M. Cochin and the Comte de Man raised a debate
on Tuesday in the French Chamber on Armenian affairs, which drew from M. Hanotaux a long and carefully guarded statement as to the policy of France. France, said the Foreign Minister, sympathises deeply with the Christians of the East, and will not abandon her role as their protector, but any thought of isolated action must be rejected, and "the action of the Powers must not deal any blow at the integrity of the Otto- man Empire, or at the situations sanctioned by treaty," the latter remark referring, we presume, to the closing of the Dardanelles. "There can, moreover, be no possible question of direct interference," nor "of anything whatever re- sembling in any sort of way a condominium. No, that would be the most precarious and dangerous of expedients." European diplomacy must take up the task of amelior- ating the Empire in conjunction with the Ottoman Government. Precise views were interchanged with the Czar upon the occasion of his visit, and the result is that united Europe is to try to press upon the Sultan that his only road to safety is to carry out "ameliorations," not for Christian or Mahommedan, but for his whole Empire. The work is laborious, "there will be many delays," and rash men must be warned that Europe will not be turned from ita course by " surprises,"—a hint intended obviously for all revolutionary Armenians. We have endeavoured to Flow elsewhere to how very little all this amounts.
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