The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-11-03
A NEW yAR-CLOUD.
seems incredible that France a

A NEW WAR-CLOUD.
seems incredible that France and
Great Britain should go to war again,
for any cause, but particularly over a
question of the occupation of a few
thousand miles of African territory of
uncertain value. But there is terri
bic amount of ar-feeling in both coun-
tries, the British navy has been put On
a warfooting, and the situation seems so
tense that comparatively triAing event
may precipitate hostilities.
What is given of the French side OF
the case makesiTit still more surprising
that France should even threaten war.
1t appears thatgshe has always hungered
for an extension off her territory from
the French K9ngo,@1on the Atlantic, to
the headwaters of the Nile, in order to
control the trade of the Sudan, and
also to block the British scheme of ex-
tending their possessions through the
heart Of Africa, from Egypt to the Cape
of Good Hope. As soon, therefore, as
the British began preparations to re-
cover for Egypt the Sudan territories,
which were lost to the Mahdists Is
years ago, France quietly sent Maj.
Marchand, with a smallexploring party,
from the French Kongo, through to
the headwaters of the Nile. That
officer, after incredible hardships and
privations, succeeded in reaching FASH
oda just before Gen. Kitchener over
whelmed and crushed the Mahdists at
Omdurman. The English insist that
Gen. Kitchener's victory was an exceed
ingly fortunate thing for Mai. Mar
chand, because he was reduced to the
last eXtremities, most of his men had
deserted, and if the Mahdsts had not
been given something else to occupy
their attention they would have infal-
libby destroyed him. The British regard
his presence there as a meddling intru-
sion, intended to juggle them out of the
fruits Of their victory. They claim that
Fashoda is legitimately part of the
Egyptian Provinces which were wrested
from the Khediye by the Mahdists, and
consequently it belongs to them by right
of reconquest, the same as the rest of
the Sudan.
On the other hand, the French are
very bitter against Great Britain for her
occupancy of Egypt at all. and each
year that she has retained it ha. in
creased that bitterness. They brush
aside as of no consequence the fact that
by the way of abe Nile the British have
easy access to the5 Fashoda territory,
while the French can only reach it by
travelling the same difficult route that
Maj. Marchana followed. They say
that the British Having no business in
Egypt at all, deserve no consideration
on this score that at most all the
British can claim is what they actually
conquered, ands that Maj. Marchand's
position at Fashoda is as good legally
as Gen. Kitcheperls at Omdurman.
Furthermore, there have been several
French backdewns' before England in
recent years, which are now made the
most of, to embitter the people against
any farther yielding.
1t is more than suggested that Russia
is urging France on to duplicate Eng
land with view Of keeping her from
interfering in China.
Even with Russia's help it is hard to
see how France could hope ANYTHING
from war. The British navy J., more
than match for tie combined nayies
Of Russia and France. This will give
Great Britain undispdted control of the
sea, and prevent the other two countries
from utilizing their vast preponderance
in armies.