The Tempo publishes an account of the recent negotiations between
France and England on the subject of Egypt, which appears to be at least demi-official, and as such is repro- duced in emtenso in the Times. It is a most melancholy narrative. If it is tree, and we fear it is true, M. Duclerc rejected the control of the Public Debt of Egypt offered to France, but hinted that if she were offered the control of the Domain and the Daira in addition, and, in fact, invested " with the general supervision of the Liquidation Law, regulating the -employment of all the revenues of Egypt," a "basis of agree- ment" might be found. In other words, if France were allowed to pillage Egypt at discretion, for the benefit of the financial houses still loaded with Egyptian Bonds, and more especially Daira Bonds, Great Britain might dispose of the country as she pleased. No baser proposition was ever made, or one which showed more clearly the frightful ascendancy of the Rings in the councils of Paris. The negotiations have, of course, dropped, and it is asserted that M. Tissot, the French Ambassador in London, has resigned, assigning as his reason that "the cause of the Bondholders is almost hopeless." This disposition of great Governments to sacrifice political ends to the in- terests of great loanmongers is a novel and most ominous feature in modern politics. The tendency is not confined to Paris, but is displayed also in Rome and Vienna, and, in a different way, in Berlin. There, however, pecuniary claims are regarded as excuses, not as ends.
