ANGLO-FRENCH ENTENTE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 116, 8 February 1908, Page 12

ANGLO-FRENCH ENTENTE.

' /Paris, Decemberr,2o. /: •. As might havo been expected,: Sir Edwarjl Grey's Berwick speech is .' .reproduced ;-.-at'. length ,this' 'evening,', aud; : is jeceiyed'- with ; general: satisfaction.. It is almost -daily becoming more evident, indeed, that the.AngloFrench entente is an integral part, of, the. policy of the two countries/and,. as its bene-, ticial results, are, recognised and. put on r®, cord in speeches.by public men,; it grows more and more popular and real in France. The "Temps" gives the- most decided. voice. to the, impression l : which the speech - may be taken to have created h?re when it. says that the/friendship between France and England has 'completely changed; its character since tho ''.reconciliation hy, the agreement of .1904., The;letter of ,tho Convention has:not,-b'oen modified, and. there/is no more of an actual alliance to-day than there was then. But/thepublic 1: sentiment which'showed, itself', after, the signature- of tho agreement has given, it, greater scopo and power, and ,if a. military crisis were toi there ,is. nodoubt,that tho French and English fleets would; ride .side by, side. . The, moral change iii the feelings of the two nations has : thus, proved of practical worth. , .-' v 'j, : ,i Aftertouching on the oth jr points : men-: tioried by Sir Edward Grey, the article concludes ;by comparing the/ optimistic tone . of tho .British Foreign Minister, mth the, less hopeful words: of: Sir Charles Dilko and by highly commending,his.allusions to tho navil defences. The "Debats" says•"What;will doubtless attract, the-, .most; attention is .the passage' where,, Sir jEdward Grey declares, that tho agreement with Ilussia ; comprises, 1 ! besides what its' name, and, provisions cover; the intention generally, to modify the 'whole policy of'the-two' countries 'towards:, eachother;"--:. -'/i 1 /'. / -:', : Paris, December 24. '•tin, the Senate to-day, during tho;discussion on tho estimates for foreign affairs, M. do. Lamarzello attacked the entente with Great Britain, which, ho said,.had.led them into , tho Moroccan'.imbroglio..; ;■ ..M, : ,Pi.qhoij' l ',m/reply,.paidi'.a'tributo to the work .of,, tho Hague .Coti^enq?);;,but- added that,itiwas"iFranca's-.dutyjitO'.foliqw: the examplo, of .'her' neighbours,_ and to; keep her ''military: forces, at ..their highest strength, in., spite of the blasphemies of a purblind few.l Tho'Government did not;wish ,to conquer Morocco. .They'wero.preparing/to carry out practically, tho Algeciras Act in all its clauses.;; :, v

■ Mi.Pichbn then passed, in : reviow^the,agree-, ments/'doiicluded., with' Spain,_ Japan',! Abys-r sinia, and Sjam'. : The convention; with Japan, said,-'-ensured,.peace;'in,',the!.Far Eajt:for a ;long;timq to come,,.but its whoje. import; was', ;oiily/ recognisable in conjunction, with, the other /.agreements /concluded-, with /Japan: by, Great.Britain and Russia? and with tho direct/entente between' : France! and Great -Britain, which was so popular on both sides of j tho Channel.' ' .•' ' ■ Great Britain; and Russia, by ; settling so many /delicate questions,, in/agreomerit' ; with, .the , Japaneso. . . .Gbvernhienti '. had secured greater freedom for : their, European- policies. Franco .was /the .friend of .one Power and tho, ally of tho other. "Was it not'evident that, -France gained a now situaton, , which strengthened equilibrium? | ; . . In, conclusion, , tho Minister said"Tho in-' ■terriational,position, of' Franco can, therefore,; ;bo summarised thus;.Wo remain faithful to the; alliance which binds - us, to! Russia /and which, provides both, nations with:-,such good reasons for .self-congratulption." - We cultivato the entento. BO happily established bo- ; tween our.' country /and Great Britain, and ovory day we strengthen tho friendly relations which we have renewed with our,.ltalian i neighbours.'.Wo can, therefore, face,tho fu- [ turo with confidence,". ......-