M. Delcasse on Tuesday reaffirmed with great emphasis the completeness
and solidity of the French alliance with Russia. N. Castelin had asked him to explain the odd disappearance and reappearance of the Russian Fleet during the Franco- Italian festivities; and M. Delouse, without explaining those incidents, which he said explained themselves, poured out affection upon Italy and Russia. The relations of France and Italy, he said, were most cordial, and their legitimate aspira- tions could not clash anywhere,—a sentence which would be even more reassuring if he had told the world what he under- stood " legitimate " to mean. Is the French desire for a Papal restoration perhaps " legitimate " P As to Russia, the Emperor Nicholas has "with infinite delicacy" once more "reaffirmed the solidity of an alliance daily sealed by the perfect accord in the policy of the two Governments on all questions, an accord which, beyond the reach of controversy or of ephemeral incidents, remains immutable." That is eloquent if stilted; it will increase the weight of N. de Giers at Pekin; and it will, as the Times correspondent remarks under his breath, assist the floating of the new loan.
