The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-11
TURBULENT WORK In EUROPE
BIG DIPLOMATIC EVENTS HAVE.
COME IN QUICK SUCCESSION.
News from Germany, Russia and
Greece All Give Rise to Thoughts
of Grave Fears.
Copyright 1898. by the Associated Press,

AONDON, sept. O.-IhaC there is no close
time in politics has been abundantly
proved by the events of the past fortnight,
a period during which the statesmen We're
supposed to be enjoying their holidays, but
which witnessed a series of Notwithstanding
public events. The Cars peace rescript,
the tragical reopening of the Dreyfus case,
the Anglo-German agreement, the recon-
quest of the Sudan, the massacre of British
troops in Crete and the dismissal of Ii
Hung Chang from the Chinese Foreign Of
flee were all compressed into the fortnight
ending to-day, and all are still as keenly
debated as on the day which they saw
their birth. The closer the Cars rescript
is serutinized the more people here are con-
firmed in the belief that it is the outcome
of Anglo-American friendship, which is
patent to every one, and the more rapid
growth of Anglo-German cordiality, which
has been in the air for year past.
The dramatic news received from Ondur-
man to-day, showing apparently that Fash
oda. on the White Nile, about 400 miles south
of Khartum, has been occupied by a white
force, causes the greatest sensation here. If,
as there seems but little room to doubt, the
troops occupying that place are French this
will prove disastrous setback to the Brit
ish victories on the Nile and at once dis
poses of the question of a British waterway
to the upper Nile. OF course it is possible
the force at Fashoda may be British troops
under Major Macdonald; but this is most
unlikely, the latest. news received from
Uganda announced that Macdonald had not
left there at the end of May. But it was
added he was expected to resume his ex-
pedition in few days. However, it is ex-
tremey improbable that MacDonald's force
could have covered the six hundred miles
over a difficult country from Uganda to
Fashoda in this time, more especially as, so
far as known. he had only one small steel
boat with which to navigate the Nile.
Almost every one regarded the stories of
a French expedition under Major Marchand
being near Fashoda being nothing more
than bluff" but now there is little rea-
son to hope that this is the case. The news
that British gunhoats have started for
Fashoda opens the question whether a con-
1ict is likely to occur between them and
the force occupying Fashoda. The great
danger is that the headstrong young French
officers may open fire on the gunboats.
The strategic value of Fashoda has al
ways been insisted upon as being very
great. Scientists and geographers have re-
peatedly pointed out the possibility of east
ly damming up the Nile there and diverting
the course of the river, so as to make lower
Egypt, whose very existence depends on
the Nile, a waterless desert.
Additional evidence of the fact that Gen.
Sir Herbert Kitchener expects serious and
important events to grow out of the new
feature in the African situation comes this
afternoon with the news that the newspa-
per correspondents with the expedition are
not allowed to proceed to Fashoda, but
have been ordered to return Immediately
to Cairo. If the French should claim to ex-
ercise sovereignty over Fashoda, either
Great Britain or France must back down in
order to avoid war Successive British Cab
inets under Lord Beaconsfield the late Will
liam E. Gladstone, Lord Rosebery and the
Marquis of Salisbury have warned France
that Great Britain will consider interfer-
ence in the Nile valley cause for war.
Great Britain took Gen. Sir Herbert
Kitchener's victory very calmly. There
was not even display of flags. Many in
teresting anecdotes of the victorious gen.
eral are published. 1t is we'll known that,
while all respect his great ability, he is
very unpopular with the army, even among
those serving with him. He has difficulty
in getting aids-de-camp. and he is abso-
lutey merciless in regard to work. But he
does not spare himself in this respect, and
he brooks no contradiction or advice. His
brother, Colonel Kitchener, who has charge
of the transportation of the expedition,
shows some of the sirdars qualities.
General Kitchener will probably be given
a grant of $125,00O and will be made Wis
count as preliminary to elevating him to
the peerage, when he is expected to take the
title of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum.
The Saturday Review dubs the Anglo
German agreement as new humiliation and
says: "Mr. Chamberlain, having betrayed
his party, has qualified himself to betray
his country" Continuing the Saturday Re-
view adds: but still more sinister infiu-
ences are at work. They have thrust aside
France in favor of Germany. There is
power in the English court which is exer-
cising continual pressure on the govern
ment. That power being German, works
sedulously in favor of Germany. Thereto, no
doubt, we owe the rumored alliance. But
this is a free country and this influence will
not be much longer permitted to misdirect
the foreign policy Of England. We are not
speaking more strongly than the situation
demands, when we remind the court and
Mr.. Chamberlain that the peoples will.
which has dethroned dynasties before. will
deal harshly with the party betraying Eng
lish interests now
The secretary of state for the colonies.
Mr.. Joseph Chamberlain. when interviewed
on his arrival at New York. voiced the SEN
timent prevailing when he remarked that
there was something peculiar about dis
armament proposals coming from such a
source at such time. In short. 1t il re-
garded here as i lullaby intended to lure