The herald., 1897-11-07
WAR CLOUD
GATHERING
Over Contest for African
Control
A BRITISH HOWL OF DISGUST
GREETS THE ABANDONMENT OF
THE NILE CAMPAIGN
A BRITISH HOWL OF DISGUST
English Supremacy in the Dark Con.
tinent Is Seriously Threatened
by the French

LONDON, Nov. 6.-(Copyright, 1897
"On the Brink" is the caption unde
which the Daily News today EDITORIAL!
discusses the Anglo French relations
and it wonders how many times in re
cent years Great Britain has been on thu
\ brink of war with France. The same
feeling is known to exist among thu
! well-informed of both countries. Tht
news from Lagos, west coast of Africa
on Thursday last that the French had
evacuated Saki, one Of the posts in the
Lagos Hinterland which had been oc-
cupied by the troops in contravention
OF the agreement of 1889, leaving that
place as soon as the British force sent
there by Gov. McCallum appeared
shows how serious the situation in West
| africa has become and demonstrates
that a collision between French and
British troops in this instance was only
averted by the retirement of the former.
| and it further shows that such a coli
lision may occur any day.
Although expected, the definite an
nouncement that the Anglo Egyptian
campaign up the Nile has been aban-
doned for the present, has been the sig
nal for a howl Of disgust, similar in tone
to the outburst of the Morning Post yes
terday, which paper. in specially dis
played editorial article on the subject,
denounced the government for 'its hes
itancy and invertedness on all great oc-
casions," adding that the unfortunate
losses in money and blood are due to
nr0orD tina finn a nd Nyhpr, hn1 ~,
is ripe to vindicate Gordon and to smash
the Mahdi, nothing is to be done. but a
baneful hesitancy sets ina moral in
fluenza which paralyzes our statesmen. =
Similar denials have been heard from
even the most ardent supporters Of the
ministry. That the latter should fail
to continue the Soudan campaign is at
tributed to lack of money and totheiln-
possibility of finding British troops for
this service until the Indian troubles are
over. Any suggestion that the Egyptian
troops have already broken the kha-
lifa's back and are capable of reaching
Khartoum alone, is frOwned down until
it is beginning to be whispered that the
Britishers are agreed to let the Egyp-
tians know how much they are capable
of accomplishing alone. In this case,
whatever the reason for stopping the
campaign may be, it seems to be folly
to wait until next year to accomplish
what could now seemingly be realized
while the dervishes and other tribes al
ready rescued from the tyranny of the
khalifa are ready to help. Indeed, the
fact that further complications are
threatened would seem to emphasize
the advisability of Fastening the recap
ture of the Soudan. There is no doubt
that British supremacy in Central Afri-
ca is seriously threatened by the French,
whose unmistakable intention is to
draw horizontal line across the Soudan
and cut off direct communication be-
tween Egypt and the British possess
sions in the center and south of Africa,
and an Acknowledgement that Great
Britain is resting on her oars will cause
them to redouble their energies. The
Marquis of Salisbury is urged on all
sides to take spirited action and it is
insisted that if funds are lacking Great
Britain must advance them or even sup
ply the amount requisite to.reach Khar-
toum.
While the ministry is apparently
vacillating in this direction, it is show
ing no lack of energy in the dispute
with the French regarding the Lagos
Hinterland. The foreign and colonial
officers are most busily at work and
are closely following every detail of
the movements made. A special map
is sent to the secretary for the colonies.
Mr. Chamberlain. every night with the
latest news and moves marked on it
with little flags.
The news from Saki and elsewhere
shows that the British governors in
West Africa are determined to stop
further French aggression.
Immediately after the occupation of
Saki became known at the British for
eign office, the Marquis of Salisbury
sent strongly worded dispatch to the
French foreign Office, saying that if
conflict occurred the responsibility
would rest with France, and he also
officers of the British expedition sent to
that place not to allow anything to pre-
vent the re-occupation of any British
territories thus passed on by the French
or other European forces. To this is
probably attributable the hasty retire
ment Of the French troops on the ap-
proach of the British forces.
The statement made yesterday by the
parliamentary secretary of the colonial
office, the Earl of Selborne, that the
carrying out of the governments policy
will have the effect of opening the Brit
ish Niger company's territories to all
trades, shows that the government in
tends to take over these territories.
THE QUEENS BIOGRAPHY,
A new biography of Queen Victoria,
written by Richard Holmes of the s. A.,
the Queens librarian at Windsor, ap-
peared on Friday and is attracting much
attention. 1t was prepared under the
immediate supervision Of Her Majesty
and abounds in family incidents; shows
the Queen has never entirely abandoned
the relaxations of her earlier years and
points out that within the past fifteen
years she has sung with Tosti and has
taken drawing lessons from Leitsch,.