The Report on the French Budget of Foreign Affairs has
been distributed to the Chambers. Drawn up by M. de Pressense, it is singularly free from Jingoism. The Report welcomes the rapprochement of France with Great Britain and Italy as removing that "instability of the equilibrium of the world" which had resulted from the Triple Alliance, and expects continued peace and develop- ments of the Treaty of Arbitration. The conquest of Morocco, a natural fortress, would, as is shown by the history of the conquest of Algeria, involve too many sacrifices. In the Near East the three Liberal Powers of the West should complete, fortify, and hasten the action of the dual syndicate which is intervening, and so benefit Macedonia while preserving peace. In the Far East England and France have the greatest interest in peace, and as France possesses influence with Russia and England with Japan, each should strive with its ally in order to avert a conflict. That is very moderate, and only too sensible ; but it remains to be seen whether it will affect foreign Governments as well as the French Chambers. The danger of the hour is not that the nations wish for war, for they do not, but that events may stimulate some one nation to acts which will divide the remainder into hostile groups. The Report, how- ever, so far as it goes, is most reassuring as to the temper of the Republican majority in France.
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