M. Delcasse, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Monday
made an optimist speech in the Chamber on China which confirms the report that Europe has decided to retreat. The French troops employed, he says, will speedily be "re- patriated." He asserts that "the secret societies "—by which he means the "Boxers "—" are dissolved," an opinion he will probably see reason to correct ; he is assured of the safety of the Legations, and is now only solicitous about the method of exacting the indemnity. He prefers an international guaran- tee, which means, of course, that England and America are to provide for any deficits, and will on that ground be rejected by those Powers. He is full, however, of hope, though he is inclined to doubt whether China will become the Eldorado of industry, and suspects that "the movement which impels Europe towards that human ocean swept by passionate hatreds" is at least "precipitate." Nevertheless France must support Russia in China, "for their interests are the same," whereat one can fancy that M. de Giers smiles a little sardonically. It may prove an ominous sentence.
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