The sun., 1895-05-19
ANXIETY OVER AFRICA.
xxc1tND AND FRANCE MAY CLASH
OYER THE NILE OR NIGER.

ryc1AND AND FRANCE MAY CLASH
OYER THE NILE OR NIGER.
.Cona,ct Likely TO Occur In Either Region
-T,mothy HcsIy's Efforts to Drive
,,...rs. OBrien snd Dillon Out OF Foli-
ucs-Corh May Send = Tory to the Com
rou,-warwick Castle Entertsins n Bril-
u,nt Compnny-A Perfect Costume for
Lady Cyclists"-The Gaiety Girl Who
Want, Pretty Penny from Lord Tweed
,o,,b-Bets ON tho esrmsnic's Tlue.
Special Gable Dcspatch to THE sUs.
IoypoS, May 1s.-The Government has been
,uestioned in the House OF Commons several
dimes this week respecting the Anglo-French
situation in Africa, and the replies have been
cautious to the point almost OF misstatement.
parliament and the public have been led by
this official reticence to assume that everything
d going on well, whereas all trustworthy news
from the spot received in London and Paris
.bow, that the state of affairs Is serious. II not
actually dangerous.
There are really two areas Of disturbance, one
IN the Niger region and the other north Of
Uganda on tho Upper Nile. Tho former is with
IN reach of the telegraph, and II the English and
French and their native allies should come to
blows the fighting could be stopped before It
assumed dangerous proportions. But orders take
months time to reach the Upper Nile region
and the English might wipe out the French, or
vice versa, and establish their predominance
long before the news could reach Europe.
Nobody whose duty it Is to mako inquiries Mt
official quarters can fail to be struck with the
anxiety which prevails there. Tho lovers of
peace take comfort from the fact that q civilian
has Just been appointed Governor of Uganda;
but the history of British India shows that am
bilious, masterful civilians can become very
military indeed when occasion requires, and In
any event there are several young English off,
GERS now in Uganda in various capacities. The
forces at their command are far from despica-
bic. Emin Pasha's little army Of Soudanese
soldiers formed q good foundation for the Eng
lish officers to work upon and native warriors
have been enlisted and sedulously drilled. More
over. the British have machine guns and plenty
Of arms and ammunition generally, all collected
ostensibly for use against Arab slave raiders,
but really for the set purpose of maintaining the
British position in the Upper Nile region against
oil intruders.
When the curtain was last lifted two French
expeditions were moving steadily toward tho
country for the retention of which these young
Uganda officers will fight as long IA they have q
cartridge left. well knowing that that is what is
expected of them. no matter what their nominal
Instructions may be. Their guns and we'll
drilled men would give them an immense ad-
vantage over the Frenchmen, and they would
probably win easily; and their victory would
cause such q prodiglous pother in France that
the diplomatists would require all their skill
and patience to keep the two nations from COM
ing to blows.
That is the real situation, and that is why the
80 @<, i1xu{s1 y, "A raaI
from the bare prospect of a war between Eng
land and France. have their eyes anxiously
fixed upon Egypt and Central Africa.
Mr.. William O'Brien. NJ. p, once had dear
friend named Chance, also a member Of Parlia-
ment. Mr.. Chance was lawyer, and 80 great
was Mr.. O'Brien's love for and confidence in
him that he selected him to conduct the legal
proceedings against Lord Salisbury when that
statesman dared to utter a cruel libel upon tho
Irish patriot. Mr.. O'Brien lost his action. and.
after many protestations magnan!mously al
lowed Mrs. O'Brien to pay the Tory leaders
costs. In due course Mr.. Chance presented his
friend with his own little bill. Mr.. OBrien was
shocked. Mr.. Chance, he said, knew perfectly
well that his costs were. by arrangement, to
be paid from the Irish Parliamentary partys
treasury. Mr. Chance blandly but firmly repu-
dated all knowledge of such an arrangement,
and pressed for payment just like an ordinary,
brutal creditor. Then the friends quarrelled In
the sight OF all men. Mr.. Chance sued Mr..
OBrien. There was much washing of dirty po-
Utica! linen In public. and the stupid British
jury. incapable Of understanding, much less of
sympathzing with Mr.. O'Brien's fine feelings,
returned verdict for Mr.. Chances costs with
fresh costs.
This was cruel enough on the part Of one pa
triot TO another, but worse was to come. Mr..
O'BrIen Indignantly refused to pay the money,
particularly on the order of the British court,
and MIR. Chance promptly took proceedings in
bankruptcy.
The interest Of all this lies as much below as
upon the surface. MIR. Chance has been acting
less from q lawyers natural desire to obtain his
money than from a purpose to ruin O'Brien po-
htlcally. His action throughout has been in
st'gated by Timothy Healy. who has set himself
the task of driving John Dillon and William
oHren out OF political life because they stand
In the way of his sole leadership. The majority
81 the Irish Nationalists have long been the
eh'et opponents of his policy. It looks as
!hough MIR. O'Brien means to play right into
MT Hea!y's hand. He obstinately refuses to
pay Mr.. Chance, and within three weeks he
VIII! he declared bankrupt. and will conse-
qaeh'ly have TO vacato his seat. for which the
hea'yites already have q strong candidate In
fc'u'hess. The contest is likely to be very in
.'resl!hg, especially to the enemies of Ireland.
,of there will be four candidates 'Brienite.
healyile, Redmondite. and Tory. and it is not at
-" unlikely that the last named will slip in
through the Nationalist dissensions and the
strange sight will be witnessed OF rebel Cork,
~. l'' rarnell's dearly loved city, represented in
'ne british Parliament by an avowed opponent
OF home rnle.
The debutantes at last Wednesdays drawing
'ooA Nuu good deal IN trvf fbeir tan,