Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-05
FEROCIOUS FRANCE.
Quiet but Impressive Prepara-
tiOns-The Country an
Armed Camp.

New York Times letter.
A London fashionable journal which
is not without inspiration at Chisel-
hurst, where the Empress Eugene
holds her humble court, learns that
the gravest ~apprehensions of another
cOmmunistic rising exist in Paris
A Franco English journalist tells me
that, although this is an alarmist's
view of the situation, there are causes
for great anxietyin Paris. 1t is thought
that with the closing of the Exhibition
the trouble win begin. The general
commercial depression in Europe has
interfered with the prospects and hopes
of the French workingman, who has
on too many occasions shown that he
cannot patiently endure adversely.
There are no arms in the possession
of the ineendiary portion of the popu-
%lation, says the London paper with
Napoleonic s~ympathies, but it is sig
nifcantly said that there is plenty of
petroleum. That another outbreak
is thought possible, he goes on to say,
may be judged from the fact, which
comes to us from an assured source,
that many priests have provided them
selves with civilian clothes, in readi-
ness for any emergency 1t strikes
one here that this must be news in
Paris. That it is believed, or that it
is desired to have France think so, by
the Bonapartists, the source of this
information is sufficient to show. One
thing, however, is certain-all kinds
of political and military preparations
are being made in France with a view
to contingencies which occupy the
minds Of politicians in London as
we'll as in Paris. II is firmly be-
heved in what may be called Leices-
ter square circles, that, in spite of the
outward show Of politeness between
the governments Of Berlin and Paris,
the French are making arrangements
to wipe out the dishonor of Sedan,
and that Germany fully believes in
the ultimate rising of this western
question, before which the eastern
question will sink into insignifcance.
Can it be possible" philosophers
ask, that, in the nineteenth century
great nations like these can still CON
template with equanimity another
great war p 1t is possible, and, what
is more, the quiet but impressive pre-
partitions Of France point to warlike
demonstrations at no distant day.
While Gambetta tells his hearers that
the watchword of the republic is
peace, as if unconsciously initiating
the dead man whose tomb at Ohisel-
hurst is SO soon crumbling over his
imperial bones, he says nothing Of the
enormous ornaments with which the
nations bristles. France is an armed
camp, and her navy is daily becoming
more numerous in ships, in men, an6
in guns, Many private firms are build,
ing ships for the government. Tor
pedo boats and dispatch vessels il
, large numbers are said to have beer
built within the last eighteen months
The government dock yards are bus,
in equipping old ships and build.
ing new ones, The Societt
Anonyme des Constructions Navales
at Havre is in full work. The duke
Of Cambridge, was present at the mill.
! tary review at Vincennes, told ar
r English officer that in many respect,
{ the French troop had greatly improved
in physique since he had last seen q
t spectacle Of this kind. "As a sampl,
G o fthe rest" said the duke, "thest
) $4,000 men should represent an army
t second to none in Europe, The re
: view was witnessed by officers of al
t the great .powera, There are 10000
5 similar troops ready and available
!, for action, II is calculated that whel
!. the nine years service of the actiy,
army and reserve, dating them from
1873, is complete, the four annual con
tingents drafted into the reserve arm,
will amount to $4,000, What is L
be done with this armyP The Ger
mans In London tell you that h
fatherland would disarm If France di,
d not go on arming, and that the onl
chance for Germany to resume he
d place in the industrial market Of tn
world is to compel France to put he
/, army and navy on a peace footiAl
d This is easily said, Ii Ii gFeatl
II to be feared that Alsace
+ pEaviRg q white elephant to German!
Annexation is always the seed Of war
to come. When the respite which pc
le litical parties have given each 0thC
" during the exposition IS al an end,
in is expected that Paris will furnis
lively news for Europe, but not in Il
s. direction indicated by our friend
ii Chiselhurst, In Englisk minister
lie circles it ID said the most thorough vi
as derstanding has been arrived al b,
In tween England and France n yegal
r to Egypt, Itist9 be hoped that
ng true, though It is hard TO understaH
Sc how France, II she cherishes any
It's her old ambitions, can be content
lis see Egypt, after careful French cult
n yation, fall like a ripe peach, into u
IN lap of Victoria. The esINlatsance
of the French gpwrnment in this matt
,st eau oply be interpreted by the IA
on that she has bigger business on han
nd and that her interest lies in standi.
Is, we'll with England, II IS only fair
'or tho people Of Great Britain to S
"a that, in case Of France getting IN
"a. trouble, no alliance woald BIO so pc
81 ular as that Of the trl-color and t
nal union jack. Ra
"SensibIe Talk" IA