It is curious to note the kind of eagerness with
which the new Government of Germany regards all questions of money. Prince Bismarck, in his speech to Parliament on 12th October, upon the new Convention with France, said he had given back a village or two of no value, but had retained the forests within them, because they were Crown property, "and worth money." He also stated that he did not consider it his duty to weaken France "beyond the degree required to ensure the maintenance of peace." France asked also for the iron-foundry of Moycouvre, but the proprietor of that foundry had cellars or underground passages crossing the frontier, and Germany would have bad to maintain an under- ground Custom-house I Statesmanship and auotioneering are not often mixed up together in that unshrinking fashion, nor would
many Governments in Europe take £200,000,000 and then haggle over a few trumpery acres of firewood. There must be some want of mental perspective in the wonderful Chancellor, after all.
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