NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE Anglo-German Agreement was signed in i3erlin on July 1st, and now requires only ratification by the two Parliaments. The English one will not be refused, as the Glad. stonians do not intend to resist the cession of Heligoland— indeed, cannot resist it as an unbroken party—and the Reichstag will accept any proposal for the government of the petty Colony. The "Colonial men" in Germany have, how- ever, discovered that Zanzibar is valuable, and are furiously abusing the English adroitness in bargaining, and making demands for Walfisch Bay as a sort of solatium. We do not know that Walfisch Bay is worth much, or, indeed, anything; but the Germans, if they want to bargain, should keep their tempers better. Nobody was coercing them, and they have gained potentially a great African Empire. The French demonstration of anger is dying away, partly because it has no solid foundation, and partly because it has been discovered that if they have cause of complaint about the independence of Zanzibar, so have we about that of Mada- gascar, which was equally protected by treaty. We could make ourselves amazingly disagreeable in that island if we pleased ; and if Lord Salisbury is wise, it is there we shall seek a way out of difficulties both in East Africa and New- foundland. The French can do nothing with the great island, for they will not expend the money and men necessary for its conquest—conquering Malays is no joke, as the Dutch know— but we cannot, without a great war, prevent their securing some sort of formal ascendency.
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