The San Francisco call., 1896-10-04

sidered success for the Ministry. Doubt
less it is but the precursor to better COM
mercisl arrangement between France and
Italy. Large hopes are entertained by
competent Frenchmen interested in the
Italian wine trade for near future when
the stream of sound and healthy wines
from southern grapes will once more be
turned into French channels. In this the
consumer has much to gain and afterward
so far as modest vintages are concerned
very little to lose.
The sudden stoppage of the Nile cam
paign has caused little surprise to those
whose business ii was to study the fnan-
cial aspects of the situation. There is no
money available for prosecuting the war
farther as an Egyptian loan is not favored.
1t will be curious to watch the outcome of
the present deadlock between the foreign
caisse de la dette publlque and the Egyp-
tian treasury. The susceptiblities of
France have to be studied with the great
est care, but if England is 10 pay all the
costs of the campaign she can hardly be
blamed if she expects something solid for
her money. The behavior of the Egyptian
troops has been beyond oil praise and the
rumors about the lnsubordination of one
English regiment have been grossly exag-
geraied.
The tax on -four, imposed some time
back by the Belgian Government in place
of the light duties that were abolished at
Belgian ports, is killing the corn trade in
that country. The large millers can no
lonaer afford to buy the American -four,
which so greatly i'm proved the quality of
the native product when mixed with it,
and the smaller millers are utterly ruined
because the bigger men swallow up all of
the peasants harvests, which previously
fed the small mills. All corn trade is
turning away to other countries. The
movement to abolish the light dues and to
werp, with the intention of attracting
business, bu. things are now so bad that
1t is difficult to see how Belgium can easily
recover from so serious blow to its agri-
culture.
Sensational reports have been flying
about OF late to the effect that the Qneen
is losing her eyesight. The rumors had
no other basis han visit paid to her by
great oculist from Weisbaden and there
Is absolutely nothing in them. He- latest
signatures to official documents are ad-
mirabie examples OF clear handwriting.
While all the excitable people in Eng
land have been either exhorting each
other to do something for Armenia or
j ming in somewhat childish abuse of the
German Emperor, very remarkable con-
gress at B-rlin has passed almost un-
noticed. Twelve thousand women from
every country in Europe assembled on the
vast council-hall of the Rathhaus and
constituted woman's parliament on all
questions save one. Armenia was well
represented; indeed, she lee the congress
at all times Politics was the Biuebeard's s
chamber of the occasion and no public
use was made of the key, but it is rumored
that when the congress meets in London
two years hence this restriction will be
removed.
Englishmen in and out of the city look
forward with pleasure to The term of Office
o. the newly elected Lord Mayor of Lon
don, Alderman Faudel Phillips. This
gifted gentleman, whose father was Lord
Mayor thirty years ago, is the fourth Jew
to hold this Office. His wife is daugh hter