The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-13
Former Prime Minister Speaks On
the British Policy.
ASSUMES A BOLD STAND
WARNS FRANCE THAT THERE
CAN BE NO COMPROMISE.
Great Britain Ready to Maintain Her
Rights and Defend Her Flag at
Any Cost-Major Marchand's Re
port Expected to Reach Paris
Soon.

London, Oct 12.-Lord Rosebery
the Liberal leader and former prime
minister. presiding at an agriculture
dinner at Epson, referred to the criti
cal situation on the upper Nile He
said:
AS l was RESPONSIBLE, both person.
ally and ministerially, for the declara,
ton of Sir Edward Grey, on which the
present bolicy in regard to Fashoda is
founded, and as l have no disposition tC
recede from my word or a syllable OF
my declaration Cloud cheers), 1 fee
bound 10 say a few guarded, and,
nope, inoffenSive words on a subject sc
vital to our interests.
There are two or three considera-
lions IN connection with the question
which make it of supreme gravity, the
greatest being that, in the face of a
deliberate war, a particular act would
be considered an unfriendly act, that
act, in spite of great geographical diff
hcultieS, great hardShipS and almost
ins urmountable obstacles, has been de-
Eberately committed.
Behind the policy of the government
In this matter there is the untiring and
united strength of the nation. No gov
eminent that attempted to recede from
1t or Dalter Herewith, would last q
have only to maintain the attitude re-
vealed in the blue book. and the ma
ton Will make any sacrifice and go to
any length to sustain their action.
On the other side of the channel,
the question of the flag is an element of
great gravity. We all honor that flag,
and would not wish it the slightest
disresDect. But, after all, flag is
portable, and L have some hope that the
ic hn flo of
France, but of an individual explorer,
and not. therefore, carrying the full
weight of the republic behind it.
Among the reaSsuring features is the
fact that NJ. Del Case Che present
minister of foreign affairs) has received
the representatives of Great Britain in
conciliatory spirit. By denying the
existence of a Marchand mission, he
has deprived Major Marchand of the
official character which would give the
hosting of the flag a much more seri-
Gus aspect"
After mentioning the untenability Of
Major Marchands isolated position
Lord Rosebery said:
These considerations lead me to
hope that the incident will be 9acif-
cally settled in a conciliatory manner,
but France must understand that there
can be no compromise of the rights of
Egypt"
Referring, in conclusion, to the gen
eral disposition in recent years to treat
Great Britain as negligible quantity,
and to infringe upon ner rights in var
ious parts of the world his lordship
said:
THE present government has shown
no want of conciliation-somet think too
much. If the nations of the world are
under the impression that the ancient
spirit Of Great Britain is dead, that
her resources are weakened, and that
her population is less determined than
ever 70 maintain her rights and the
honor of the flag, they make a mistake
that can only end in disastrous confia-
grafton. The strength of British min
istries does not lie in the votes they
can command in parliament. but in the
intense spirit of a united nation. Let
other nations remember hat cordiality
between nations can only rest uDon
mutual respect for one another's rights.
Both Africa and Asia have recently
furnished strange object lessons IN in
ternationai law and international prae-
tice. If that mutual respect be not cul-
tivated we shall ultimately relapse into
q state OF things most perilous to peace
and the welfare of humanity
The speech was punctuated with loud
cheers.