The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-06
DANGER NOT PASSED
A
MANY ENGLISHMEN THINK WAR
WITH FRANCE INEVITABLE,
And some Are Disappointed Because
the FashOda Dispute Did Not
Lead to a Clash.
BRITAIN IS WELL PREPARED
AND WORK STILL CONTINUES ON
SHIPS AND AT ARSENAI1s.
Belief Prevalent that SaIisbury's
Speech Was Not So Reassuring as
His Words Implied.


Copyright, 1885, by the Associated Press)
LONDON. Nov. 5.-The Marquis of Sails
bury's declaration on the subject of the
withdrawal of the French mission from
Fashoda made at the Mansion House ban
quet last night in honor of General Lord
Kitchener is not regarded here as being
wholly satisfactory. The entire absence Of
any reference to the extraordinary naval
preparations is considerably commented on
and it is remarked how careful the British
premier was to explain that the evacuation
of Fashoda was only in the nature of oil
on troubled waters and that British diplo-
macy had not yet weathered the storm
which the Marchand mission conjured up.
1t is recognized that the French premier,
NJ. Dupuy, and his colleagues intend to
carry out what they have promised, but
factor which must be reckoned with is the
fact that there are influences at work in
Paris which render the existence of any
Ministry precarious and which might, at
any moment in the event of certain contin-
gencies, provoke a general unheaval. In
such an event the Fashoda business, which
has been more or less carefully kept in the
background, would be rushed to the front
in order to distract attention from other
things. and would be used as a ralIying cry
The English papers point out that the evac-
uation of Fashoda is only an installment of
the satisfaction expected by Great Britain
and that France has yet to swallow the pill
of Withdrawing from the Bahr-el-Ghazal
region Under these circumstances the de-
bate in the French Chamber of Deputies on
Fashoda next week is eagerly awaited, as
the French government is then expected to
explain its intentions regarding the re-
mainder of the French posts in the Nile
valley as established by Major Marchand.
In diplomatic circles a reassuring impress
sion has been made by NJ. Dupuys declara-
ton of yesterday evening that the French
governments policy will be based on we'll
understood interests and that its efforts will
be measured by the value of the objects in
view. This is held to imply that the present
government will show a conciliatory atti-
tude on the remaining points in dispute.
The attitude of the Sultan of Turkey and
the Khedive of Egypt on the Egyptian ques-
ton is being closely watched and it is said
the British Foreign Office has received
proofs of attempts on the part of France
to influence both of them against Great
Britain. The intrigues at Constantinople it
is added, were greatly checked by the pres
ent relations between Great Britain and
Germany, and the British diplomatic agent
in Egypt, Lord Cromer, has taken the
Khedive in hand and is understood to have
put before him a sort of ultimatum which
may have involved his deposition in favor
of his brother, whereupon the Khedive be-
came submissive and indicated, as a token
Of his submission, his willingness to visit
England and pay his respects to Queen
Victoria, duty which he has hitherto
evaded, although ne has paid prolonged
visits to several European capitals.
A majority of the people here have been
convinced tnat war between Great Britain
and France is inevitable, sooner or later,
to-day at the military and other clubs that
the conflict apparently is not to take place
in the near future, as 1t is the general be-
lief that the army and navy are In perfect
state of preparedness. The general feellng
in the country is such as would indorSe any
warlike action upon the part of the govern
ment l many case, work at the arsenals
and dock yards actively and silently con-
tinues, and information on the subject has
been curtailed TO an unprecedented point.
talk. The British Admiralty has suspended
its daily announcements of the movements
of British ships abroad, and naval men eN-
press the opinion that such far-reaching
preparations means something far more
than naval demonstration. The whole re-
serve squadron has assembled at Devon
port, and is now completely fitted out and
ready to sail at a few hours notice. Be
sides this, eight reserve cruisers at Ports
mouth--threa tirSt-claSS cruisers, the Eu-
ropa St. George and Crescent, and hve sec
ond-class cruisers. the Latona, Naiad. Sy-
billie, Mercury and Iris-haVe been ordered
to be commissioned for service with the
emergency squadron.