Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-10-10
FAsAoDA BLUE BOOK.
Details Of Correspondence Between England
and France Over The Soudan.

London, Oct. 9.-The foreign office
has issued a Fashoda Blue Book, CIV
ing the correspondence between the
French and British governments. 1t
begins with a dispatch dated Dec. 10,
1897, from Edmund Mondon, British
ambassador at Paris, to Lord Sails
bury, referring to rumors Of the mas
sacre of the Marchand expedition and
expressing the ambassadors satisfac-
ton that he had been allowed to ac-
quaint NJ. Hanotaux French foreign
minister of that time) with Lord Sal
isbury's views that if the other ques-
tons are adjusted. Great Britain will
make no difficulty regarding the
French claim on the northern and
eastern shores of Lake Tchad. The
dispatch shows, however, that the am
bassador made it clear that this con-
cession must not be understood as adj
hitting the right of any European
power except Great Britain to occupy
any part of the Nile valley.
M. Hanotaux replied, Dec, "a, in a
long dispatch of respectful protest
against Lord Salisbury's views.
On August Of this year, Lord Sails
bury wrote Lord Cromer, British Dip
lomatic agent at Cairo, giving him in
structions that, after the capture of
Khartoum, two flotillas should ascend
to Fashoda and go up to the Blue Nile
as far as it should prove navigable for
steamers. Under these instructions,
the Sirdar was personally to command
the Fashoda fiotilla and to take few
troops if he should consider it desir-
able, the object being to assert Great
Britian's sphere Of influence in the
Nile valley.
On Sept Z, Sir Edmund Munson report
ed to Lord Salisbury conversation. In
which NJ. Delcasse, Frech foreign minis
ter. stated that Marchand had no author
ity to decide on questions of right and
had been instructed to abstain from any
action likely to lead to a conflict NJ.
Delcasse further expressed a conviction
that the matter was susceptible OF ar
rangement by means of discussion. To
this Lord Salisbury replied. Sept. Q. that
Great Britain regarded the operations of
the Sirdar as placing all territories of
Khalifa Abdullah, by right of conquest,
in the hands of the British and Egyptian
governments. and insisted that this con-
tsfltion admitted of no discussion.
Then follow various dispatches record
Munson and NJ. Delcasse. the latter ex-
planning that Marchand was now virtu-
ally a lieutenant to the Lictard expedi-
ton. and therefore the situation at Fa-
shoda, even if Marchand were there.
could not be as dangerous as Sir Edmund
had represented.
On Sept. 25 still following the Blue
his expedition to Fashoda, fully confirm
ing the announcements already cabled
The Associated Press. including the fact
that Gen. kitchener's arrival there pre-
vented a second attack on Marcha4ld.
The French officer informed the Sirdar
that he had concluded treaty which he
had sent to France for ratification, where
by the Shillook chiefs had placed the
country under French protection. Mar
chand replied in the negative to Gen.
Kitchener's question whether he was pre-
pared to resist the hoisting of the Egyp-
tian flag, but he maintained that he had
orders from the French government to
occupy Fashoda. On the departure of
the British forces, Gen. Kitchener noti-
fled Major Marchand in writing that all
transportation, of war material on the
Nile was absolutely prohibited.
The Sirdar's dispatch concludes as fol-
lows: THE chief Shillooks came to our
concluded any treaty with Marchand.
while all the Shillooks declared their
allegiance to the British government.
Moreover, Marchand was in such a pre-
carious position that nothing could have
prevented his humiliation by the Der
wishes had we been a fortnight later in
crushing the Khalifa."
Other dispatches indicate that NJ Del
casse declined Great Britain's request for
the immediate recall of Maj Marchand
and that Great Britain agreed to dispatch
a message for the French government TO
Marchand as a matter of courtesy with
out accepting any responsibility for the
results the delay might entail, and still
maintaining that the matter admitted of
no compromise
In the final dispatch appearing in the
Blue Book, Lord Salisbury under date
OF Oct. 3, instructs Sir Edmund Munson
to inform NJ DelcaSse that the latter's
message to Maj Marchand has been sent,
but that Great Britain views the Mar
cnand mission as having no political sig
nificance whatever