The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-10-24
No Extraordinary Measures Taken at
French Ports.
Foreign Minister Del Case Claims
That the Marchand Expedition
Started to Relieve Captain Lico-
lard Long Before Sir Edward
Gray Proclaimed Eng1and's
Policy Toward the Soudan, and
France Had Equal Rights.

PARIS, Oct. pa semi official note
issued this evening says: There is no
foundation for the alarmiSt rumors re-
garding the relations between france
and Great Britain. 1t is very incor-
rect to say that extraordinary meas
ures have been taking place at any of
cur naval ports.
The Fashoda yellow book is very VOL
luminous, but it does not include Major
Marchand's report, which will be pub
lished later. The dispatches were
largely anticipated by the English
Fashoda blue book.
The diplomatic conversations re-
ceived show a curious endeavor on the
French side to represent that Mar
chand's mission was quite as important
as General Kitchener's, on the ground
that the struggle was against the Khal-
ifa and barbarism.
On September 18th M. Del Case, the
Foreign Minister, informed the British
ambassador to France, Sir Edmund
Monson, in explicit language that
France did not regard Lord Salisburys
claim to the Soudan by virtue of con-
quest as applying to Fashoda, on the
ground that the Marchand expedition
dition under Captain Licolard, which
dated from a period long before the
declaration in the House of Commons
by Sir Edward Gray, Under Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs in Lord
Rosebery's Cabinet as to the policy
of the British Government toward the
Soudan and at a time when the equa-
torial provinces We're lost to civiliza-
ton.
In fact M. Del Case argued unless
Great Britain possessed the Sultan s
mandate as well as the Khedive's, to
acquire all former Egyptian provinces,
France considered herself equally en-
titled with England to possession of
any point occupied by French officers.
Judging from the yellow book dis
patches, the foregoing represents the
French standpoint and NJ. Del Case
contends that as Marchand reached
Fashoda first, England had no right to
demand an evacuation of Fashoda prior
to negotiations.
On September Both NJ Del Case de-
clared to Sir Edmund Monsoon that
such a demand would be equivalent to
an ultimatum and would aIord a sacri-
flee of Frances material interests 50
long as her honor was intact; ior the
sake of the Anglo French entente no
one could doubt what would be the re-
ply of France to such a demand
The subsequent dispatches appearing
in the yellow book relate to conversa-
tons between Baron de Courcel
French ambassador in kondon and
Lord Salisbury, the latter contending
that the capture of Khartoum entitled
Egypt to possession of all the Mahdis S.
arguing that Major Marchand had cap
tured Fashoda before General Kitchen
er took Khartoum and that France had
for a long time held several posts on
the Bahr-
Lord Salisbury retorted that the
French forces in the regions referred
to were too weak to constitute effective
occupation.
Baron de Courcel, having represented
that it would be impossible for Mar
chand to retire until it was settled
where he should go and how the evac-
uation was to be effected, Lord Sails
bury after rejecting very seriously
said he was not sufficiently acquainted
with the geography of Africa to reply
for the present regarding delimitation
and that moreover he could not enter
into projects of that nature without
consulting his colleagues.
Baron de Courcel concludes the dis
patch of October 10Th by saying: II
quilted him on these explanations which
were pronounced in a conciliatory and
friendly tone"