The Tunis affair is practically over for all but France.
The British Government cannot oppose, except in words, for the Tories are pledged by Lord Salisbury, and the Liberals will not ,contend for Turkey ; Italy has a new Ministry, with SS. Depretis and Mancini at its head, who will watch, but not act; and the Sultan does nothing, except issue silly threats of deposing the Bey for yielding to irresistible force. The Treaty has been sanctioned by both Chamber and Senate, and it only remains to 4:irganise French authority in Tunis. This may not be quite 'easy, although 30,000 troops are encamped within the Regency. The Arabs, who are only half aware of what has occurred, are becoming irritated, and are plotting with the Algerines for a general insurrection. The Bey has lost all moral hold, and what with native resistance and the treaty rights of European 'residents, the friction is so great that France may shortly be compelled to do what she ought to have done at first, and declare Tunis a French Department. Meanwhile, the Govern- ment in Paris aro sanctioning another series of perfectly -astonishing falsehoodeabout Biserta, which they say they will not use, but they admit pretty openly that they mean to make a great place of Cabes. They could hardly have a better key to North-East Africa.
