St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-03-20
AVOID EXTREME MEASURES.
FRANCE NOT PREPARED TO d.
RECTLY OPPOSE THE NILE
CAMPAIGN.
SHE SUBMITS BECAUSE SHE MUs1
Project and PIans of the British Still
Regarded in Most UnfavOr-
able Light.


to be the topic of discussion in the
Hobbies of the chamber of deputies, and
the statement is made by the minister
OF foreign affairs, NJ. Berthelot, adds
abundant fresh material for discussion.
In his address, the minister commented
unfavorably upon the proposed British
expedition to Dongola, and intimated
that France was not inclined to con-
sent TO thu use of the Egyptian sur
plus to defray the expenses of the ex-
petition. The proposal made to u.s."
said M. Berthelot. 'seems to require the
unanimous consent of the powers be-
fore granting cooperation. France
thought 1t necessary to ask for eX-
plantations on certain points, and l beg
the chamber to be satisfied with the eX-
plantations as the exchange of views is
proceeding between the two govern
ments. NJ. Berthelot's statement was
made in reply to the Duke of Aren-
berg, who urged France to establish
herself strongly in the Congo terri
tory in order that she might have
nothing to fear from the dervishes.
The general feeling is that NJ. Ber-
thelots language was moderate and
cautious, and it has served to dispel
the anxiety of the moderate politicians.
who were consumed with the fear that
France was rushing to an open rupture
with Great Britain and the dreibund,
as result, of the semi-official announce
ment of the remonstrance which had
been conveyed by NJ. Berthelot to the
British ambassador AS the situation
presents itself and the intention of
the different parties to the European
balance begins to emerge, it becomes
more and more evident that France is
not prepared to take any extreme meas
ures to prevent the Nile campaign; not,
however, that she likes it any better
than when it was first preached
1t would be. hard to find a French
man who sees in the proposed cam
paign anything but a plan of aggres-
sion on the part of Great Britain. They
all deny utterly that there is any need
for 1T as a measure of protection of
Egyptian interests against the derv-
isheS. They protest shat Frances in
terest i'll the welfare of Egypt is equal
to, or greater tina Great BritainS,
or the other powers. 1t is argued that
large majority sof all the Egyptian
/ fund-holders are French citizens, and
that if Egyptian int arests were threat
ened by the dervfshes, France would
have as much interest in protecting
them as Great Britain.
The only purpose which any one i'll
| France will consent to see in the Brit
iSh plans are First an excuse for
prolonging Indefinitely the occupation
of Egypt by the British troops, and,
second, a reoccupation of the Soudan
with the intention of barring the fut-
ure designs of France for a prosper
Gus colonial expansion ON the upper
Nile. M. Berthelot referred today to
the dangers which would result from
arousing religious fanaticism not only
to Egypt but which, in the language
of the minister of foreign affairs,
might even extend to the posses
sions of France and other European
nations"
The precipitation of a holy war
among the natical Moslem hordes of
the Khalifa Abdulla would be viewed
with CONSERVATION in France The pre-
c1pitation of such war would threat
Ell not only French interests. but
German interests in the Camerons as
Well. There is the keenest disappoint-
ment felt here at Germanys assent
ing to Great Britains proposal to ex-
pend the Egyptian surplus on the Nile
expedition. Reasoning from past &C
cord with Germany in Central Africa.
French statesmen seem to have en-
tertained a hope that Germany would
decline to acquiesce in British projects
to thWart French plans on the upper
Nile, but the promise of aid to Italy,
Germany's hard-pressed ally, that
would eXtricate her from her unpleas-
ant predicament in Abysinnia seems
to have been an inducement that Ger
many could not bring herself to de-
cline.
French statesmen are alert to the
fact that the Egyptian project is not
without its bitter opponents among
Englshmen themselves. They are we'll
aware that large body of influential
English statesmen regard the Nile ex-
petition simply as a price paid for
accord with the dreibund France
will rely on the development of Eng
lsh sentiment against the project
more than on amy overt act to pre-
vent 1T. The value of the argument
made by M. Berthelot in his address
to the chamber today, that unanimity
OF approval among the guaranteeing
powers is required to authorize the
withdrawal Of Egyptian funds, is
doubted even among Frenchmen 1t
is also feared that even though the
dissent of Russia and France should
hold. and the commissioners on the
Egyptian debt should not vote the sum
required out of the Egyptian surplus.
Great Britain would herself supply the
money and men and make the whole
project distinctively British instead
OF Egyptian enterprise; occupy the
Soudan in her own name, instead OF
that of Egypt, and enter upon fur
ther aggressive action In Africa.