The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-20
FRANCE AND GERMANY.
Nj. Herbette and the Important Mission with
Which He Is Charged.


Which He Is Charged.
New YORK, Sept 18-The Heralds Paris
special says: Jules Herbette, ambassador from
France to Berlin, is now the most -talked-of man
on this side Of the Atlantic. Is is well known
that when NJ De Freycinet came into power the
two years honeymoon Of France and Germany
had begun to waue. and that last April misun-
derstanding between Bismarck and the Baron De
Courcel, whom Herbette now replaces, came
within an ace of preciptating Bismarck's
nerves had been set on edge by the unnecessary
friction between the Quai dOrsay and Wilhelm
strasse, but above all by Frances stupendous
expenditures for war material and the fortiica-
tions opposite Metz, the task Of keeping pace
with which has been almost greater financial
burden than Germany can bear. Bismarck, seiz-
ing the pretext of the enactment of the French
law against spies, drew up note for the Ger
man ambassador in Paris to present to De Frey
cipet couched in such violent terms as would
have left France alternative but to recall her
ambassador from Berlin. This warlike missve
was. however, strongly disapproved by Kaiser
Wilhelm, who, after a long consultation with
Bismarck, tore up the document with his own
hands, thus preventing the two nations from
c,utching each others throats in struggle of an
Inhalation.
Upon NJ Herbette depends the question of
peace war, and am enabled to send you the
following facts, which throw an entirely new
light upon his mission. A few weeks ago the
German minister to Morocco sounded the EN-
peror of Morocco as to the possibility of Ger
many's acquiring two ports the Atlantic
coast of that country, and large tract of
territory, to establish a naval station as basis
for German colonial enterprise in Africa. This
came to the ears of the French minister to Mo-
rocco, who at once reported it tohis government
NJ De Freycinet at once summoned General
Helebecque, commander of the Ninth Army
Corps from Algeria to Paris, and after three
DAYS consultation between Boulanger, Heie-
becQue and Herbette, as to the political and
strategic condition of France and this new
move of Germany, the French, as govern
ment, decided not to oppose but to help
Germany acquire a strong strategic posi-
tion in Morocco and the west coast of
Africa, and to make this an occasion for change
in diplomatic relations with Germany Conse-
quently NJ. Herbettes first official act in Berlin
will be to assure Bismarck of thorough ard cor
dial French cooperation in all the colonial
schemes of Germany, and make it clearly under
stood in Berlin that France is utterly Indifferent
as to what is done in the impending partition of
Turkey provided Germany will recognize the
supremacy of French interest in the Mediterra-
mean and aid France to regain her former posi-
tion in Egypt. In short, NJ Herbette's mission
is to offer Bismarck a Franco German alliance
in all Mediterranean and colonial matters. This
is, of course, distinctly antagonistic to England
If the new French ambassador succeeds in cre-
ating this Franco German colonial alliance.
England will have to contest with the united
French and German fleets in the Mediterranean,
the Red sea- China, Panama, the West Indies,
MADAGASCAR and the New Hebrides