M. de Freycinet on Tuesday swept his gigantic military Budget
through the Chamber, including its extra military credit of £21,000,000 for the fortifications and the replacing of the old rifles with the Lebel rifle, practically without debate. Some 115 Reactionaries voted against it, to show that they were irresponsible, their party not having its due proportion on the Budget Committee ; but serious debate was entirely avoided. The theory, it is said, is that, with Europe in such a condition, it is unpatriotic to resist or even discuss in public any demand whatever from the War Office. It is stated that 700,000 of the Lebel rifle have already been issued, and that extraordinary efforts are being made to raise the further issue of them from the present rate of one thousand up to three thousand a day. The French Government may intend peace, and we believe it does ; but its acts do not suggest that it expects peace to last.
