The Times' correspondent in Parie published on Wednesday a long
and rather hysterical prophecy as to a coining change in the French Ministry. He believes M. Waddington and the Cabinet about to fall, for no reason but that they have held power for nine months, and to be replaced by M. Freyeinet, who 'he is careful to show is far less Radical than he is believed to be. He is certainly a fiist-class administrator, having been Gambetta's Minister for War. The change would not be very important, Franco being governed rather by the three Presi- dents than by any Minister, and might even be beneficial, as
Waddington has got himself into a sort of impasse with this country ; but we distrust these vague predictions. No question is on hand on which the Ministry must be de- feated, and the Assembly is often governed in its action by reasons not stated. till the last minute. M. Waddington is con- sidered in Germany a safe man, and M. Freycinet is not, and that will tell, as will also the roused attention of France to certain dangers from the Ultras. M. Gr6vy, too, has something to say to new Ministries, and will not be too willing to accept M. Gambetta's man ; while the reluctance to use up Ministries so fast weighs upon all parties, except the extreme Left. Even France cannot expend a Cabinet a year, without over-depletion of her reservoir of possible Premiers.
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