The populace of Lisbon is as angry as the populace
of Turin after Novara, and on Saturday broke the windows of the British Consulate, which has as much to do with the negotia- tions as any British wine-dealer in Portugal. The Royal Government at once apologised for the outrage, and though the irritation has not subsided, no further insults have been offered. The news has been received everywhere, except in Germany and Austria, with an explosion of spitefulness against England; and the French Press is almost beside itself, declaring that Great Britain has broken the Treaty of Berlin, and inau- gurated a regime of pure force. The Spanish journals, of course, utilise the incident to show the Portuguese the necessity of relying upon Madrid, and even the Italian papers regret that a little Power should have been so roughly coerced. As we have elsewhere explained, the French are in a condition of savage anger at their position, which has nothing to do with Portugal, and are glad of an opportunity of relieving their minds by swearing aloud. It is necessary
to watch these explosions, which also followed the bombard- ment of Alexandria, with a certain tranquillity, and only take care that we are not irritated into oppressive treatment of Portugal. Her agents have placed her hopelessly in the wrong, and have, in fact, compelled decisive action; but British rights once guaranteed, every consideration should. be shown to natural susceptibilities. The new Ministry, being unfettered by the pledges of the departing one, will probably be able to draw up a treaty, and it has already proclaimed its indifference to Parliamentary opinion. The grand difficulty is the geographical one, Portugal lying in Africa right across the British path, and being unwilling to enter into the honest alliance which would make geography of minor importance.
