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Ferry (JULES FRANCOIS CAMILLE)

JULES FRANCOIS CAMILLE, a French statesman; born in Saint Dié, France, April 5, 1832; was admitted to the Paris bar in 1854, and speedily identified himself with the opponents of the empire. In 1869 he was elected to the National Assembly, where he voted against the war with Prussia; and during the siege of Paris by the Germans (1870-1871) he played a prominent part as central mayor of the city. He was minister to Athens in 1872- 1873, and in 1879 became minister of public instruction, and began an agitation against the Jesuits. Their expulsion was effected, and brought about the dissolution of the ministry in September, 1880. M. Ferry then formed a cabinet, which remained in office till November, 1881. In February, 1883, he again became premier, with a policy of "colonial expansion," involving a war in Madagascar and the invasion of Tonquin, where a disaster to the French troops brought about his downfall in March, 1885. In 1890 he was made senator. He died in Paris, March 17,