The New York herald., 1877-12-26

to expect from attaining the respectable hgure
OF loo, 600 men.
Count ~ In spite OF tho earneslness OF your in
tentious you making but slow progress owing 10
the opposition which you encounter from the Catholic
Ministry.
MAJoR-The Ministry has pledged Itself to the elect
ors not to increase the military expenses; but II
does not increase them, neither II diminish them
The progress must be realized with such the
budget affords, which reduces the thing TO purely
economical and financial consideration and renders IL
merely question OF time.
| Count M.-w tho two forts that you are erecting
suihce to check the rapid invasion of Belgium BY
| French army?
MAJoR-An army will also be required in the field
We obtain the forts FIRST, then the material then the
men. We have time enough. France, owing to its
internal divisions is not ready to 60 to Sho
only think Of when tranquility shall have restored
TO her her former strength. Nevertheless Belgium
must bc rendered secure while there Is time against
cottp dc main which would menace frontier.
You sec that have tho necessary time at
object, and shall arrive At It In epe OF all the
obstacles that may be opposed to US.
! MALoU.
NJ. Maiou is President OF tho Council OF Minister'S
He is about seventy years OF age and tho typo Of
old schoolmaster, or rather of church beadle he
wears his coat and waistcoat open and his fec,
clad In low cut shoes and whtto cotton stockings.
reddish wig, without pretention and which resembles
somewhat cap, preserves from the draughts of wind
head which has bocn long accustomed to face poli-
ca storms. NJ. Malou is u parliamentary cynic. who
knows all tho wires Of the metier. AT The periods
whom political excitement sleeps no be busy
with his pencil making long additions Of figures, for
he is tho administrator OF all tho great companies and
banks OF Belgium NJ. Nalou receives his visitors In
cabinet situated at the left Of the Of tho Min
istry OF Finance The furniture OF the apartment Is
in the style dc pEmpue and is covered with morocco
leather and green CLOTH It dates from the time OF
the Dutch government. In conversation NJ. Malou Is
very LIBERAL but those who converse with him
detect tho ultra jesuit, II may bo said OF him that
''he is Jules simon turned inside out."
VIEWS PRESIDENT THE CABINET
conversation which ex-fuuctionary had with
him touching tho matters treated OF this article
thus relaied:-
Count M.--You have at last consented 10 givc a
scmblance oi satisfaction the demands OF Germany
You are building tho forts Of Waelhem and Of LierreY
NJ MALor-lt was to the King that yielded ana not
to tho Germans, with whom do not want 10 havo
anything to do. Anu notwithstanding that theso two
works cost nothing. seeing that they paid for
out OF the proceeds OF tho sale Of the land or tie dis
man,led iortrosses, repeat that this money could
have becn moro uscfully employed for other things
Count M.-And the defence OF the country
| NJ. MALou-Thc defence OF the counIry-by whomr
by ourselves tho greatest Utopia that be imag-
ncd which has been constantly repeated for the last
twenty cars, ami which has wasted millions the
fortihcatons OF Antwerp. II We arc 10 bo swallowed
up We shall BIO swallowed up whether tho army has
TO- 600 or 10o 600 men It is not 20 900 900 men,
more less that will mako any difference in the
result
Count M.-I these are your ideas you cannot be
very we'll Satisfied with the cxgenccs OF Germany
~ "a.
dicrs. believe her only object is to tnem
with helmet All her efforts seem to me to tend to
this change. With the uniform thoy already tho
helmet will give them the appearance OF real Ger
mans and Prince Fritz says that that Will suffice to
make them fight bravey against France.
Count NJ. But should the Germans exact mere?
NJ MALoU-we should not accord It,
Count M-You arc resolved to refuse itS
NJ. MALoU-Positively.
Count Mn spite Of what may happeni
NJ. MALoU Nothing can happen that Is not already
dccidcd and that we should be always powerless 70
prevent.
CARDINAL DEscaAMPs.
The Deus machna OF Belgian policy Is the Prmate
or Belgium HIS Eminenco Cardinal Deschamps He
Is prca,c Of all sense OF patriotism. For him
his only country is Rome where hs goes four times
a year. ard the immaculate conception is his stand
ard. .Antoncli was bis god upon the earth and more
his Qou, perhaps, tuhu uoo n ueuNou. hols
orator. and while still young attracted great attention
by his eoqucnce. He belonged TO the Order Of the
Redemption, which may be said to be tho very
OF Jesuitisn, and he among the number Of its
abies. aud most spirits. He succeeded Pri-
mate or Belgium to Mgr. Sterckx who
much Of patriot rs OF priest. He has replaced all
the bishops belonging TO tho regular clergy by
rers OF his Order. The King does not like him, but
the Cardinal cares but little about that the Ministry
being his creation, and feeling himself strong enough
10 crush it at his will, he beng or believing himself
to be- master OF the electoral urns People even 80
far as to say that the riot which overthrow the Baron
d'Ancthan, who too much OF o patriot Tor his
| taste was tho work OF the Cardinal He causes NJ.
Aaou 10 be narrowly watched by two other Minister'S
| who arc entirely devoted TO him-namey, NM Dclo.
court and Landshere Openly opposed TO the Ger
mans and to the IN litarism which they seek impose
he has caused to restored to the clergy all the old
abbcys which had become national property has had
them repaired or reconstructed and has Installed in
them the monks prescribed by Germany or Span. In
appearance the Cardinal a about fifty five years
| OF age, OF middle height clear complexion and fea-
lures which not wanting In distinction. The Pr-
n.ao inhabts Grchcpiscopal residence OF Malnea
His study IA mt tho end Of the srit OF the
! Grs, foor 1t Is simply but comfortably furnished.
Two portraits, one Of the Pope and the other Of Car
dinal Antonelli, decorate the walls
In conversation which ox-iunctionary had with
him short timo since the latter observed TO His
Emincnce.-
Coun. MI am assured, Monscgneur, that tho
German government sidcrs you tho only obstacle
to the military reforms which the Emperor is dosrous
| OF seeing established III Belgium
| CAnDrxAL--I know that Is said, but this Is seeking
| at a distance the reason OF things. Tho real Is
that the programme OF ST. Nicholas, In which had
haud promised to the electors who gave us majority
tho nonlncr@sc OF the military expenses II is the
duty OF the Ministers to keep their promises, by doing
| tho best they with the existing resources
Count M.-They prevent the establishment Of obli-
gaory service. 1t Is said that Your Emnence IS
strongly opposed TO that kind OF service for
entirely Independent OF The question oil tho defence