The French are obviously preparing for a grand campaign in
North Africa. The Governor-General of Algeria has gone back, negotiations have been opened with Morocco, and rein- forcements are crossing the sea almost daily, both for Algeria and Tunis. Nothing will be done till October, to avoid the heat; but in October the French Generals will, it is believed, con- trol 75,000 men, and will commence two different operations—the dispersion of the hostile Arabs in Algeria, who will be followed into Morocco; and an attack upon Kairouan, the centre of hos- tility in Tunis. Both will be very dangerous operations. The Sultan of Morocco, if his dominions are entered, may be com- pelled to declare war; and Kairouan will undoubtedly be de- fended to the last. The two enterprises are not beyond the power of France ; but she will have to garrison every tribal centre she occupies, she will lose a third of the soldiers em- ployed, and she will, at the end, have on her hands a fighting population of hostile and riding nomads. That is not a pleasant prospect for M: Gambetta ; but the alternative, a withdrawal from Tunis, will seem to Frenchmen impossible.
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