“As you are aware, I am Consul of the Bey of Tunis at Bone, but I have not been accepted by the French government, because France has not yet officially recognised the independence of the Tunisian government. As, however, she has notified it to the Porte, she must, to be consistent, recognise the agents of the government. It is besides the interest of France, especially on the Algerian frontier, that these agents should be devoted to her, or in plain language that they should be Tunisians in name and Frenchmen in heart. With such materials as this, let us suppose that the frontier Arabs (who are generally very turbulent), declare in a moment of revolt that ‘they respect the Bey, but will no longer endure the Khaznadar,’ and that these simple words, _said or not said_, be embodied in the official reports of the Tunisian Consular agents, and that by some indiscretion the French government becomes aware of the circumstances. France will then certainly have a right to say, that to secure the tranquillity of Algeria, she urgently demands the dismissal of the Khaznadar, who is the sole cause of agitation in the Regency. It would be pointed out that these troubles are all the more dangerous for Algeria, because they occur near the frontier, and one might add that this cannot be denied, because the Tunisian Consular agents themselves had said so in their telegrams announcing their detailed reports on the events. “Yes, sir, by this means France will be fully justified, and will be only acting in self-defence, in causing her columns to enter the country, from which they will retire on the dismissal of the Khaznadar. “In my humble opinion, I believe that in accordance with existing relations between France and the other powers, the means which I propose to-day are the only ones applicable, and the results will be satisfactory without causing unnecessary fiction. If you think the project feasible, count upon me. I repeat, I am a Frenchman above all: on my breast shines the emblem of honour and devotion to France. I speak openly to you, because I have detected in you that intelligence which enabled you to distinguish an able man in the crowd. You fascinated me in our first interview, and I think we understood each other: do you need an assistant, a man of activity to accomplish your political projects? I am your man. The influence which I exercise on the frontier ensures a successful result. “It may be that the Khaznadar, who has in his pay a trusty secret police, may have learned with suspicion of our good relations, and that I have consequently offended him, but this can be easily diverted when once I am officially recognised as Consul. The French Consulate will simulate a certain coolness towards me, and might even prefer some complaint as to my partiality for the Tunisians. Then the Khaznadar, whose confidence I shall take care to gain, will assuredly accord me that influence which is useful to all of us in the present state of things.