The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-04-02
CONJECTURES ANENT FRANCES
FUTURE COURSE IN THE
EGYPTIAN AFFAIR.
WILL PROBABLY RETRACE HER STEPS
BY Which She Has Been Placed in a
Position of Impotent Acquiescence
to England's Move-Rumored
Orders to French Warships.

of France is again in highly perturbed
condition and there are indications going
to show that the government seeks to
retrace some of the steps by which it
has been placed in the position of impo-
tent acquiescence in the dispatch of an
Egyptian expedition up the Nile and
the defraying of expenses of it out of
the Egyptian debt surplus. The gov
eminent will be Intercepted in the
chamber of deputies tomorrow and the
ministers will be under the necessity of
making some kind of statement in reply.
An important debate is expected to re-
suit and there is feeling in some quar-
tiers that far-reaching changes of policy
may be announced.
The air is electric with expectation to-
night and numerous rumors are current
of grave things that are in contempla-
ton. Among those which are circum-
stantially formulated are that the resig-
nation of Nj. Berthelot as minister of
foreign affairs, announced yesterday,
was connected with the wish of Nj.
Bourgeois, the premier, to recall Baron
De COurcel, the French ambassador in
London; that Frances naval reserve
squadron has been ordered to be placed
upon a war footing and that France and
Russia will convene European con-
ference to discuss the powers of the
Egyptian debt commission to act against
the vote of minority of the powers
guaranteeing the debt and to discuss also
ha oti Of
There is n growing feeling among
Frenchmen that the entente between
Great Britain and the dreibund as a
whole is not as solid as it was when the
Nile expedition was first announced.
The signs of the unrecOnciled attitude
of Germany towards Great Britain have
been keenly noted in France for two
weeks past and the conviction has
grown that Germany, though glad to
avail herself of Great Britain's assist.
ance to her ally, Italy, will not take a
more lenient view ON that account of
any other forward movements of Great
Britain.
Whether the disturbed condition of af.
fairs in South Africa gives France a
hope that there will be inserted the
wedge to break asunder the newly
formed friendship of Great Britain and
Germany is matter of surmise. But
that France regards the alliance of
Great Britain with the dreibund as less
formidable because less well assured is
evident from many things.
How far the ministry will reassume
the stiff attitude of protest against the
Nile expedition adopted in Nj. Berthe.
lots report of his communication to Lord
Dutferin when the expedition was first
announced and subsequently softened in
the face of the outbreak of unbridled
French patriotism, is the question of
it is hoped will be answered in the
chamber of deputies tomorrow.
BOURGEOIS A TAIL-TWISTER.
London, March 30.-A Paris dispatch
to the Daily News asks: Are we to have
a tail-twisting foreign minister in the
person of M: Bourgeois? 1t almost ap.
years so. The colonials are already re.
joicing at the prospect of fun.
M, Berthelot's only fault is the stain
of the original sin, inherited from his
predecessors.
The fatal mistake of French policy
has been perpetual nagging of England.
A dispatch to the Chronicle from Paris
says:
Nj. Berthelot, in an interview, intimat
ed that he had resigned on account of
differences with his colleagues on foreign
policy, but he declines to specify. 1t is
generally admitted that although NJ. Der.
thelOt was made scapegQat for the re.
cent menacing note to England, NJ. Bour.
geois was the real author.
1T is alleged that both Baron De Cour-
Gel and Russia objected strongly to the
policy of sending meaningless ultimatums
which only had the effect of placing
France in ridiculous position.
The Moderates will try to upset the
cabinet Nobody can foretell the issue
of today's debate The opposition will
make strong attack. blaming the gov
eminent for the rebuff which France has
sustained in Egypt at the hands of Eng
land, who until recently was completely
isolated in Europe.
NJ Bourgeois today Sunday has been
busy comforting with the leaders of the
Colonial party and others for support.
He hopes to be able to tide over the crisis.
A dispatch to the Chronicle from Ber-
lin says:
Pending the result of M. Bourgeois ap-
pearance before the chamber of deputies
in his new position. the papers here speak
with reserve.
But no uneasiness is visible at the crisis
which is unlikely to affect European
peace.
ORDERED TO KEEP STEAM UP.
London, March 29.-The Paris dispatch
to the Times says there is no doubt that
NJ. Berthelot resigned rather than aban-
don his prudent policy, and because he
would not risk the foreign policy as an
instrument of the home government.
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