24 FEBRUARY 1883, Page 3

The French Senate on Friday week finally rejected the Barbey

Bill, which allowed the Government to banish any member of a family formerly reigning in France, if he or she had done any overt act as a Pretender, or any act jeopardising the Republic. The reason assigned was " reluctance to begin -a regime of proscription ;" and though the majority was only five-142 to 137—the Bill is dropped. The Cabinet there- upon resigned, and M. Grevy has formed another, with M. Jules Ferry as Premier, M. Clia,llemel-Lacour as Foreign Minister, General Thibandin as Minister of War, M. Waldeck-Rousseau as Minister of the Interior, M. Tirard as Minister of Finance, M. Martin Feuillee as Minister of Justice, and M. Raynal as Minister of Public Works. This Cabinet, which is Crambettist, with a tendency towards the Extreme Left, is prepared, as its first act, to stretch an Act of 1834, under which the King could place any officer en retraite, so as to cover the case of the Princes, and loudly proclaims that, in case of necessity, it will defend the Republic with vigour. That is, it will expel the Princes, as an administrative measure. The -Cabinet is said to be acceptable to the Chamber, but is suspected of entertaining a " forward " policy in foreign affairs. M.

• C,hallemel-Lacour is certainly of that school.