5 SEPTEMBER 1868, Page 2

Mr. Grant Duff, as usual, makes the condition of foreign

affairs a leading topic in his address to his constituents. Europe, he says, far better governed than she was, "is groaning under the weight of her own armour," and "it is within my own knowledge that the eyes of many of the ablest European politicians have been, during the last eighteen months, anxiously directed towards the British Parliament, waiting for some action to be taken in this country towards bringing about so beneficent a result [disar- mament]" This is, we imagine, correct, but the difficulty is, now that whole nations are drilled, to make disarmament real. If Prussia sends home half her soldiers she is still a great military State, and France might grant furlough to half her army without ceasing to be suspected. We fear it is only from exhaustion that we can hope for peace.