It is perfectly useless to discuss either the negotiations or
the quarrels between England and Portugal, until the terms of the new Convention have been made public. It is clear that such a Convention exists, and that the Government of Lisbon thinks it a reasonable one ; but it is also clear that it doubts whether the Colonial fanatics and Republicans of the capital will think so too, and hesitates to submit it to the Chambers. Lord Salisbury, on the other hand, is determined not to have another Convention thrown in his face by an irresponsible mob, and demands that the new one shall be submitted to the Cortes before the diplomatists agree to sign it. In England that would be considered too Radical a proposal ; but the Portuguese Liberals are inclined to denounce it as an insult, and to be ready to surrender an African province to France if only she will quarrel with Great Britain about it. The French are a little too sensible for that. They would like anything which would help them to worry the English out of Egypt; but they know quite well that their electors will not send their children to perish in tropical Africa. As for French "sovereign Companies," which M. Ribot talked about on Thursday, Frenchmen would like, before investing their hoards in such speculations, to be fairly sure of a dividend. They are not out of the Panama scrape yet.
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