§ THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE FOE FOREIGN AFFAIRS (The MARQUESS of SALISBURY)My Lords, before your proceedings com- 1246 mence, it is only fitting that I should take the opportunity of expressing what I am sure, must be in the hearts of all your Lordships—our deep sympathy with our great neighbour and ally across the Channel at the terrible calamity which has suddenly deprived them of a most valuable and estimable President. I think we cannot express in too strong terms how much we think the French people are deserving of our sympathy at this sudden loss, for he was a man very singularly adapted to the very difficult position which he had to fill, and he had filled it with general applause, and I think had greatly attached to himself not only the people of his own country, but the people of other countries with whom he came in contact. It will be difficult to supply his place. He had the steady judgment, that freedom from all violence of passion and at the same time from any encroaching ambition which might have marred the neutrality and impartiality of his great office, which enabled him in a singular degree to fulfil its conflicting and very often very difficult duties. I hope that we shall be able to see a continuance of his wise government in the future. The time at which he has been taken away is one which makes his loss additionally grievous, for there are difficulties both in the external relations of Europe and the internal condition and problems which France has to solve. Let us hope that the statesman, whoever he may be, to whom shall be assigned the difficult task of succeeding M. Felix Faure, may show the same high impartiality, the same passionless justice, and I may add the same friendliness to this country which always distinguished the late President.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYMy Lords, I desire to associate myself and all my friends with the expression which the noble Marquess has given to the sorrow we must all feel for the loss which the French Government has sustained. In any case the 1247 loss would have been a very serious one on account of M. Faure's excellent qualities which the noble Marquess has described to you, but at the present moment it must be obvious that the loss of the head of the State of that country, and the necessity of electing another, must cause the calamity which has befallen the French nation to be more acutely felt than it would have been at any other time. Our good wishes, I am certain, all go with our great neighbour, and there is nothing we desire more than that any difficulties which they have to meet in their internal affairs may be met successfully, and that the new President may be enabled to continue the peaceful course persued by the late President, and that the French nation, under him, may continue to occupy a strong and respected position among the great nations of Europe.