, 1881-06-25

the CnanDel between AlIlcd anu MALTA, duu
that Britain had always acknowledged the
Regency ns an integral portion OF Turkey
He did not believe that Lord Salisbury
had handed any portion of the Ottoman
Empire over to France, but even It he. had
that was nc reason why a different Govern
ment should condone so outrageous an
invasion. He trusted. therefore, that the
Government would adhere to the Firman
of 1871, upon which all Europe excepting
France had congratulated the Bey, beliey-
ing him thereby to have. obtained the
protection of the Sultan.
Mr.. Guests speech was not a good one,
but it so clearly expressed a latent
feeling in the House, that Mr., Gladstone
himself rose to reply. He begged the
House to remember that '%justice, policy,
l had almost said decency, required that
the debate should not be prolonged"
France was a nation which deserved every
courtesy at our hands, for . quarter of d
century Of uubroken alliance, and especial,
" the courtesy of waiting for authentic
information before she was condemned.
That courtesy was also due to the British
Government, whose conduct could not be
understood until the papers, which affect
o the late as mach as represent the AmlniS-
|tration, were IN erteRSo before he House.
Mr.. Guest had mentioned Lord Salisbury,
as If he Individually had done something
or other; but the Ministry had no reason
to belicye~in fact, they had every reason
net to beiieve-that Lord Salisbury was in
any way separated 10 his action from his
colleagues. To discuss the question with
cut papers might produce serious Injury,
aud he could only say that The righs
of the Sultan over these African States
had Involved continued controversy ; and
when we considered that we Ind cause of
quarrel with the Dey of AIgiers, we our
selves bomharded his capital, without ask
ing leave from the Sultaa. We have endeh-
voured elsewhere to show the extreme
seriousness of the question raised by Mr..
Guest, and Of remUnstrsnces which cannot
save Tunis, and may endanger an alliance
which beneiits the world. AS for the
Sultan's rights, let the Sultan defend them.
The first Tunis BIue-book reaches us to-
late for notice, but it is evident from the
despatchcs that Lord Salisbury dill inform
the French Government that it was ut
liberty to take Tunis. On July 2G b,
1878, NJ. Wuddiogton informed the French
Ambassador in London that at Berlin
Lord Salisbury said to hin, "Do ut Tunis
what you think proper. England will! offer
10 opposition, aud will respect your deci-
sion.o In a letter to Lord Lyons, of
August 9Th, Lord Salisbury being made
acquainted with this dispatch, informs the
British Ambassador that, "without being
able to confirm the exact phrases attribu
ted to hiu, ho has great pleasure in bear.
ing witness to the general accuracy of NJ
W"4ddingtous r,c3ll %ctions." The British
Government would not alter its attitude,
If the Government OF the Bey (e |, but
could not answer for Italy. We do not
sep, after that, what more there is to DC
said. The Biitish Government virtually
eove the French Government carte blanche
in Tuuis. Lord Granville, also, in June.
1880, when questioned on the sublecF.
stated that although Tuuis was pat OF
Turkey, and Britain had :" no moral or
international right to dispose OF IT," her
Maiesty's Government had no Jealousy of
the influence which France, from hersreater
power aud high civilization, exercised,
and was likely to exercise, over Tunls.'
The PANAMA CANAL 1t is not lmpos-
oihlo thot tha. limited Stnres may be bitten