Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1898-10-21
WAR TALK BEGINS ABROAD
NOW FRANCE AND ENGLAND.
The French Must Evacuate FashOda
or Fight Great Britain-Very Lit
tie Will Precipitate a Conflict In
Europe.

London, Oct. l7.-Last week opened
with an enormous rafting OF sabers over
Fashoda and ended with the rumbhnes
of q revolutionary volcano in Paris Inc
situation arising out of the question be-
tween Great Britain and France as to the
right of occupying Fashoda is extremely
grave. Everything hinges on the nature
of the report of Major Marchand, the
French commander at Fashoda, which Is
on it's way from Khartoum to Paris. Tie
evacuation of Fashoda by the French
must, however, take place if war between
Great Britain and France is TO be avoid
ed, as the Marquis of Salisbury has nail
ed his colors to the mast and can not
recede from the position he has taken up,
and in which he received the unanimous
support of the country.
The Speaker, the organ of the liberal
party, refers plainly this week to the I'M
possibility of relinquishing the British
claims, and points out that if it comes to
war it will not be merely for Fashoda,
but for the maintenance of Great Brit
aims place in the world, plus her un'
doubted rights.
The Speaker adds: IF we abandoned
our claims Englishmen would not only
lost the respect of others, but would lose
their own self-respect, and English states
manship would be dragged in the mlre.
France Is Hedging.
| These emphatic declarations of the
English press and public men have al
ready had a certain influence across the
channel, and the inspired statements OF
the French press belittle the Importance
of Fashoda and shift the ground to an
underlined claim upon the province OF
Bahr- Ell Ghazal and port on the Nile
The mouthpiece of the French foreign
office is preparing France for the aban-
donment of Fashoda by asserting that
Major Marchand overshot his goal and
that instead of ging to Fashoda he ought
to have stopped at the confluence of the
Bahr- Ell Ghazal.
Many British publicists scout the idea
that France will be permitted to install
herself on the Bahr- Ell Ghazal, which i;
described as the paying reef OF The Sou
dan. All the rest of the reconquered ter
ritory as far as Fashoda is comparatively
valueless, being mostly desert ground
which can not be made to pay for many
years to come. But the Bahr- -GhaZa
territory is thickly populated and has
magnificent trade prospects. During thu
governorship of the late General Cor
don, Bahr- Ell Ghazal had immense ex
| oyto 49, haoS1vav Gl-inS atp
while it contained whole forests of arrow
root. Besides, the cotton growth there
surpasses the Egyptian product.
The Chauvenist Paris papers are de
nouncing Great Britain and are doing
their utmost to excite French feeling il
the matter. Other Brench papers arr
making bitter complaints of Russia's in
activity.
GaulOis Looks to Russia.
The Gaulois declares the time has ar
rived for Russia to repay the service
which France lent her in the far east b,
helping France against Great Britain
while the Patrie, after declaring Franc
had been betrayed by the Brisson cabi
net, demands the dispatch of an ambas
sador to King Menelik of Abyssinia, so
the purpose of seeking an alliance witt
his 100000 valiant, faithful warriors, VIII
, will cooperate with us in the event O
hostilities of Fashoda."
The moderate thinking section of tn
French press is earnestly urging a peace
full arrangement of the affair. These pa
pers candidly admit that France is n
match for Great Britain in the event @
war.
There has been great deal of tai
about the possibility of war with Franc
and various preparations on the part G
the British government are reported t
, have been made.
1t is also rumored that war insurance
have been affected at Lloyd's during tn
last few days, but they appear to hay
been more in the character of bets tina