1 AUGUST 1885, Page 3

The French Chamber has been debating this week the Madagascar

policy of the late and present Government, and M. Ferry has delivered a very elaborate speech, which was intended as a defence of the forward policy in the Colonies, and which was accepted in that sense by the House. Indeed, M. de Frey,cinet's statements rather suggest that as soon as the season comes round, the French intend to push their conquests in Madagascar, or, as M. Briseon put it, to render their Colonial possessions there as useful as possible to French trade. In the end, the credit for the Madagascar expedition was voted by 291 against 142.