The Portland daily press., 1898-10-10
FASHODA DIFFICULTY.
Correspondence Between England
and France.
GENERAL KITCHENER'S EXPEDI-
TION UP BLUE NILE.

Arrived in Time to Prevent Second Attack
on acknowledgements OF War
Material Up Nile Forbidden.
London, October 9.-The foreign Office
has issued Fashoda blue book, giving
the correspondence between the French
and British governments. 1t begins
with despatch dated December 10. 1897,
from Sir Edmund Munson, British am
bassador at Paris to Lord Salisbury,
referring to rumors Of the massacre Of
the Marchand expedition and expressing
the ambassadors satisfaction that he
has been allowed to acquaint NJ. Hano-
taux. (French foreign minister of that
time, with Lord Salisburys views that
if other questions re adjusted Great Bri-
tain will make no difficulty regarding the
French claim ON the Northern and Eas-
tern shores Of Lake Tchad. The despatch
shows, however. that the ambassador
made it clear that this concession must
not be understood as admitting the right
of any European power except Great
Britain to occupy any part of theNile val
ley.
M. Hanotaux replisd on December "a,
in long despatch of respectful protest
against Lord Salisbury's views. On
August of this year, Lord Salisbury
wrote Lord Cromer, British diplomatic
agent at Cairo, giving him instructions
that, after the capture of Khartoum. two
fotillas should ascend to Fashoda and
go up the Blue Nile as far as it should
prove navigable for steamers. Under
these instructions, the Sirdar was person
ally to command the Fashoda f1otilla and
to take few troops if he should con-
slider it desirable, the object being to as
sert Great Britain's sphere of influence
in the Nile valley. On September Z. Sir
Edmund Munson reported to Lord Sails
bury a conversation. in which NJ. Del
Casse, French foreign minister, stated
that Marchand had no authorityato de-
eide on questions of right and had been
instructed to abstain from any action
likely to lead to local conflict. M. Del
Case further expressed conviction that
the matter was susceptible of arrange
ments by means of discussion. 10 this
Lord Salisbury replied on September
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-
tention admitted of no discussion.
Then followed various dispatches re-
cording the discussions between Sir Ed
mund Munson and M. Del Case, the
latter explaining that Marchand was
now virtually lieutenant to the L1ctard
expedition and therefore the situation
at Fashoda, even if Marchand were there.
could not be dangerous, as Sir Edmund
had represented.
On September 9, still following the
blue book, the Sirdar reported the results
of his expedition. to Fashoda, fully con-
firming the announcements already
cabled the Associated Press, including
the fact.that General Kitchener arrival
there prevented second attack on Mar
chand. The French officer informed the
which he had sent to France for ratifica
tton, whereby the Shillook chiefs had
placed the country under French protec-
tion. Marchand replied in the negative
to Gen. Kitchener's question whether he
was prepared to resist the hoisting of the
Egyptian flag, but he maintained that he
had orders from the French government
to occupy Fashoda. On the departure
of the British forces, Gen. Kitchener
notified Major Marchand in writing that
all transportation of war material on
the Nile was absolutely prohibited.
The Sirdar's despatch concludes as fol-
lows:
"The chief Shillooks came to our camp
and positively denied thatlthey had con-
cluded any treaty with Marchand, while
all the Shillooks declared their allegiance
to the British government. Moreover,
Marchand was such precarious position
that nothing could have prevented his
annihilation. by the dervishes had we
been fortnight later in crushing. the
Khalifa."
Other dispatches indicate thatiM. Del
Casse declined Great Britain'sj request
for the immediate recall of Major Mar
chand and that Great Britain agreed to
despatch message for the French gov
ernment to Marchand as matter of cour'
tesy, without accepting any responsibility
| for the results delay might entail and still
maintaining that the matter admitted
of no compromise.
In the final despatch appeariDgsin the
blue book, Lord Salisbury under date o1
October 8 instructs Sir Edmund Monsor
to inform NJ. Del Case that the latter's
message to Major Marchand has been sent,
but Great Britain views the Marchand
| mission as having no political signif.
canoe whatever.
| TWO SOLDIERS SHOT.
New York, Octobsr 9.-Thomas Green
wald. private in Battery I, 7th artillery,
|