The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-16
VICTIM Of ACONSP|RACY
EAI0pe0R Opinion d The DIeyIuS
GuSe Outside OIL fTQlce.
FRENCH ARMY HOX VIRTUALLY ON Trial
The Whole Of France In a State Of Grow.
Ing BYsterIcal Excitement.
! Movements on the Upper HiIe Hsny
Lend 10 Unpiensnnt Consequences
Persia Threatened by Grave
bies-Prosiitutton in Regent
Street aud pIccadIIIy Arouses Par
liamentnry Aetion-GIadstone on
EnEIand's Gravest Danger.
Copyright 1898. by Associated Press,

Copyright, 1898. by Associated Prcssl
London, Jan. 15, 1885,
The new phase into which the Drey-
fps case has entered is distinct ad-
vance. The era of secret courts-mar-
t.al is over and civil and public court
will have TO investigate Emile zola's
charges OF persistent distortion of JUS
t!ce. The behavior of military authori-
ties In "burking'' the inquiry casts tho
GraTest reflections upon the oft assert
ed honor of the French army. which
has shown an obstinate determination
20 stick together, right or wrong.
outside or France. ell Europe be-
lieves Dreyfus Is the victim of VII
famous conspiracy and the prosecu-
lion OF Zola has broadened the oues-
'tion' for the whole French army is now
virtually placed on trial The gravity
OF the situation is enhanced because
tnc Whole OF France is In q Gtnte of
growing hystertcal excitement. Tenn
porarly, the republic is generally
supported throughout the country, but
history shows that similar hysterla has
frequently led to violent chances.
When France is able to analyzc the
situation and should the suspicion
spread that the honor OF the army "a
really affected. the consequence to the
republic might be Of the most serious
description. The Panama scandals
nave detiled political life and the law
courts have been discredited. therefore.
II respect for the army must also he
surrendered, the desire to change tho
Government may be irrepressible. fn
which case the temptation for the lead
ers 10 divert the attention Of the coun
Try 10 a foreign war will be well nigh
irresistible Hence the deep interest OF
FRANCES neighbors
hor the moment, the intense excite.
!nent Will probably find an out1et in
the renewal of the spectacle present
Gu during the liveiest days of Boulanc-
ism. Hot alterca tions In the streets
i@dlns to assaults, are frequent. tho
ponce are guarding the houses Of
prominent Dreyfusians and 1t lis i'm
possible TO foresee where the arrests
".h emu. Sianoer and denunciation
are SO rampant that the authorities
hEe taking special precautions to pre-
vent the calumniated from taking the
~" into their own hands. Duels have
Already resulted, a monster manIfes-
taticn Is preparing In Paris for sun
cay Allegedly, it is anti-Dreyfus,an
nesiiy II is ant-Semitic, and unless
may be the sequel.
temporarily orershadowed, the move
tiehts or the French on the upper Nile
are again becoming unpleasan prom
inent 10 those who ina gined shat Great
Britain had undisputed claims unon
thcse regions. II is immaterial to dis
cuss the exact whereabouts of the
& ffench expeditions. 1t sufices that, ac-
cording TO the bulk OF evidence. they
nave penetrated to Bahr-El- -Ghazal the
most fertile province Of the Egyption
.Soudan, with the distinct mandate ~
this government. If this is true. and
&sthe declarations of successive British
n cabinets mean anything, NJ. Hanotaux
Il the French Minister for Foreign Az
& falrs, has brought about a casus belII
mus FAR, nj. HanotauX seems to have
the advantage. but the game 10 dam
s gerous. Fear of war with france will
not stop Great Britain from recovering
the whole of the Egyptian Soudan and
driving out any French expeditions
which may be found there, when, in the
opinion of the Marquis of SALISBURY tho
proper time has arrived
In the meantime Prince Henry of Or
leans is fitting QUIT, at Maseiles and
evidently with the approval Of the gov
ernment, an armed expedition to sub.
due equatorial provinces, claiming thew
had belonged to Abysslnia In pre-his-
torlc. times: but in reality these proy-
inceS are identical with those Great
Britain is seeking to restore to IIgypt.
So. perhaps there Is some truth in the
story that the activity of the British is
due to the Egyptian intelligence de-
partment learng that the French Abys
sinian troops have reached Fashoda.
that King Mencllt Is preparing rein
forcemen,s with the intention of fol-
lowing up this success and that q COM
mon policy, which Is morally supported
by Russia, unites France and Abys-
snia.
There are persistent reports of grave
troubles threatening Persia The Shah's q
sovereignty has always been shaky. and
II 7 now affirmed to be rapidly slipping
from his grasp. Indeed the situation
at Teheran Is described as being so pre-
s sssscarious that coup d'etat may be pre-
giScipltated at any moment.
stlsst5Ehe scandalous debauchery In Recent I
Street and Piccadilly, this city, has led
lstoS The preparation of two bills for pre-
l sentment to Parliament. One Of them
makes 1t arcrime for a man or a. wo-
man to live on the prostitution Of wo-