The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1883-08-21 00:00:00

Faint Cottutq Expreos,

DORCHISTER, AUGUST 214, 1883.

-
In the present hurried winding-up of the Parlia-
mentary Session there are features even more to be
deprecated than the amount of modification which the
Lords will have been able to Inflict on the Agricultural
Holdings Bill. From the point of view of simple
humanity their lordships did more injury on Friday
evening by rejecting the Pigeon Shooting Bill than
they could do by any changes introduced into the
Agricultural Holdings Bill; but nobody is likely to cry
" Down with the Peers !" on behalf of pigeons. In the
Commons the faros of the consideration of the Indian
Budget by empty benches is a greater injury to India
than the suppression of the Ibbert Bill could be, yet
oar Indophilee will not be moved by the cavel;er way
of trusting the Indian national arc uitts as they are by
a paltry political question. But the chief evil of the
present Isgirlative hurry is that no time is available
for extracting from GoVernMelli any int ornietion up in
various foreign questioos of considerable moment.
Keen if Ministers were themeilvee ever so inclined to
tell us all we want to know they c odd not In so for
lack of time.

_
Mr Healy certainly brought to light • remarkable
Irish grievance, the presentation r,f which can only be
socounted for by the supposition that irreconcilable
oppoeition must have • tendency to become incon-
mous. When Ireland ie offered two millions at two
per mut, to constrict tram ye—which means getting
the money at ii fraction of the interest whicn would
have LO be pall f ir private capital aubiscribed in the
market—it was rather ungracious of air. Healy to
aluiplala on Fri lay oveurug if tile burdin proposed
to be thrown on Irish rstvayers. But such an objec-
tion might have been reseen from a gentleman who
had just previously complained that Irish jailers
received lower salaries than English ones- What with
one Irreconcilable moving to roanoo the charge for the
elocution of justice in Ireland, and another proposing
to raise them, the Government must be rather puzzled
ea to what kind of policy would an satisfactory to the
supposed representatives of the Irish people. Perhaps
the-Parselliter would riot object to draw more money
(rem the Cameolidated Fowl for the salaried. of Irish
prison governors, while rendering the posts of theft
officials almost sincoured by checking the public VOW
Oatloo 01 Crime.

It has lately been rendered pretty evident that our
Govenunent are obliged by force of cimumetariess to
prolong the Egyptian oocupetion against their
own will, though probably not against the will of the
British people. Foreign nations, too, ars getting to
fOOOlll6ll this force of oirournstsnces—of course,
away' mospting the French nation, which allows
sects • plea only for the extravagant sots of its own
Government. Foreigu statesmen and political
writers other than -French ones ice now able to
oontensplate calmly what would be the result to
Egypt If the British occupying force were suddenly
withdrawn, and the conclusion is approyal .1 the
prolonged occupation The Italian Opipsione, for
&geese, while crediting Mr. illeistone with A dnoere
desire to withdraw the British foxes, and recognising
She difficulties in the way f doing so, s.v.s that. rather
than e-e Egypt become a prey to anarchy, it would
prefer the British occupation Is cootinue as long ea
might be necessary. As for the French opinion, the
Rtrifolique Prseraise calls fors declaration of British
policy, arid advocates the revival of the Dual C.mtrol.
The only fitting comment upon this modest propoyid
Is—Don't the French wish they may get it

It is not very likely we shall go out of our way to
share with the French the influent,' gained by our
arras in Egypt, when nur neighbours are doing all
they can to create difficulties and annoyances for no
in other parte of the world. Our not altogether
insignificant trade with lilt isgaveir has been inter-
rupted by warlike nperati uts for which we cot per-
ceive DO adequate pretest; and, in spite of Mr.
stone's apparently premature optim'sm attire Mansion
Homo, it would now appear that the French
treatment of British subjects in Madagascar has raised
'emotions between the French Government and our
own which are not likely to promote c irdisl iodations
of friendship. Nations, like individuals, may allow
petty aggression* to be condoned by formal disclsimsre
or feeble apologies'
, but, in accepting such amends,
their respect and friendship for their aggressors is not
tnceeed. The Anmenalta Chinese imbroglio in which
France is resolutely but recklessly entangling herself,
may produce more inconveniences for us than ever the
French adventure in Madagascar.

--
The progrege .4 the cholera in zypt hew been
remarkable. The epidemic broke oit at Damietta, at
one angle of the Delta, made its way gradually to
Cairo, nearly in another angle, and then pawed down
to Alexandria, at the third angle. As it advanced t
sew fields of devastation, its destructivenem regularly
deicressed at its previous places of sojouro. Damietta
now oak's hardly any show in the returns; the figures
of Cairo are light ; and Alexandria furnished' the
balk of tile fatal case.. When the pestilence dies out
In Alexandria. as it Mee done or is doioir in other
Egyptian towns ou its track, will it end at this great
Mediterranean sea poet, or will It continua Its devastat•
tag comae acrom and beyond the sea? This Is a very
endow question for Europe, inclu tint our own country,
but ale to which time alone can f iroish • p chive
answer. Meanwhile, there he nothing like being
prepared. especially as our preparations will save no
from other forms of dims" even If we escape the
visitation of cholera.