The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-23
The Franco-Bnglish Situation
Looks Ominous.
ALL ENGLAND is READY
Great Britain Displays q Feeling OF Alb
soluts Conadencs-Entitled to the
Fruits OF Victory - French
Ministry Tottoring.

britain ana france began to dispute
over Egypt. nor during the most
acute stage of the Niger differences be-
tween those two countries, has the sit
uation looked 80 ominous as to-day. In
spite Of the hope expressed in the Jour
mails of both countries that the matter
would be amicably arranged, it is a fact
that the French government and mili-
tary authorities are making fe~erish
preparations for war. and though calm
reigns at the British dock yards at
Portsmouth, Chatham and Devonport.
1t Is only the calm Of preparedness and
significant orders have been arriving
there from the admiralty, indicating
that Great Britain and France are on
the brink OF war. The French states
men. however. still elm to the hope
that the Marquis of Salisbury viii offer
some exchange which will enable them
TO retire from Fashoda without appar-
ent sacrifice OF dignity. This hope is
based on q conversation between Lord
salisbury and Baron de Courcel. the
french ambassador at London, which
ngures In most important dispatch in
the yellow book which the French gov
ernment will issue tomorrow.
Frenchmen infer from the attitude of
the British premier that he is willing
TO discuss the French claims, and they
even talk Of negotiations being in prog
ress. The English newspapers. how
ever, vigorously combat this impression
ana warn France not to be led away
by such illusions. They declare that
the evacuation of Fashoda must pre-
cede anything else.
The Times to-day, referring to the
Fashoda question, says:
IT Is not we who are trying to hu-
initiate France; but IL Is France who
seems to put a great humiliation on us.
We have beaten the khalifa and have
effectively occupied the provinces he
usurped. We are now asked to clear
out at the orders of an exploring party
or nine Frenchmen who owe their es-
cape from destruction to our military
success. or II We are kindly permitted
NOT 10 clear out we are to pay a COM
pensation for our title to what we have
wrested from the khalifa- This is not
lining we can consent to discuss on
nigh handed summons. We are there
In enective strength, and there we in
tend to remain"
The French naval prepa arations vere
at first declared to be mere routine ar
rangements. but they are now admit
ted they are directed against Great
Britain. The French dock yards and
arsenals are working at full pressure
and preparing warships and torpedo
On the British side a feeling of abso-
lutte self-confidence is disnlayed.
Everything ready" is the burden of
all or the statements from naval quar-
ters. In fact, the British navy has
practically been on a war footing for a
year past and an authoritative pro-
nouncement to this effect has come from
the secretary to the admiralty. W. +.
Ellison Mccartney. A prominent dock
yard official. in an interview. declared
that the circumstances of the present
crisis have been fully provided for in
the mob1lization scheme. He added
that the British ships at the present
moment have a larger supply of coal on
board and available, a larger stock of
provisions than ever known before. The
British admiralty list to-day shows that
nine British battleships and IL fast
cruisers are lying in the Mediterranean.
while the British channel squadron,
which was last reported off Vilagaria.
spain, consisting of eight battleships
and five cruisers, constitutes the most
modern and powerful fleet of warships
ahoat. kilograms from Balmoral init
mate that Queen Victoria is following
the trend of events with much chagrin.
Her aversion to war. in the declining
years of her reign, is well known and
Is an appreciable factor in the situa- |
ton.
The Austrian and German newspa-
pers are closely following the dispute |
between Great Britain and France. and |
while they express the hope that IL will |
not end in war, the general feeling is |
that the French position is untenable |
ana that Great Britain is entitled to |
reap the fruits Of victory
The Brisson ministry appears to have |
one foot in the grave and its prospects
or lasting long beyond the opening of |
parliament are very dubious The |
French premier is attacked on all sides
from deputies on the
policy at home and abroad
are pouring la. M. Cavaignac, the for
mer minister of war. intends to attack
the government on the question OF the
revision of the Dreyfus case. NJ Bur-
seois is regarded as the probable sue
sessor OF NJ. Brisson. and lively times
are promised on the reassembling of the
chamber OF deputies on Tuesday next.
The French socialists are organizing
vast demonstration to take place on
he Place de la Concordie, and the anti
Dreyfus league has also summoned its
adherents to meet there with the rally
ng cry Of "vive rarmee." A collision
between the two factions Is expected.
The outbreak Of bubonic plague at
Vienna, due to the experiments in Pro-
essor Nathnagle's bacteriological es-
a ablishment In the cultivation of the
,lague bacillus. has spread terror at
he Austrian capital Five cases. in ad-
lition to that of the late Herr Barisch,
he assistant in the establishment, who
contracted the bubonic plague while
the bacillus, have now oc-
urred. DIR. Mueller. who attended Herr
3arisch and was one of the victims,
vas considered an authority on the
'lague. having been to Bombay for the
purpose Of studying IL on the spot, and
e survived all the dangers there.
Extraordinary precautions have now
,een taken to prevent an epidemic |
he plague patients lie in an isolated
'uilding. attended by DIR. Pooch. a vol
lnteer physician. and by Sisters OF
,harity. Every person who had come |
n contact With Herr Barisch. principal
y the hospital attendants. have been
solated- Some of them rasisfnh anI ,