The reputation of the French Republic was not enhanced by a most discreditable incident which occurred at Paris in the autumn. The young King of Spain who had been visiting some of the European capitals, arrived at Paris on September 29, shortly after having been created by the German Emperor an Honorary Colonel of an Uhlan regiment at Strasbourg. On the strength of this honorary distinction he was met by a howling mob, which proceeded to demonstrate its patriotism by insults such as have seldom been offered to any foreign potentate, and for which the President of the Republic was forced to make an apology on the following day.
Lord Lyons to Lord Granville.
Paris, Oct. 5, 1883.
I do not remember any moment at which affairs here have appeared to me so gloomy. The more I learn of the proceedings of the French authorities, no less than those of the mob, the more unpardonable do they appear. I have never felt the same repugnance (and I have had my trials in this way) to the people with whom I have to deal. It is a comfort to contrast the bearing of the King of Spain with that of His Majesty's so called hosts. Jules Ferry himself appears to have behaved decorously. I will forbear from speculating on the ultimate effect of this deplorable affair on French institutions. So far as I can see, Ferry and Wilson both calculate on obtaining the advantage in a battle in the Chambers, if they put off the fight till the session opens on the 23rd. In the meantime, decency (if decency were at all taken into account here at this moment) would seem to require that Thibaudin should resign or be dismissed.
Our own political questions with the French Government do not seem in a much more hopeful state than the general political condition of things here.
Not content with having by carelessness allowed the King of Spain to be insulted, the French Government prevented a correct and complete report of President Grévy's apology from being published in the Journal Officiel, this action being on a par with the whole disgraceful proceedings. As, however, the only alternative to the existing Government appeared to be a thoroughgoing Intransigeant Cabinet, and there was no telling what the latter might do both at home and abroad, it was hoped that Jules Ferry and his colleagues would succeed in holding their own.
In the autumn, Challemel Lacour, who had become unpopular owing to the unsatisfactory campaign in Tonquin, resigned office, and his place at the Foreign Office was taken by Jules Ferry himself. Towards the end of November there arrived the news of Hicks Pasha's disaster in the Soudan, and although this event was not by any means unwelcome to the French, the chances of a speedy termination of the British occupation of Egypt naturally grew more remote.
Lord Lyons to Lord Granville.
Paris, Nov. 23, 1883.