Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-11-03

London, Oct. 30.-The arrival Of Ma
jor Marchand at Khartoum on his
way 10 Cairo with the portion of his
report which was not finished when
Captain Baratier left Fashoda, is re-
garded as a rift in the clouds over
hanging AnglO-French relations, for,
in spite OF the semi-ofhcial denial is
sued il Paris that orders were sent to
the major to go to Cairo, it is fully be-
leVed here that the French officer
would not be on his way to Cairo I'M
less he had received a hint to that eff
feet from the French government, who
consider his leaving Fashoda will take
the sting out until time to prepare for
the eventual withdrawal Of the whole
expedition, which now consists of
seven officers and 120 men. In the
voluntary return of Major Marchand.
the French minister of foreign affairs
M. DelcasSe, and the government of
France have gotten over a great diff
iculty from a diplomatic amour propre
point of view. Delcasse had declared
that the French government could
not do the impossible, that is to
say, recall Major Marchand. There
fore, the latters return has enabled
the French government to save its
face" as lie saying goes. 1t is recog-
nized, however, that even if the tri-
color of France is hauled down at
Fashoda the main subject of dispute
remains and may cause anxious mo-
ments in those countries before it is
settled. The French ministerial crisis
at first increased the feeling of anxiety
which prevailed as to the prospects of
a peaceful solution; but in the list of
probable ministers, the British news
papers see body Of experienced,
capable men who are to lead the
French opinions. The retention of
Delcasse at the head of the ministry
of foreign affairs, however, is not re-
garded faVorably, as he was the father
of the so-called Marchand adventure.
An instructive account of the origin
Of the whole enterprise appeared in
the Paris LIE Journal, which says that
Marquis de Mores, the AnglOphObe
French explorer who was assassinated
in Algeria, really conceived the grand
lose plans which he submitted to Del
casse, who fell in with his views, and
dispatched Marchand to the upper
Nile, while DemOres started for Sahara
with the avowed hope to conquer, with
the cooperation of Marchand, the
province of El-Ghazal. The plan
of campaign included the organization
of all the armed peoples opposed to
Great Britain, including even the CO.
operation of the khalifa, whose forces,
led by Frenchmen, would attack the
British and khalifa, backed by the
French explorers, was thus to inter
pose a buffer between Egypt and CEN
trail Africa, thereby thWarting the
British aims. Demores and his party
were massacred at the outset Of their
journey, but Marchand succeeded in
carrying out his part of the plan, and
there is reason to believe that the
French government now wishes he had
not done so.
The French newspapers seem to
have little faith in Russia helping her
ally in the present crisis, while Rus
sian dispatches to British papers af
firm positively that the car is decid
eddy opposed to war and has counseled
the French government to abandon its
untenable attitude. It is even said
that the car has characterized the
French attitude as reckless. In the
meanwhile military and naval prep
arations continue on both sides Of the
channel. There was talk at Devon
port Saturday of a flying squadron be-
ing commissioned. But the re-assur-
ing feature of it is the departure IF
Sir William Henry White, director OF
naval construction of the British navy,
on two months visit to Egypt. No
extreme measures, therefore, are ex-
pected by the admiralty at the present
moment at all events.