Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-11-04
GIANTS IN OPPOSITION
ENGLAND AND FRANCE u LIP OVER
The FASHODA AFFAIR
BOTH OF THEM REMAIN FIRM.
Engl n1 Has The More Powerful Navy
and france the Greater Army.

Engl m Has The More Powerful Nav,
and rance the Greater Army.
There eau be no ques ion "a to tht
strained'relations between England anC
France. The immediate cause Is founC
in the FaShola incident with whicl
readers of current news aye familiar
From available Evidence bearing upon
the situation, it appears that Maj Mar.
chand let the treuch ltoops in by way
of the back door To- obtain possession {,
'''ne Key OF the situation,' and that IN,
action was in direct violation IF a com
pact existing between the two interest.
ed powers BE that as it may, Gen.
Kitchener, commanding the British
forces, as soon - he learned of the un.
expected move, fastened from Omdur.
man TO Fashoda, hoisted the English
flag and told Marchand that he mus
have France get her troops out OF the
valley of the Nile.
This uncompromising sentiment has
been echoed in England, notably in tn.
recent speech of Lord Rosebery, winch
has been received with national ap
plausc; and the later utterances Of Sn
Michael HicGs- Beach, though deprccai.
ed in some quarters on account of THEN
! rather lndlscreet tone, are nevertheless
accepted as indicating the feeling of the
country. There is no misinterpreting
Lord Rosebery', declaration that Egypl
will never be anything but British de
tendency or a. France must Withdraw
from the vail, of the Nile. England
has not been building there for mere
purposes of temporary occupancy.
This is because England has estab-
llshed roads and boat lines in every pant
of the f Egyptian possessions which she
claims. She went there TO stay, auG
will not release her grip without a fight
But, should the war come and each
nation have It's available strength e.
the exclusive purpose of carrying o.
the coaiict, it would be battle of ia,
giants Measured by her naval ,quip-
ment, England is still mistress OF th
seas. Fora decade she has been build
ing and reconslructng with a view I,
the strengthing of her navy. aud IT,,
work is still being pushed. Her appro'
priations to this end have been enul
nous and made with popular approval
At the beginning of the current yea
she hal 30 first class, : second class
p third class battle ships; u coast dc.
Tense ships: . arL.ored cruisers; Is trs
class aud o. of the second and thir
class cruisers; 10 lookout ships; 81 tor
pedo ganboars; liz first class. / sccono
class aud 20 third class torpedo craft It
total Of $50 as her fighting strength
France. the second naval power of the
Earth, is also making "a large legislativ,
expenditure for the strengt hening of her
navy, which will be progressive until
1901. She has Is first class. o second |
class and third class battleshlps; 10 |
coast defence ships l. first class. II
second class and third class cruisers.
y lookout ships; Is torpedo gunboats;
ll9 first class, IS second class and -
third class torpedo craft; total of 347.
with 80 different kinds OF war vessels
now in progress of construction.
The regular army OF the United King
dom, exclusive OF India, consist, ac-
cording to the last annual estimate, IF
l63,569 men of all rauks,an increase of
1896 over last year.
II has been said even by friendly crit.
les. that France is cursed with "mIltar.
ism, curse that brought on the war
with Germany in 1870, and is rcspon-
sible for threatening revolution over
he Droyfus case. Certain it is that all
men there who are able must be sol
Tiers rs the result of "A strict military
training that covers period of from
one to three years. The pease strength
# the army OF France is placed at 3d.
)44. The total population of England,
Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Isle Of
Man and the channel islands, on the
me hand, and Of France on tie other,
ire practically the same, being between