The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-14
THE FRENCH AT FAsHODA.
Two Years of Fighting and NegOtiat-
ing i'm UnexplOred Regions.
New York Tribune

While cable dispatches are reaffirming
that France has decided to evacuate
Fashoda, some doubts are expressed in re-
gard TO her abandonment also of the terri
tory of the Bahr-el-GhaZal and the five
posts established there by Marchand during
his march toward the Nile. A few extracts
from the narrative of his two-years expedi-
ton, as related by NJ. Henri Pensa, a rec
ognZed authority in African questions, and
editor of the international organ, Questions
Diplomatiques ct Coloniels, will show upon
what basis will be discussed the negotia-
lions between France and England in regard
to the ownership of the southernmost terri
tory of the Egyptian Sudan.
1t was in 1896 that the French government
conceived the plan of connecting its Congo
and Djibouti on the Indian ocean by a line
of fortified posts and a road across Africa
from west to east, which would cut at right
angles the north-and-south road which Eng
dria and Cape Town. NJ Iiotard, the eX-
plOrer, at the end of that year, 1896, having
started from the French Congo, had already
crossed the crest or summit Of the dividing
line of the Nile basin. and placed the states
of the Tamboura Sultan under the protec-
torate of France. Captain Hossinger, who
had built the first French fortified post, now
known as Fort Hossinger, became the VIC
tim of an accident while Lieutenant Angot
was making the first reconnaissance or eX-
ploration beyond the River SOuch. The
French had at their disposition all available
resources in the shape of Bazinguerls, sol
ders armed with guns, carriers and provi-
sions, existing in the four sultanateS of the
M'Comou region But NJ. Liotard suddenly
found himself and his men deprived of am
munition and other indispensable articles,
through a defective system of transporta-
ton along the route from Loango and Braz-
zaville, the headquarters of the French
Congo, whence he had started and upon
whose support he was compelled to rely.
He also lacked the number of SenegaleSe
soldiers and officers necessary for the real
ization of the plan of occupation elaborated
by the Paris government The latter decid-
ed to. send him reinforeements,, which were
first intended to be placed under the direc-
ton of Lieutenant Colonel Monteil, but
which were finally put under that of Com
mandant Marchand who had lived for a
long while in the Sudan.
In the first months of 1897 Marchand had
established regular. service of carriers,
and more than three thousand loads of am
munition and provisions were located at
several points between the French Congo
transported in pieces, and in November
1897, one of them, the Faidherbe, was
launched on the Souch, as were also several
lighters Lieutenant Mangin meanwhile
built up Fort DesaiX, which was considered
as the capital of the French possessions in
the Bahr-el-Ghazal; Another fort was con-
structed at Dem-Ziber. and while Leuten-
ant Gouby was pushing with Captain Bara-
tier some expeditions in the direction of the
Mahdist empire. Commandant Marchand;
with great tact and diplomacy. conciliated
all the surrounding native tribes, before
starting for the Nile, where he finally ar
rived at the beginning of this year. The
Bahr-el-GhaZal territory was thus occupied,
de facto by the French, who had there
three fortresses, Forts Hossinger, Desaix
and Dem-Ziber, garrisoned by three COM
panies of Senegalese soldiers. and fiotilla
of gunboats and lighters armed with rapid
firing cannonS and under the command or
Midshipman Dye. Unfortunately, these
forts had cost the lives of some of the
French explorers-Comte, the administrator;
Norm. a lieutenant of the navy; Captain
Hossinger and Lieutenant Gouby. The first
named was drowned and the others died Of
fever.