The Times of Tuesday contains a most curious and inter-
esting letter from its Madagascar correspondent, who is now established at Antananarivo. He gives a pitiful account of the corruption, treason, stupidity, and blustering against which the foolish but well-meaning Queen struggles in vain. At a recent Cabinet Council she is said to have appealed to her Councillors to speak the truth and tell her what is happening, and what she ought to do. After half an hour's dead silence one of the members answered by imploring that the real facts of the French advance should be made known, and the country not be lulled into a false sense of security by lying accounts of French defeats. The Prime Minister, how- ever, at once boldly denied that there was any ground for this appeal, and threatened the speaker with death. After this no one dared support him, and the Queen declared herself too ill to go on with the Council. Meantime the Queen and courtiers have lately taken to gambling of the most reckless description as a relief from the tension of impending doom. It is also stated that the Hova nobles continue building palaces in the capital, as if the city were not, as it is, within measurable distance of destruction.
