It is believed that the Bourgeois Ministry in Paris will
not last. The Radicals and Socialists are as good as gold, and avoid awkward questions with a discipline of which they were believed incapable; but the Moderates are growing angry. They think the Ministry are arranging for a Dissolution, and are afraid of large changes in the provincial executive which will greatly affect elections. They intend, therefore, to throw out the Ministry if they can, and as a preliminary have counted up their strength. M. Lockroy, now Minister of Marine, was Vice-President of the Chamber, and the Moderates determined to replace him by M. Poincare, a member of the recently defeated Cabinet. They tried to do this on Monday, but failed, as they had not a quorum till Tuesday, when they seated their candidate by 213 to 18, the Radicals abstaining in a body from the urns. It is believed that this vote is final, and that on the first grave interpella- tion M. Bourgeois will be defeated, and his preparations for a Dissolution not being complete, must perforce resign. M. Hanotaux may therefore within a fortnight replace M. Berthelot, and the Panamists will once again escape an honest investigation.
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