The times., 1898-10-30
FRANCE and BRITAIN
The Fashoda Dispute and Its
Menace to Peace.
THE DIPLOMATIC STATUS
Lord saIfsbury's Anxiety to Avoid
War-DiGcrcnt Views Regarding
the Nile Question-Another French
African Expedition Forming
- Startling Figures in Connection
With the Cars Peace Proposal.

London, Oct 29.-No one outside of di-
plomatic circles can fully realize how
perilous this weeks happenings have been
TO the cause of peace, yet the week has
passed, and England's relations with
France remain, as diplomats say,
Friendly" and each day passed is a day
gained for peace.
OF course an upheaval in Paris and the
overthrow of the civil power is among
the possibilities. and in that event France
may be driven to take any hazard, even
the hazard of war terribly though the
odds seem against her. but Gen Chanoine
is the best leader of any such military
upheaval that the Partisan ferment has
as yet thrown upon the surface. and Gen.
Chanoine does not count, nor as yet do
any pretenders to the French throne
count.
Marchand Simply Left FashOda-
The diplomatic position at this moment
may be stated thus: Major Marchand has
not been recalled from Fashoda. He has
simply left-a distinction without a diff
ference. perhaps. to England, but all-im-
portant TO susceptible France, for it may
go long way towards saving her face.
Major Marchand's departure, says the OBJ
viousIy inspired statement from Paris,
must not be taken as indicating set
Element of the Fashoda difficulty" With
that statement England does not quarrel
for she knows that Major Marchand has
only reached Khartoum, by means which
England has placed at his disposal. and
having the Nile within her complete control
t. rnt. fn a.
turn, except as a guest and scientific ex-
plorer. Thus the Fashoda phase of the
difficulty, which was the most acute
phase in the popular mind here and in
Paris, is sensibly relieved.
An Immnterial Factor.
But from the point of view now adopted
by English diplomatists it has become
matter of supreme Indifference whether
Major Marchand remained in Fashoda or
not; whethet, as the Times puts 1t today.
..he plants -eabbages at Fashoda, as an
emissary of civilization "a playful refer
ence to Marchand's present of cabbages
TO Lord Kitchener, over which present the
Sirdar's friends make much merrimenO
or whether he busies himself at Cairo
telegraphing to Paris details of his ex-
plorations."
To English diplomacy the Marchand
Nile is Egypt and Egypt is the Nile,
said Lord Rosebery, and that is Eng
lands text England will not discuss an.
other control of the Nile than her own.
EnsIand's Strong Position.
In pursuance of this control England i:
making so impregnable her position In tn
Nile valley that whatever Frenchmen re
main will be hemmed in by an effectiv
and seeing the small French force, abso
lutely unassaiable English occupation.
The French talk of their posts as dot
ting the Bahr-El GhazaI valley. A diplo
matist to whom the French Congo is yer!
familiar ground assures me that many o
these alleged posts are known to have NJ
existence while of effective posts Their
are none. Ignoring them altogether, Eng
land is, through such officers as Majo
Jackson, extending her effective contro
to the west of Fashoda and Sobat.
II is believed that another expedition
now being prepared in French Africa
follow Major Marchand's track, but it vi
be too late. Lord Kitchener, before he lie
Fashoda, made such arrangements
place the trump cards of possession
England's hands. English diplomats
need. therefore, only sit still and do mott
ing.
English JinEO Talk.
There are plenty of Jingo Englishm'
who would applaud a resolve to lea
France to stew in her own juice, as
punishment for her wilful trespass
Fashoda, but Lord Salisbury has no SUI
feelings He sincerely desires peace. al
so soon as a ministry again exists
Paris he will respond to any French a
vances for friendly delimitatiOn Of A
glo-French spheres in Africa, is ready
make. in fact, as big a deal there as En-
land has just made with Germany
Here, however, a grave difficulty aris
France IS intent upon direct access to I