Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/268

 260] FOEEIGN HISTORY. [1899.

sideration of the Budget, gave itself up to the discussion of all sorts of theoretical questions, and the year closed without having touched the most important financial measures. It was, there- fore, necessary to have further recourse to provisional credits, and votes on account for the two first months of the following year, amounting to 739,540,170 francs, were agreed to. An amusing incident arose in regard to this vote. M. Massabuau proposed to reduce the amount by 60,000 francs, representing the sum, payable in January, falling to the senators, whose legal term would expire on January 4, but whose service had been extended until January 28. The object of the amendment was transparent, but the Chamber, however, decisively endorsed the Government's action by 468 to 51 votes.

It was, nevertheless, important to decide if the senators whose term as such expired on January 4 could continue to sit after that date as members of the High Court. In the event of a decision to the contrary the question arose as to what authority a court shorn of a third of its members would possess ? It was finally decided by the Cabinet to let the High Court itself solve the problem. A stormy sitting of the Chambers followed (Dec. 23), and the Senate, after a long discussion on its own powers, came to no conclusion.

Notwithstanding the noisy disturbances and strikes, which seriously affected the coal and cotton trades of the St. Etienne district, the year closed under much less anxious conditions than it had opened. The Government had to a great extent carried out its programme. The coalition between the Eoyalists and Nationalists, although still active, was no longer menacing ; the discontent of the Army was far from being appeased, but the generals most mixed up in intrigues had been put aside. A general relaxation of the long strain was evident, and showed itself even in the proceedings of the High Court, where the prosecution of all but half a dozen of the conspirators against the republic was abandoned.

II. ITALY.

The negotiations discreetly entered upon with the French Government for a better commercial understanding had so far advanced that the treaty was ready for submission to the Italian Parliament when the year opened. The arrangements were generally well received by all except the small group of deputies who remained faithful to Sr. Crispi. The amnesty question was meanwhile thrown into the background, notwith- standing a coalition of the Milanese representatives of the socialist, republican, and Catholic associations in favour of this measure of reparation.

The Senate resumed the discussion of the Budget, which led to a struggle between the Budget Committee and the Minister of Justice. The former had adopted an amendment