NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE Austrian Emperor in his Speech from the Throne on Saturday last alludes with satisfaction to the improve- ment of the general European situation :— " The mitigation already noticeable last year of some instances of friction in the international situation fortunately continues. The efforts of all Powers telid increasingly towards tranquillisa- tion and towards the consolidation of general peace by the culti- vation of tranquil reciprocal intercourse. Holding fast to the well-tried basis of our policy and leaning upon our very friendly relations to all Powers, we shall in future also work vigorously to assure the continuance of peace, and thereby to further the un- troubled development and the welfare of the peoples of the Monarchy."
In accordance with usual practice, the Emperor conversed with the members of the Delegations, which waited on him in turn, and in reply to a remark from the President of the Hungarian Delegation that "politics are no good without health," is said to have observed : "I was never ill before. This was the first time, and, thank God, it is all over now." During the sitting of the Austrian Delegation the president of the Polish Club and the leader of the Young Czechs vigorously assailed the Prussian Poles Expropriation Bill of Prince Billow as in- volving a violation of the Treaty of Vienna, but Baron von Aerenthal, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, pronounced this discussion of the internal affairs of a friendly State as irrelevant and contrary to the principles of international law.
