June 21st was the eve of the fall of the
Monis Cabinet, and M. Cruppi was Foreign Minister. Both M. Monis and M. Cruppi disavow all knowledge of the proposal that territories should be ceded. And M. de Selves, the present Foreign Minister, has informed the Senate Committee that no documents referring to any such proposal are in existence at the Foreign Office. When M. Monis declared to the Senate Committee, on his " word of honour," that the alleged instructions to M. Cambon had never been before the Ministerial Council the excitement in the Committee was so intense that (the Times correspondent tells us) the meeting was adjourned for an hour. There is an evident determination on the part of the Committee to get to the bottom of this curious affair. Whether they are wise to do so is quite another matter, especially us the proposals or sug- gestions or whatever they were resulted in nothing. It is often good policy, both in private and public life, not to press the imperative interrogation too far. One of Stevenson's characters declares that he objects to asking questions, because to do so partakes too much of the Day of Judgment. Asking questions, he goes on, is life setting a stone rolling downhill. It goes on in increasing velocity, and sets off other stones on a similar career, "till at last some bland old bird is knocked over in his back garden and the family have to change their name."
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