The sun., 1892-11-16
PANAMA CANAL SCiNDAL.
The French Cabinet Has decided to rrosc.
cute the Dire ecto-s.

PARIS. Nov. 15.-As q desperate resort, to
save Its official life the French Cabinet to-day
decided to prosecute the directors Of the Pan
ANA Canal Company for gigantic frauds in the
conduct OF that enterprise. Like every devel-
opment In French politics tho change o. policy
took place urder dramatic circumstances. The
Cabinet met nt IL o'clock. NJ 1ticard. Minister
OF Justice, presented tho report OF the Pro-
cureur-General. detailing tho evidence Of
corruption in tho canal management and ad-
vising the prosecution. NJ. Rcard said:
Gentlemen. concur In this recon IN endn.
tion IL you do not agree resign"
Loubot and De Freycinct con inucd to orpose
the prosecution. bourgeois. who. as Is we'll
known. is the renl head OF the Cabinet. In
clined tho support. Ricnrd Niettc. Minister OF
Public Works. argued that the matter should
bc left entirely TO the Minister OF Justice.
whose decision should stand.
After two hours' debate 1t became apparent
that the prosecution must be made or tho
Cabinet would break up by it's own disscn-
sions and Loubet yielded 1t ia generally be-
loved. however. that the breach cannot he
healed. and IL the Cabinet survives this weeks
interpretations In tho Chamber Of Deputies it
will have to DO reorganaed.
IT Is said that tho cnse against EifYel, the
creator of the famous tower. who Ia ono OF
those to DO prosecuted. is based on the con-
struction OF a part OF the canal locks and
machinery. 1t Is alleged that he received
Sl2.GUO.OnO for work that was never done and
the machinery was mover delivered.
Deputy Delahay OF tho Right Centre. who
was to intcrpellato the Government on tho
canal matter on Thursday. said to The SuS
reporter this evening that he would persist in
the Interpolation He considered 1t his duty
TO demand an Investigation Of the conduct of
the liluidator OF the company which. no
alleges. is not above suspicion. He will de-
mnnd the publication OF the assets and llabili-
ties OF what he calls 1.-The terrific smash" He
charges that sl3.O0OooO disappeared In
fraudulent ways.
Tho decision to prosecute created an intense
sensation in Paris. especially on the Bourse.
where there was a fall OF ono to two and half
points in speculative securities and an un.
ensy feeling at the close.
Prime Minister Loubet cave THE Sun CORE.
srondent n brief interview on tho situation
this evening.
lam quito tired and sick OF ofilce." no said,
land would resign IL 1t would not prejudice
tho influence Of the last days OF Parllame mt.
placing it. as II were. In tho clutches OF q cri.
Sis"
He explained that he desired to SEQ the set
Ting OF the pending Franco-Swss difficulty.
the representatives OF both nations. and II 1t
were now to fail through the veto Of the Cham
bers. It would imperil the entente cordial now
existing with the only country which has been
the faithful friend Of France.
The city was excited this evening by re-
| port that Abomey had fallen. Tho Minister OF
Marine personally assured THE SUN reporter
late tonight that the report was false. and
Gen. Dodds had only Just begun tho siege.
No attack he said. would be made until the
arrival Of the endorsements mentioned in
| yesterdays dispatches to THE Sun.
| There ia high authority for the statement
| that there is no truth In tho recent reports to
the effect that D'AubiGny. the special envoy
to Morocco. had completed convention with
tho Sultan IN behalf Of France. On tho con-
trary. the Sultan has refused to put In writing
his recent promises. 1t is feared here that the
sultan has yielded to foreign influences.