"LET FRANCE EXPLAIN."
(To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.") La,—In your notice of Mr. Bausman.'s book you deprecate his view of the Franco-Russian Alliance as a menace to the peace of Europe. Many of the Belgian despatches, however, in the years preceding the War point to a real alarm on this matter, and even appear to detect in the Three Years' Service Act the pressure of Russia. Also, many enlightened Frenchmen, and, above all, that great patriot and internationalist, Jean Jaures, viewed the later development of the policy of the Alliance with great distrust and regarded it is a threat to the independenc and dignity of France. Up to the day of his tragic death on the eve of the War Jaures, in his superhuman efforts in the cause a peace, resolutely turned his back on this dangerous Treaty, and it was in his last public speech (at Brussels) that he uttered those thrilling and memorable words: " Lorsqu'on invoquera notre trait6 secret avec la -Russie, noise invoquerons nous, notre trait6 public avec l'Ilumanit6."—I am, Sir, &c.,
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