Lord Granville, in his reply, after censuring the Conserva- tives
for "heaping vituperation upon the law of the land which they themselves had agreed to pass," declared that he remem- bered Ireland in a mach worse state during the anti-tithe agitation. Conservative Peers representing only one side of the question, i.e., the landlords' side, should be slow to bring charges against men who are administering the law to the best of their ability. He defended the negotiations with France for a Com- mercial Treaty, and maintained that the policy in Egypt was unchanged, and was, directed to support the autonomy of that country under the Firmans, the maintenance of the tie which binds her to Turkey, and the good govern- ment of Egypt. So fully was that policy approved by foreign Powers, that it was the basis of the Note recently ad- dressed to the Porte by Russia, Germany, Austria, and Italy. The "Identical Note" was presented because M. Gambetta wished it, but it started this country on no new course. Matters would not have been improved by a premature occupation of Egypt, nor could we complain of separate action by the four Powers when we had ourselves kept them aloof. The employ- ment of force might ultimately be necessary, but her Majesty's Government desired, if it were possible, and he thought it was possible, to obtain the same results without its employment.
