Sir E. Monson, British Ambassador in Paris, delivered on December
2nd a most striking speech to the British Chamber of Commerce. A change, he said, had crept over his pro- fession. When he entered it he still believed that there was a secret diplomacy, that its control rested in very few hands, and that personal ability could effect everything. But since then the Press had altered all things, especially by collecting information. Few political secrets were now to be picked up in society. Diplomatists cannot compete with the news- papers in the transmission of intelligence. Moreover, the commerce of the nations, and particularly of Great Britain, has extended itself, commercial questions have become more important, and gradually diplomacy has become even the " handmaid " of trade. As "commercial agents" British diplomatists do not give universal satisfaction ; but Sir E. Monson maintains that our countrymen are at no disadvantage in this respect, for though they sometimes ask impossibilities, their diplomatists are never remiss in pushing their interests while at the same time "carefully assuring the integrity of their action from all imputation of unavowable motives." We have discussed this speech on another page, but we may remark here that Sir E. Monson rather carefully abstained from an opinion as to the effect of commercial enterprise upon diplomacy. Possibly he approves it ; but more probably he would agree with us in accepting the necessity of the change, but regretting its effect upon the tone of the Service and of international relations generally. The trader is at once suspicious and crafty.
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