e event threatening
the general peace, that Government would immediately examine with
the other the question whether both Governments should act together
in order to prevent aggression or preserve peace. If so, the two
Governments would deliberate as to the measures which they would be
prepared to take in common. If those measures involved action the
two Governments would take into immediate consideration the plans
of their General Staffs and would then decide as to the effect to
be given to those plans.

Yours, &c.,

PAUL CAMBON.

Government's Acts Beyond Reproach.

In the House of Commons the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs spoke
of France, amid the applause of the members, in lofty and impassioned
words, which have already elicited genuine response from all French
hearts.

In the name of the Government of the Republic I wish, from this rostrum,
to thank the British Government for the cordiality of its words, and the
French Parliament will join me in this.

The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs made this declaration
particularly:

That in case the German fleet entered the Channel or steamed northward
in the North Sea to go around the British Isles with the purpose of
attacking the French Coast or the French Navy, and to harass the French
merchant marine, the English fleet would interfere by giving the French
fleet its entire protection, in such manner that from that moment
England and Germany would be in a state of war.

Thus, from the present moment, the English fleet is guarding our
northern and western coast against German aggression.

Gentlemen, those are the facts. I think that, taken as a close-knit
whole, they are sufficient to justify the acts of the Government of the
Republic. Nevertheless, I wish to conclude by giving the true meaning of
this unprecedented aggression of which France is the victim.

The victors of 1870, as you know, have felt at various times the desire
of renewing the blows which they had dealt us. In 1875 the war for
finishing vanquished France was prevented only by the intervention of
the two powers destined to be united to us later by the ties of alliance
and friendship--by the intervention of Russia and Great Britain.

Since then the French Republic, by the restoration of its strength and
the making of diplomatic agreements, invariably lived up to, has
succeeded in freeing itself from the yoke which Bismarck ha