The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-30
3O'CLOCK
in EUROPE.
A Greater Political Tangle
Than Ever.
The Nile Expedition is CauS-
ing a Big RumpuS.
France on the Aggressive and Will
France on the Aggressive and Will
Make Startling Moves.

rARIs, March 30-There was an anil
mated discussion at the cabinet council
Saturday regarding Egypt. Prime Minis
ter Bourgeois reproached M. Berthelot,
minister OF foreign affairs, for his conduct
of his Office, whereupon the latter resigned.
M. Bourgeois, prime minister and minis
ter of the interior, was appointed minister
OF foreign affairs.
The political world of France is again
In highly perturbed condition, and there
are indications going TO show that the
government will seek TO retrace some of
the steps by which it has been placed In
the position of impotent acquiescence in
the dispatch of an Egyptian expedition up
the Nile and the defraying of the expenses
of 1t out of the Egyptian debt surplus.
The government will be interpreted In
the chamber of deputies. and the minis
ters will be under the necessity Of making
some kind OF a statement in reply. An
important debate Is expected to result,
and there is feeling in some quarters
that far-reaching changes of policy may be
announced. The air is electric with ex-
pectation, and numerous rumors are cur
rent of grave things that are in contem-
plation.
Among those which are circumstan-
TALLY formulated are that the resignation
Of NJ. Berthclot, as minister of foreign af-
fairs, was connected with the wish OF M.
Bourgeois, tho premier. to recall Baron de
Courcel, the French ambassador in Lon
don; that frances naval reserve squadron
have been ordered to be placed upon a war
footing, and that France and Russia will
convene European conference TO discuss
the power of the Egyptian commission to
act against the vote of the minority CT
powers guaranteeing the debt, and to dis
cuss also the evacuation of Egypt.
There is a growing feeling among
Frenchmen that the entente between
Great Britain and the dreibund, as q
whole, is not as cordial as 1t was believed
it was when the Nile expedition was first
announced. The signs of the unrecon-
ciled attitude OF Germany toward 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 assistance
to her ally, Italy will not take a more
lenient view on that account of any other
forward movements 10y Great Britain.
Whether the disturbed condition Of at.
fairs In South Africa gives France hope
that there will be IA chance 30 insert the
wedge to break asunder again the newly
formed friendship of Great Britain and
Germany is matter Of surnise, but that
France regards the alliance u Great
Britain with tho dreibund as less formid-
able because less well assured Is evident
from many things.
How far the French ministry will aeas-
sure the stiff. attitude OF protest against
the Nile expedition, adopted in M. Berthe
lots report OF his communication to Lord
Dufferin when the expedition was first an
nounced, and subsequently, softened in
face of the outbreak of unbridled French
patriotism, Is the question OF first interest
in Paris, and which IL is hoped will be an
swered in the chamber Of deputies.