The Paris correspondent of the Times repeats his statement that
Prince Bismarck did two months ago personally assure him that the great " scare " of 1875, when it was believed by all Europe that Germany was threatening France once more, was a comedy got up between Prince Gortachakoff and the French Ambassador in Berlin. 'rho Russian Chancellor wished to pose as the saviour of France, and therefore, says the angry German Chancellor, "1 was made out to be a villain." The Prince has never forgiven this, and it is believed has published this statement of his annoyance in order to give a blow to his rival, whose position at the Czar's Court is no longer firm. How much of the story is true it is impossible to say. M. de Goutaut Biron denies it absolutely, and so does Prince Gortschakoff, while Prince Bismarck has declared in the Reichs- tag that the correspondent has exaggerated his meaning. Our own belief at the time was that Prince Bismarck was unfavourable to the project, but that it was approved by the Military party, and that the Czar's intervention was invoked because the German Emperor habitually listens to military advisers. Prima fade, one would doubt whether a French Ambassador would help in giving such a shake to French finance as was given by this so-called "comedy."
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