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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7898, 17 March 1887, Page 4

The mission of Baron de Lesseps to Berlin is enlded, and the important little man has declared that all danger of immediate was between France and Germany has passed. Whether Prince Bismarck thinks so too is another question. This much, however, is certain : that if he did think tfo he would take good care not to sh(>w his hand, but would quietly encourage the Frenoh engineer to pilot his in the direction he wanted. T'hfl object of the Baron was manifestly to divert if he could the attention of tiSe Chancellor from the Rhine to tht> Nile, and get him to transfer to Britain the antipathy he now cherishes towards France. This attempt at creating a counter irritant has little real chance of succeeding ; though it may be takeL\ for granted that, if in this matter Lesseps represented the French Government, Bismarck would be quite pleased to fool them to the top of their bent. Whatever may be Bismarck's ultimate intention with regard to France, it will quite suit his purpose to do the opposite of dissuading her rulers from engaging in a war with Britain over the Egyptian question. Such a contest would cripple France for many years, and in the end -would leave her further from the object of her ambition in that quarter —namely, the restoration of the dual control—than she is at the present moment. Even if encouraged and aided by Russia in so reckless a quarrel the result would be the same ; as, in that case, more serious complications than Baron de Lesseps perhaps dreams of would be sure to arise. In relation to such a dispute Germany would be sure ' to occupy a neutral position, as there is no reason to believe that Bismarck will in any conceivable circumstances depart from his declaration that it is no part of Germany's policy to see England weakened. The armies of Germany would, however, be held meanwhile in readiness for any emergency, and the possibility of their being directed against France when otherwise involved, is one which the French rulers will do well to think of. That, however, is their business, not Prince Bismarck's. If they are weak enough to so misconstrue his enigmatical couni sels as to be tempted to provoke hostilities with' Britain, in order to escape the humiliation of shrinking from a contest with Germany which they have challenged, they may find that in the end their loss will be much greater, than it, might be if they resolved to measure their strength now with their Teuton neighbour. One thing i« very certain, that the British occupation of Egypt will not bo terminated in consequence of any such threats' as those implied in the pompous announcements of Baron de Lesseps. ; It is scarcely conceivable that such foolish declarations as those he is credited with can have any sanction

from the French Government. But, they have so far forgotten themselves as to give it, nothing would more surely tend to make the British form the determination which they ought to have taken long ago—to declare the occupation in question permanent. That is what we have always said it would | eventually prove to be. But, in fact, : it practically is that now, and will so re- I main ; and it only needs such an opposi- j tion as that which the threat of war j denotes to bring it to pass, that Egypt shall be formally declared a part of the ; British Empire. j ! I