The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-04-03
England and France.
Conflicting Interests in the
Nile Basin.

LONDON, March 2s-Sir E. Ash
mead Bartlett, Conservative for Shelf
field, opened an interesting debate in
the Commons this evening on Great
Britain's relation to France in Africa.
He moved a reduction of the foreign
Office estimates for the purpose. He
first directed the attention of the
house to the encroachments which
the government permitted France to
make upon Siam In Africa France
is still more active than in Asia, he
said. She had sent out al expedi-
ton which was menacing the Upper
Nile. and was selling African terri
tories recognized as being within the
British sphere of influence.
Sir Edward Grey. parliamentary
secretary of the foreign Office, said
Great Britain stood in such a posi-
ton of trust in Egypt as to make the
British and Egyptian spheres of in.
fuence cover the whole Nile water.
way. The house ought to be careful
about giving credence to the rumor
that a French expedition had been
sent to the Nile country to occupy
the valley CT the river. The foreign
Office had no reaso to suppose that
any French expedition eithsv had
been instructed to enter the valley of
the Nile or had the intention ofdoing
SO. BE could not bei:eve it possible,
in the face of the fact that the British
governments views were fully known
to France. The advance Of French
expedition under secret orders from
the west side Of Africa into territory
subject to British claims, whose
r~ightfulness had been SO long known,
would be not only an inconsistent
and unexpected act, but also an IN.
friendly one, and would be regarded
as.such by the government. (Cries
of 81 hear.")
Without doubt, African affairs for
tue last two years had caused consid-
cradle anxiety as to what might
happen in the future. During these
years, no provocation had been given
France from the British side Eng
land had striven to the utmost to re-
concilc the occasional conflicts of ~
terests. The government would con-
tinue to pursue this line of policy,
emitting nothing calculated to main
tain good relations with France and
at the same time to uphold the un-
doubted claims of Great Britain. To
this end, o~fcourse, the cooperation Of
the French government and French
public opinion was necessary. he
relied on the sense of justice charac-
terizing the French government and
people to help reconcile the conflict
ing interests of tie power in the parts
of the world which were little known.
(Cieers.)
Joseph Chamberlain. the Liberal
Unionist leader. spoke Of Sir Ed
wards statement as the cleares: and
most satisfactory declaration yet
heard on this subject from the ~
sponsible representative Of the gov
eminent He now saw, he said, that
unless a clear understanding with
France as to African affairs could be
reached. the most serious consequent.
ces might easily ensue. The state
ment ought to leave Great Britain's
claims on Egypt beyond ak misunder-
standing The whole Nile valley
from the lakes to the sea was within
the Egyptian or British sphere of ill.,
huence and that claim on Great Bri-
tain's part had been within the knowl-
edge of France for five years. He
must remind the House, however,
that as recently as the beginning of
this month, the statement was made,
unchecked, in the French chamber
and in the presence Of the Minister of
Foreign Affairs, that frances object
wa always to make England feel that
her presence in Egypt was harmful,
dan that France could come up with
her elsewhere than in the Mediterra-
mean If the French government did
not accept such statements, it ought
to repudiate them France ought to
be questioned regarding her expedi
tioa IL the Nile Valley. (Hear,
hear
Henry Labouchere, the Radical
leader. pronounced Sir Edward
Grey's speech a menace to France,
("Oh, oh.') He quite understood
the cries of "Oh, Oh" They came
from the Tory members who were de-
Lighted to find a Liberal minister
acting upon their principles. "Hear,
hear,'D This speech was a menace
on the line of the familiar warning
"hands Off Certain members seem
ed 10 imagine the Nile to be as much
British property at the Thames. He,
r ...fJ - co11 o,,o.oo1 khok