NEWS OF THE WEEK.
INforeign affairs all attention is fixed on the new and critical stage in the Franco-German negotiations about Morocco. M. Jules Cambon, the French Ambassador in Berlin, has returned to his post charged with instructions for bringing the negotiations to a head. We do not know exactly what his instructions are, but, as we said last week, France no doubt wishes to have considerable freedom of action in Morocco guaranteed to her by Germany, and in return for this would be willing to pay a considerable price. The development of the great work of French administration in North Africa is one which appeals to nearly all Frenchmen, and they would think proper concessions well worth while to secure freedom from interruption. The chief point to notice is that the French Government now has virtually the whole of French public opinion behind it. The mood of the country is very different indeed from that of the days when M. Rouvier was Prime Minister. Frenchmen are weary of the alarums and excursions of German diplomacy in relation to Morocco, and feel that nothing worse could happen to them than to continue to be exposed to such incalculable treatment. When a country feels that it has nothing to lose by taking up a firm position, we may be sure that it has the strongest incentive in the world to make no concessions beyond a reasonable point. That is now the temper of France.
