to keep her frontier in Africa marching with that of the Congo State. Murmurs were heard, therefore, that a European Conference on Africa must be summoned, which would have enabled France to reopen the whole Egyptian question. Article III., therefore, of the agreement with the Congo State is cancelled, Germany in return giving us tele- graph rights through her territory. It is reported that the Foreign Office is also agreeing with M. Hanotaux, which must mean either compensation to France, or another backward step in the arrangements with Congoland. There is no particular objection to going back a little, and we heartily detest leases of territorial rights, which might involve on their termination the min of thousands of our subjects ; but still this is not success. The truth is, we rather forgetfully dealt with a guaranteed State without consulting the guarantors; and when they objected, which we did not expect, had to hark back, a little in confusion.