NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE old story that Lord Salisbury had signed a treaty with Italy by which he made Great Britain a party to the Triple Alliance has cropped up again, probably because the Italian Government is now arranging an extension of the agreement for five more years. A statement made by Prince Napoleon to a Deputy has been published in Paris, in which King Humbert is made to ;arm that he had a written promise from the British Government to defend the shores of Italy, and so enable him to mobilise his Army in security. The story in itself is absurd, for English Foreign Ministers do not make secret treaties ; it has been repeatedly denied ; and on Thursday, Sir J. Fergusson, in answer to Mr. La,bouchere, denied it again, refusing at the same time, in the public interest, to produce any correspondence. "Her Majesty's Government," he said, "have entered into no en- gagements pledging the employment of the naval and military forces of the Crown in any contingency, awl retain their full liberty of judgment as to what action we should take, and as to what means we should employ in any conceivable circum- stances." That should seem definite enough ; but Mr. Labon- °here sees opportunity for debate, and intends to move the reduction of the Foreign Secretary's salary, in order to make a speech upon the relations of Italy and Great Britain. He mistakes, we conceive, the popular view, which is not just now cordial towards France.
