Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-10-25
LOOKS LESS WAR[IKE
Anglo.French Situation Regard.
ing the Possession of the
Valley of the Nile.
SALISBURY ISSUES A BLUE BOOK,
From Which 1t Would Appear That Bris-
sons Yellow Book Was Hardly Explicit
France Asked to Put into Writing
What She Wants in the Nile Valley, but
No Sign Exhibited of a Weakening on
the Part OF England.

London, Oct. 25.-The British govern
ment has issued another blue book. the
most important feature of which is a
dispatch dated Oct. u. from the Mar
quis of Salisbury to the British ambas-
sador at Paris, Sir Edmund Monson, re-
porting the previous interview with Ba-
ron de Courcel, in which the latter
wished to ascertain what solution of the
question was possible. In this dispatch
the Marquis of Salisbury says: Il gen.
orally insisted that the Nile valley had
belonged and still belonged to Egypt.
and that whatever diminution that title
had suffered by the mahdi's conquest
had been removed by the victory at
Omdurman." The Marquis of Salisbury
then pointed out the helplessness of Ma
jor Marchand's position. which Baron
de Courcel denied, and finally the Brit
ish premier, in response to Baron de
Courcers suggestion. offered to supply
Major Marchand with food and am
munition in order that he might be able
to reach French territory.
Salisbury Wants 1t in Black and White.
Baron de Courcel then said France
wanted an outlet to the Nile, and the
Marquis of Salisbury requested that the
whole proposition be made in writing.
This was the last interview between the
ambassador and the premier on this
subject. Baron de Courcel then went to
Paris and il is thought that the propo-
sition which he brought last night en-
bodies the points indicated in this con-
versation. The British cabinet council
has been fixed for Thursday next.
Crapaud Is Very Indefinite.
The Salisbury dispatch in conclusion
said: The extreme indefiniteness of Ba-
ron de Courcel's propositions made il
impossible for me to express or to form
an opinion relative to the territory
claimed by France in the Bahr-El-
Ghazal region. Under the circumstances
the discussion has been fruitfuf of mis-
apprehension. / informed him that it
was in no way my duty to discuss the
French claims now, but that in abstain
ing there from must not be understood
as in any degree admitting their validity"
The blue book also contains interesting
letters from Mustapha, the regent of
Egypt. to General Kitchener and Lord
Cromer (the British diplomatic agent
respectively. showing Egypt's attitude.
He wrote to General Kitchener warmly
thanking him for taking possession of
Fashoda. and thereby reconquering for
Egypt the provinces which assure her
existence and from which she only re-
tired professionally.
Egyptian Territory at All Times.
The regent in writing to Lord Cromer
protested against the French violation
Of Egyptian territory" adding that
Egypt had never lost sight of the reoc-
cupation of the provinces of the Soudan
which are the actual sources of the
vitality of Egypt, and from which she
only withdrew owing to force. He also
said that the recOnquest of Khartoum
would fail to have it's effect if the val
ley of the Nile was not restored to
Egypt. Mustapha concluded with re-
ferring to the Anglo-French discussion
on the subject of Fashoda, urging Lord |
Cromer to use his good offices with the |
of Salisbury, in order that the |
rights of Egypt may be |
recognized and that all the provinces !
occupied up to the rebellion of Mohamed |
A