NEWS OF THE WEEK.
• vancing towards Tunis. El Kef has been occupied, and the old of Tabarea, and the force is moving towards Biserta. The totimirs make, of course, but ineffective resistance, stealing up Ithe columns, firing, and then running away ; and the Tunisian tops have not fought, the garrison of El Kef in particular ;mating the fort without firing a shot. The Bey has
)ealed for aid to Constantinople and to Europe, and pro- a.ests that he is unjustly invaded, and that he will not light. Constantinople, however, sends him nothing but documents maintaining the Sultan's suzerainty, which the French deny, and Europe looks on without keen interest. The probable course of the affair, therefore, is that the Bey, failing 411 other resource, will get together what force he can, will resist the crossing of the Medjerdah, and so will give the French an excuse for occupying Tunis, which at present they Bay they do not wish to do. They only desire the Bey to acknowledge their protectorate, which he, who has just acknowledged the Sultan's suzerainty, cannot do. It is quite possible that a rising in Tunis, where fanatics are inclined to kill out the Euro- peans, especially the Maltese, may bring about a final crisis.
