The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-30

blue book the correspondence with France
In regard to the occuration OF the Nile
country. II demonstrates clearly that the
present crisis has been coming on for Il
year. and no amount CT diplomatic corrL-
sDondenco has been able TO divert 1t. The
publication of the blue book has made it
practically impossible for Great Britain
to recede from its position.
~
This is the situation as it stands today.
Englishmen expect confidently expect that
France will yield. This is the opinion
given in the British newspapers. including
not only weeklies such as the Spectator
ard the Saturday Review. but daiiies like
the Times and Telegraph. The British are
convinced that France will not risk a figat
with them They find some ground for
that belief in lie Matin. which week ago
declared ut is improbable That we shall
risk war for the e'.ke of territories which
Egypt. who has had them within her grasp.
was never able to retain" lie Matln how
ever. is in the minority. It seems to rep
resent French sentiment no more ahan the
New York Evening Post did that OF Amer
ica when the Maine was blown up. The
French press Is almost UNANIMOUS IN d.
claIinC that Marchand will not Dc suffered
TO withdraw The French ministry is
enough ont OF favor now without running
corrter to public opinion in this matter.
Such things have been known in France
as the PRECIPITATION Of war BY a ministry
as the best means CT retaining power.
war diverts attention from internal ar
fairs. and France needs such diversion
British statesmen. and the people. too,
are confident that France would not 'iSk
war. 1t is true that the Alsace Lorraine
affair complicates matters. Hatred of G r
many is the domi rating passion of the
French, and 1T was this that ] 20 a
A.
proposal fer universal disarmament. II
lrance thought hat Germany would take
a hand in the matter the iTupetuousity
Of the young Frenchmon might be re-
strained. But. whih, France may want to
fight Germany, there Is nothing to show
that GERMANY wants to fight France. Yet
there Is no telling what the young German
emperor is liable to co.
~
AS for the French being afraid OF the
English those who believe tina. have al
absolute lack OF knowledge OF French char
acter. That Englishmen have that ignor-
arce is, OF course. well known. Few
Engishmen are able to appreciate the
Freneh. Vanity is French raft OF uni
veisai knowledge. 'and the French are con-
ffaent chat they eau whip anybody There
have been frequent conflicts Between tle
studied history should know that these
have not been always favorable TO the
British. 1t is esnty- thrA Yeas since he
two nations have been at war, and this
marks taie longest period of time since ,ha
Eleventh century that "a. elapsed Wi hout
war except when one nat-tn was eNhaI5.-
ed. Engishmen have not always won t1ese
wars. Marlborough and Wslling,ou were
successful but there have Dean sod
many defeated British geaog ais In tle
Thirteenth century the hing OF I'm glaad
was master OF greater part OF the terri
tory now know as France than was o
king of France. Untii 1901 the kings OF
Great Britain also claimed to be kings OF
France. The French slowly won adj Of this
territory although Il lost Canada and New
foundland. England has produced a Wei
lington, but France produced Napoleon
Wellington had all EuTDre at his pa TX;
Napoleon had only the French--an1 Wei
ling.on did not have such an easy time OF
st.
The two nations are not unevenly match
ed. France has the stronger army; Eng
land has the stronger navy. THE army OF
France is today among the most magnifi-
cent the world has ever known" said
Black and White the English weekly, emily
a month ago And agan tina same paper
said: "The nation thas z de-rates her IN
time OF war will as certainly rue L, for
whenever her strength has had occasion 20
60 forth no hing appeared ,hat might tend
TO show hor shadow weaker than hsr
fellow pvers,' These observations were
not made eprcFos o. the possibility OF war
10 seen the two nations.
On pesce footing. The army Of France
is more chan tw.te as great az thai OF
Great Britain- On a war footing, Franco
would have seven and a half lines as
many soldiers. This table gives the com
paraiive figures. from the latest official
reports on file at the Unibed States war
department:
ACTIVE ARMY AND RESERVE.
Classes- France. CT. Britain
bfflcers 22,9so 4.s1s
men @ .2.o2o. 400 si5.2sl
Nou.sonbsssat, ST.. , ;s.ssS 1 ,,sSs