The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-05-21 00:00:00

ie Itourirriby 01}5erirtr,

SATURDAY, MAY 21st, 1881.

FRANOI4.I AND TUNIS.

WiIATEVEIS eTse may ba thought or said of the
French expedition to Tunis, there can be no two
(Onions as to the manner iu which it has been
conduct -d. Its operations, both militers tied
political, have been characterised by remerkabe
rapidity and decision. It is not much wore than
a month since t urope.heard for the first time uf
the Kroumir outrages upon French.subjecrs,
and of the necessity of chastising this barbarous
tribe ; and even down to ten days ago it was
being steadily maintained by the French Govern-
ment that the infliction of these reprisals was
the sole end and object .of the expedition. But
the most recent events leading up to the signa-
ture by the Treaty between the French and the
Bey of Tunis have followed in quick succession.
France has been jubilant, Nit Italy has been
perturbed, and the Tunis affair has led to the
resignation of the Ministry In England there
have been debates in Parliament upon this
sudden move on the part of our ne treat neigh-
bour ; and people who had never heard of Tunis
since their' school days, and had no idea of its
form of government, have all at once discovered
that, it is ruled by a potentate called.a 'Bey, who
has entered into a Treaty wi:h Praline of a very
striugsnt character. In this case a .great power
has'asstt,eed the control of the finance's and of
,C.,e foreign poiley of a weak and'Sernibarbarous
Stste and has eStablishsd garrisons within its
borders, if no in name it is time. establishment
of a Pretectorafe, and if this treaty is carried
into effect, it will be henceforth •understood net
only by the Bey' hithaelf, but by Europe at large
that Tunis is, to all -iiitelts amid 'purposes, as
much a part of the French possessions in Africa
ai Algeria itself.
The attitude which the English Government
should maintain has naturally been the .sat,j et
of debate in both Muses, of the legiSlature.
The fate sf Tunis as such, scarcely concerns us,
only in so far as it 'night effect the, balance oi
naval power in the- Mediterranean. Our reel-
interest in the Tievant ceetres in }..gypt, anti in
.Eg,ypt wail high Mono: At this .theinent: we
are associated with France in a dnalprotectorete
oVer Egypt, which, though it at present \yolk.'
fairly W6ll in practice, is nevertheless not an
arraegetuent to which we can, in common prus
deuce, allow ourselves to stand irrevocably corn
muted. We are bound to bear in mind that
there are poseib!e contingencies under which
the maintenance of the Anglo-French control in
Egypt might have been inconsistent with the
Vital interests of England in the lath tuna which
forms our. highway to India; and such being the
case we ought to hold ourselves free to resuine
an independent policy' in Egypt if and when the
necessity arises. We are fairly entitled to say
to France that in the event of her seeking such
an extension of her influence in North Aeries as
is implied in the assumption of a protectorate
over Tunis, we must reserve to ourselves the
liberty to protect our own interests in Egypt
We a-re satisfied with the joint protectorate of
the Delta as at present established, and shall
uphold it loyaily in the future as we have done
ie the past. But if Tunis is to he added to Al-
geria, we must hold ourselves free should the
occasion arise to consult our own interests in
Egypt.
The rapidity with which events have marched
in Tani, has snnewhat disconcerted the policy
of neutral States ; but a large question is
necessarily raised by the transsctions which are
now the subject of review. There can be little
doubt that the next few weeks will witness a
h-I,y interchange of conimunioations between
;he valf)as 14htrepan Powers. One effect of
French aciion in Tunis may be to ruder France
an object of some distrust in Egypt ; but as a
rtle the Oriental is far more effectually in-
fluenced through his fears than through any
€dher itnpuis-. 'I his would render our position
additiona!ly difficult in Egypt in c.tso of coat-
plications arieieg ; and it witi be all the mere
necessary thAt we should not stand debarred
-in asserting if need. be that right to a para-
mount influence over the isthmus where we
have joint interests with those of France, and
where those intetests must be protected under
any circumstances and at whatever cost.