The record-union., 1896-03-23


cost of the British expedition up the
/ Nile Valley, which was published in the
| North German Gazette was worded
in such manner as to convey that
Germany's assent was not given to con-
serve English interests, but rather fol
the sake of upholding the interests OF
| the allies of Germany included in the
Dreibund, especially those of Italy.
| Two articles on the subject which
We're subsequently published in the
| Gazette" were a great deal more cor
dial toward England, and the intention
seems to have been to dispel all traces
Of the German irritation toward Eng
| land to defend the Dongola expedition
as an inevitable movement, and to pre-
dict the ultimate recognition by Eu-
| rope of the value of the operations OF
| the expedition in controlling the de-
| structive power of the DerviSheS.
| Other inspired journals are now TAX
| ing the same view The National Zei-
tung" denies the contention that
| France may possibly create interna-
tional trouble, because of the fact that
! Egyptian troubles are seeking to re-
occupy Egyptian territory.
| <aS ldlS LOOT, oCii iiSo IIC dioPobO
over the Congo agreement the "Zei-
tung" says the French Government
maintained that the Soudan provinces
were legally Egyptian territory, al
though they were in the hands of bar
barians. The "Tageblatt" holds that
the evacuation of Egypt by the British
| is England's affair, and the "Kreuz Zei-
tung' says that France cannot oppose a
punitive expedition against Soudanese
malefactors.
The Cologne Gazette" in an article
obviously inspired by the Foreign Of
flee, contends that the Dongola expedi-
tion is absolutely imperative. 1.-THE
union of Dervish forces which are now
| divided by the Egyptian advance" it
says, might have the effect to drive
the Italians out of Kassala and SO
strengthen Abyssinia against Italy,
and ultimately enable France and Rus
sia, who are now lurking in the back
ground, to determine the fate of Khar-
toum and the whole region of the upper
Nile"
| The key to all this sudden display of
good will toward England is unques-
| tionably German sympathy with Italy.
/ IL CIG Ddill+ IL &LOWd, IOQ51l O1 4hcA III
| 1st, in which the italians were disas-
| trously defeated, had not occurred, Ger
many would not have countenanced the
expedition up the valley of the Nile,
| and probably would have sided with
France and Russia to prevent it.
| A curious incident connected with the
situation has arisen from the overtures
which were made by France, with the
| object of ascertaining Germany's inten-
| tions in regard to the expedition. The
communications from the French For
| eign Office, which passed through the
| hands of M. Herbette, French Embassa-
| dor to Germany, were couched in Ian
guage which indicated expectation that
Germany would join the French protest
| against Englands action.
1t consequently must have been a
very unpleasant surprise to M. Berthe
| lot, the French Foreign Minister, to
| learn that the assent of Germany had
already been sent to London and to
Cairo, and the fact must certainly have
caused the French Government to sur
| mise that the Emperor knew more, and
at an earlier date of the designs of
Great Britain, than could have been OBJ
tanned through the ordinary diplomatic
channels.
1t is now conceded on all sides that
M. Herbette must be recalled by his
Government, and very speedily. The
position described in these dispatches
on February Goth has become intoler-
able. M Herbette has made himself
SO obnoxious to the Emperor that his
majesty is reported to have on more
than one occasion abSented himself
from Berlin in order to avoid the duty
OF receiving him.
NJ Herbettes rank as dean of the
diplomatic corps would naturally bring
him oftener into personal contact with
the Emperor than if some other diplo-
mat held the rank, and there is reason
to believe that personal meeting with
the Emperor is as distasteful to the
French ambassador as it is offensive
to the Emperor The feud between them
is of long standing.
Besides this difficulty NJ Herbette
has made himself disagreeable to many
of the German officials with whom he
has come in contact, because of his ex-
ceedingly brusque and altogether bad
manners, and to Prince Hohenlohe, the
Imperial Chancellor, he has become al
most intolerable. The consequence has
been that Prince Hohenlohe has for
mally asked M. Berthelot to appoint
M. Herbette's successor, and the Ger
man ambassador to Paris has advised
the Chancellor that the difficulty ex-
perienced by M. Berthelot in sending
to Berlin an ambassador who would be
acceptable to the Berlin court is likely
to be overcome by the acceptance of the
position by M. Decrais, formerly French
ambassador to London.
An interesting debate arose in the
Unterhaus on Wednesday. during the
discussion of an Interpolation asking
the intentions of the Government in
regard to dealing with the question of
American meats. Professor Won Men
del launched a prolonged TRADE against
American corned beef and all canned
meats, and in the course of his remarks
gave an instance of the wife of Berlin
journalist having been poisoned by the
use of such goods. Other similar cases.
he said, were not uncommon, and amid
the cheers of the agrarian members of
the chamber he urged that it was not
sufficient that American meats should
be certified as healthy by American in
spectors. but that the whole carcass
must be inspected by German inspec-