The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-24
M. Delcasse Says, Because Both Were
Movements Against the KhaIifa
and Dervish Barbarism.
COMMENTS OF LONDON PRESS
SITUATION STILL REGARDED AS Ex-
TREMELY GRAVE.
Feeling in Paris, However,, Is More
Hopeful that War May BE Avoid
ed-The Spanish Crisis.

PARIS, Oct. "a seni-ofical note is
sued this evening says: There is no founda-
tion for the alarrnist rumors regarding the
relations between France and Great Britain.
1t is equally incorrect to say that extra
ordinary measures have been taken at any
of our naval ports"
The Fashoda yellow book is voluminous,
but it does not include Major Marchand's
report. which will be published later. The
dispatches were largely anticipated by the
English Fashoda blue book. The diplomatic
conversations recorded show curious en-
deavor on the French side to represent that
Marchands mission was quite as important
as General Kitcheners, on the ground that
the struggle was against the Khalifa and
barbarism. On Sept. is M. Delcasse, the
foreign minister informed the British am
bassador to France, Sir Edmund Monson,
in explicit language that France did not
regard Lord Salisbury's claim to the Sudan
by virtue Of conquest as applying to
Fashoda, on the ground that the Marchand
expedition went to the relief of the Fnench
expedition under Captain Lcotard, which
dated from period long before the decIara-
tion in the House of Commons by Sir
Edward Gray, under secretary of state for
foreign affairs in Lord Roseberys Cabi-
net, as to the policy of the British govern
ment toward the Sudan and at a time when
the equatorial provinces were lost to CIV
ilization. In fact, NJ. Delcasse argued unless
great Britain possessed the Sultan's man.
date as well as the Khedive's, to acquire all
former Egyptian provinces. France consid-
cred herself equally entitled with England
to possession of~any point occupied by
French officers.
Judging from the yellow book dispatches.
the foregoing represents the French stand
point and M Delcasse contends that as
Marchand reached Fashoda first. England
has no ilght to demand an evacuation of
Fashoda prior to negotiations On Sept 30
NJ. Delcasse declared to Sir Edmund Mon
son that such a demand would be equivalent
to an ultlmatum and, while he should afford
to sacrifice Frances material interests so
long as her honor was intact. for the sake
of the Anglo French entente, no one could
doubt what would be the reply of France
to such demand
The subsequent dispatches appearing in
the yellow book relate to conversations be-
tween Baron Decourcet, French ambassador
in London, and Lord Salisbury the latter
contending that the capture of Khartum en-
titled Egypt to possession of all the Mahdi's
dominions and the French ambassador ar
guing that Major Marchand had captured
Fashoda before General Kitchener took
Khartum and that France had for a long
time held several posts in the Bahr-e-
Gazal Lord Salisbury retorted that the
French forces in the regions referred to
were too weak to constitute effective occu-
patton.
A final dispatch, dated Oct 12, from Baron
Decourcet to M. Delcasse records a con-
versation with V-ord Salisbury, in which the
French ambassador claimed access to the
Nile through the Bahr-el- -Gazal and asked
an amicable delimitation of the respective
spheres of interest OF the two powers in
reply to which Lord Salisbury indicated
that it would be necessary for him to con-
suit his colleagues.
Baron De Courcel. having represented
that it would be impossible for Major
Marchand TO retire until it was settled
where he should go and how the evacua-
tion was TO be effected Lord Salisbury,
after rejecting very seriously. said he was
rot sufficiently acquainted with the geog-
raphy of Africa to reply for the present re-
garding deiimitation. and that, moreover.
he could not enter into projects of that ma
ture without consulting his colleagues
Baron De Courcel concludes the dispatch of
Oct. IL saying: Il quilted him on these
explanations, which were pronounced in a
conciliatory and friendly tone