A story is being told, for the accuracy of which
we cannot vouch, but which is probably true, and which illustrates the implicit confidence of the Continent in British fairness. Some merchants of Havre recently satisfied themselves that France and England would come to blows over Fashoda, and believed that in this case Havre would be the first place exposed to bombardment. They cast about, therefore, for ways of pro- tecting their goods, and finally decided to insure them at Lloyd's, feeling assured that whatever the law, British underwriters would pay for goods upon which they had accepted risks. That is as good a testimony to British probity as the conduct of the Afridis, who when ready to revolt against white rule sent their women into Pesha,- war to be taken care of, is to British humanity. We believe that whenever war is probable on the Con- tinent masses of money are invested in London, and that many of the great bankers could tell strange stories of the reckless confidence placed by enemies in British firms. Yet the very same men are not certain that the British Treasury is not spending secret service money in promoting the Dreyfus agitation.
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