As for the French Government, the situation is indeed not as wonderful as imagined.
The reason President Thiers has been hesitant to take the initiative to speak up is precisely because doing so would mean losing the power of discourse.
Although France is more keen on fostering cooperation with Spain, President Thiers actually wants Prime Minister Prim to take the initiative. Even if the French Government provides more assistance in loans and industrial technology, it's still better than being at a disadvantage by speaking up first.
However, the current situation seems that Prime Minister Prim is definitely a seasoned old fox in the political arena. If the two remain silent, this cooperation is not only unlikely to succeed but may also push Spain further away to a certain extent.
