El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-09-20
Rivals on the Nile.
Buffalo Express.

Buffalo Express.
The occupation of Fashoda by the
French is the most serious incident
that has occurred since the partition of
the interior of Africa begun. Fashoda
is on the White Nile, about 400 miles
ment, then, when the English, by their
defeat of the Devlshes and understand
ing with Germany, had seemingly
opened to themselves a clear road from
the Mediterranean to the Cape of Good
Hope, they suddenly find that France
has planted herself squarely in their
path, and with the undisguised purpose
of preventing the accomplishment of
English ambition.
a more Irritating movement hardly
could have been devised by the French
men. The London Spectator bluntly
says. "They must be bundled out of
Fashoda without further ceremony,
and France must decide whether she
cares to fight the matter out in the
Channel"
Unjust be especially vexstious to the
English to find themselves thus fore
stalled on the Nile by the French when
they consider the roundabout course
the Frenchmen have had to take to
reach this goal. While England has
been delaying to organize q native ar
y
Nile, the French have actually crossed
the continent from the west coast. 1t
has not been a mere march through
the country, like that OF Stanley from
Zanzibar to the mouth of the Congo,
but q steady advance from post to post
through series of years. The glory
of Kitchener's achievement is sudden
ly dimmed by the fact that the slow
and sure policy for which he has been
hi " sad ha h
just the time they needed to interfere
with the accomplishment of one of the
chief objects of the Kitchener expedi-
ton.
But, as the London Spectator says,
the French cannot be allowed to stay
at Fashoda. Slatin Pasha points out
that the control of the sources of the
Nile. or, at least, its freedom from con-
troll by any other civilized power, is es-
sential to the very existence of Egypt.
Any interference with the water supply
in the Upper Nile region might easily
turn all Egypt into desert.
aud the French would interfere with
the Nile flow, not, perhaps, in wauton-
uess, but as q means of developing their
own possessions by irrigation. Egypt
cannot afford to rely on q treaty with
foreign power for its water supply.
And if Egypt is to remain virtually an
English province, it devolves upon
Englsnd to hold the sources of the
Nile.
Moreover, Fashods is recognized
Egyptian territory. 1t is well within
the district with Egypt administered
previous to the rise of the Mahdi The
fact that Egypt was tenn o-ari'y driven
out by the barbsriauS does not invalid
ate the Egyptian title. Neither Egypt
nor any other power ever recognized
the Dervish empire as an independent
nation. Theoretically, it has been
these last fourteen years merely
"A rebellious part of the Egyptian ma
tion. The French probably will argue
however, that while they might re-
cognize the claims of Egypt, they will
not acknowledge that England has any.
In other words, the French will try to
use their occupation of Fsshoda as a
club with which to force England out
Of Egypt, That most likely has been
their main purpose in pushing on to
the Nile.
From a military viewpoint the posi-
tion of the French is an impossible one.
They can forward reinforcements and
only by the long and difficult
caravan route across the continent
from the west coast. 1t would be like
trying to hold a point on the Missis- |
5ippi river from base on the Pacific |
coast before the days of railroads. The |
English, on the other hand |
have in the Nile and the rail
roads they have built quick |
and natural means of entering the
Nile valley, and they have an army
now in the country which would be ir- |
resistable by any French force that |
could possibly be thrown into Africa. |
But II the quarrel came to blows, its |
extent would be worldwide. Rus |
,is would be involved il there is any
Iorce in the dual alliance. 1t is a |
significant incident, too, that this |
really alarming war cloud has appeared |
Just at the time when the Dreyfus |
scandals have given the French mill |
AIRY authorities great need for a war. |