Lord Granville made a quiet but admirable speech at Hanley,
on Saturday, explanatory of the foreign policy of the Govern- ment. We have said enough of it elsewhere, but must add here that he utterly repudiated the charge of secrecy ; that he proved the entire consistency of the new Government, which from the first determined to enforce the neglected clauses of the Berlin Treaty ; that he ridiculed Lord Salisbury's complaint of his reticence, and that he gave repeated, though cautious hints, of the true state of affairs abroad. He stated that the British Government had ntither engagement nor understanding
with St. Petersburg ; that the Austrian representatives are dealing with us loyally and straightforwardly ; that he was content with Italy; and that Germany, though "osten- sibly minimising" her influence, had a deep interest in the Eastern Question, and had hitherto supported the European Concert. He 'was not equally pleased with the conduct of France, which had made action on behalf of Greece her con- dition of support as regarded Montenegro, and then withdrawn from her own initiative. Her Majesty's Government intended, however, to preserve the agreement of Europe, as "the fittest means for carrying a worthy end," while retaining "that perfect liberty of judgment and action which belongs to the position and reputation of Great Britain among the nations of the world." This speech, like most speeches uttered on a Saturday, has failed to attract adequate attention.
