The times., 1899-04-23

special attention. They are contained in
two dispatches and an extract from an
editorial in the "Vossische Zeitunsr
Taken separately, they seem innocent
enough, but brought together they suggest
irresistibly the question: What do the re-
cent Franco-I Italian tactics mean?
In the first place, the cruiser Du ChayIa
Unexpectedly returned from Sardinia TO
Toulon with Vice Admiral Fournier aboard,
and the vice admiral Immediately left for
Paris in obedience 10 an urgent summons
from the Government, while the cruiser
Gallilee, which had also returned from
Cagliari. left Toulon on the very after
noon OF her arrival on a secret mission
| What can that mission be? Why did the
Du Chayla precede the rest of the French
squadron from Sardinia, bringing back
Vice Admiral Fournier in such haste?
Does the Ministry endorse the latter's
declaration to Italian officers that France
and Italy, both strong, are in a position to
keep the domain OF the Mediterranean,
which is their right and aspiration? If So
this seems to mean that France is trying
to win Italy away from either England
or Germany, for the peninsula cannot form
a part of menage n trois, or, rather, a
quatre, since Russia has to be counted, un-
less France be willing to give up all idea of
revenge. Is France going to side with Ger
many? She would thus renounce forever
the Rhine provinces. Or does she hope that
Italy will abandon the Triple Alliance and
throw in her lot with autocratic Russia and
republican France?
The "vossische Zeitung" inclines to the
former belief The visit of the French
squadron to Cagliari, it says. is not a sim
pie act OF courtesy, and Vice Admiral
Fournier was invested with political mis-
sion. Our German contemporary thinks
that this mission was solely directed
against England, though the grounds for
its confidence appear very shaky, unless
indeed France be ready to forget the
"trouee des Vosges." France, it adds, does
not wish to entice Italy out Of the Triple
Alliance which can only mean that France
hopes to enter it.
According to our contemporary, however,
her object is TO leave Great Britain with
out a European ally. Still, II Italy sides
with France and yet remains faithful TO
the Triple Alliance, will not Germany be
the only one to profit from 1t by the
swinging OF France into line?
The Republic must either keep step with
the German Emperor or else draw Italy
into a union with her and Russia against
him, In which case, with France moving
on toward the Rhine and Russia hemming
him in on the NORTH the German Emperor
would be like the prisoner of the lnquisi
ton who found the walls of his cell slowly
closing in upon him.
Is he likely to let himself be caught in
this way2 May he not remember that
blood is thicker than water, and answer the
Franco Russo Italian alliance by the coun-
ter move OF an Anglo American -Teutonic
understanding? This question should in
terest the French Government. 1t GER
tainly looks as though IL were Germany,
not England, who was threatened by
trron % or toll.
be willing to let bygones be bygones, for
Germany is hardly likely to give back
Alsace-Lorraine in return for nothing,
when she could keep 1t by coming to an
agreement with England and the United
States.