NEWS OF THE WEEK.
TT is not easy to get the better of Mr. Disraeli. The slowly sink-
ing reputation of the Government has been suddenly revived by one of those dramatic and yet statesmanlike coups in which the author of " Ahoy" delights. It was announced on Friday that the British Government had purchased the 177,000 shares in the Suez Canal belonging to the Khedive, for £4,000,000 sterling. The Khedive was authorised, it was stated, to draw at sight for the money upon Rothschilds. As there are but 400,000 shares in the Canal, the British Government may soon acquire, or more probably has already acquired, a preponderant interest in the under- taking, and of course no British Ministry would take such a step in anticipation of the consent of Parliament, except for the gravest reasons of State. It is, therefore, believed, and we imagine with justice, that the step indicates a policy finally adopted by the
