The suspense in France is still as great as ever.
The Chamber of Deputies has done nothing important as yet, except refusing to validate at once the election of an official candidate for an uncontested seat, by a majority of 101 (323 against 220),—a rather questionable act, but one justified by the absence of the Ministers who, it was said, ought to have been present to defend their policy of naming official candidates, after the reputation for valour which they had courted. The division showed the somewhat odd result that the House contained 612 persons who claimed to be Members, though even after the four colonial Members have joined it, it ought to contain but 633. There must, therefore, allowing for the four Colonial Members who cannot yet be in their seats, be twelve more claimants of seats in the Chamber than there are seats to occupy. The Senate has adjourned for a week without doing anything,—a good sign, as it indicates that the Government despair of inducing it to pass at once a vote of confidence in the Administration.
