New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-09
THE FRENCH IN AFRICA.
POSSIBILITY OF A CONFLICT WITH THE
ENGL1sH-CAPTAIN MARcHAND's EN-
petition AROUsEs ENTHUSIASM
NOTES OF PARTISAN SOCIETY.

ENGL1sH-CAPTAIN MARcffAND's EN-
petition AROUsEs ENTHUSIASM
NOTES OF PARTISAN SOCIETY.
-, fpY CABLE TO THE ThIBUNEl
Paris. Jan. S-The pluck and perseverance Of
Captain Marchand. whose expedition is already
believed by enthusiastic Frenchmen to have
joined hands at Fashoda with Bonchamps's par
~ from Obok, daily obtain frmer hold upon the
patriotic imagination. The rejoicing recalls
Staney's march across Africa. The significance
of Marchand's mission may be appreciated when
II Is remembered that the French Government
has never admitted the premises Of the declara-
ton by the Rosebery Cabinet in March 1880
announcing that England would consider as an
unfriendly act any attempt on the part OF
France TO occupy the upper Nile valley ct
Fashoda or elsewhere. The English pretension
TO right of way for the length of the continent
from Egypt to the Cape OF Good Hope is now
opposed by the French claim of right Of way
from the Congo TO Fashoda and the Red Sea
France will not recognize the English claim to
the Equatorial provinces OF the days OF Gordon
and Emin Pacha and considers that the coun-
try south OF the existing Anglo Egyptian mill
tary posts belongs no more to England than TO
France, and that the region travcrsed by Mar
chand is within the French sphere Marchand
having holsted the French flag at Fashoda to
secure the place to France. just as General
Kitchener hoisted the Egyptian nag at Khar
toum to secure the town TO Egypt.
The Chinese situation is cheerfully accepted
here, and is regarded in spite OF the word
cease" as a transfer Of sovereignty. There is
nothing in the attitude Of Germany to cause
uneasiness but it is likely that there ~-iil ne a
bone to pick with England in regard 20 the IN
depreciation OF the most favored nation clauses
in Chinese treaties The French view is that
these cannot apply TO territorial concessions
constituting sovereignty: the Application is
limited to commercial rights. Consequently the
reported intention OF England demand at
Port Arthur and Kiao- Chau the privileges &C
corded to Russia and Germany is. In French
opinion. as absurd as for Russia and Germany
TO claim an equal share in English privileges at
Hong-Kong
Events in China cause greater interest here
than those in Hawaii A suspicion prevails that
unless the United States profits by the present
onportunity Hawaii will fall into other hands
French opinion distinctly favors American an
nexation.
NJ. Octave Mrbeau the author OF Les Mau-
yais Bergers" launched into violent personal
abuse of NJ Sareey the eminent critic. because
the latter accused him OF Transforming the
Renaissance Theatre into morgue by his lugu
brious realism NJ Sarceys witty and sensible
reply won him the suffrage Of the public and 81
fenced NJ. Mirabeau This with the success Of
NJ Rostands "Cyrano." where realism is con-
fined 10 lust proportions has modified the pop
ujar desire for exaggeration The result is that
Nine Sarah Bernhard who is always in touch
with the Partisan pulse has greatly modified the