NEWS OF THE WEEK.
ALDERMAN FAUDEL-PHILLIPS has been elected Lord Mayor, being the fifth Jew who has held that honourable position, and the usual banquet at the Guildhall on November 9th was attended by the Premier, whose speech was one of considerable importance. Lord Salis- bury announced, to begin with, that the "not very im- portant controversy with the United States" had at length ended, the only question really at issue—the pro- prietorship of the settled districts—having been settled on the basis that occupation for fifty years should constitute ownership. He then turned to the Eastern question, and congratulated the country on its unanimity. The country had resolved against isolated action, which was in fact im- possible, for the occupation of Turkey would be a great military, not naval, operation, and would require as a preliminary a conscription. Other European Powers could, however, employ force if necessary, but as their interests were not all the same, there was risk of causing the slaughter of millions in order to avenge the slaughter of thousands. Lord Salisbury adhered, therefore, to the plan of acting with the European Concert, and through the Sultanate ; and as Russia was now aware that English continuous opposi- tion to her was the "superstition of an antiquated diplomacy," and as France would not " baffie " us, and as the Triple Alliance was "in sympathy" with us, Lord Salisbury was vaguely hopeful that the Concert would accomplish something, he did not say precisely what.
