Mr. Courtney is very independent, and by no means dis-
inclined that the world should know it. In a speech at Liskeard on Wednesday, he conveyed the impression that he was entirely impartial on the Disestablishment question ; and at Bodmin on Thursday, he accepted Local Self-government in Ireland, provided minorities were fully represented, a device which, however sound, he knows to be practically im- possible. Moreover, he made a speech on Egypt in favour of the evacuation of the country. He entirely admits the great work we are doing there, but would abandon that work rather than " poison " all our foreign policy. In other words, even if Europe generally asked us to remain, he would evacuate Egypt out of fear of France. We cannot believe that policy to be either wise or honourable; we are bound to -go, no doubt, when Egypt has been so strengthened that it can stand alone, and bound also on the general demand of Europe, from whose vote we derive our title ; but failing those two contingencies, it is our duty to remain, and compromise with France, or contend with France, the best way we can. Apart altogether from our Indian interests, every nation which assumes a lofty position should do something for the world, and the suspension of the long misery of the Nile Valley is the bit which just now has been imposed upon our shoulders. We entirely admit the burden, but scuttling is not the way out of it.
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