The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1898-10-28
'TICKINGS OF me TELEGRAPH
News of the Day as Told Over the
Slender Wires.
DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN NEWS

War Cloud Darkens Because of the DIFF
ferences Between France and Great
Britain Over the Fashoda Matter
Both are Preparing for Trouble.
Never since Great Britain and France
began to dispute over Egypt, years
ago, nor during the most acute stage
of the numerous Niger differences be-
tween those two countries has the sit
uation looked so ominous as it now
does over the Fashoda incident. 1t is
fact that the French naval and mill
tary authorities are making feverish
preparations for war, and significant
orders have been issued from the Brit
ish admiralty, indicating the belief
that Great Britain and France are on
the brink of war. The French naval
preparations were at first declared to
be mere routine arrangements, but
they are now admittedly directed
against Great Britain. The French
1 doclyards and arsenals are working
at full pressure, hurriedly preparing
warships and torpedo boats for active
service. At Cherburg and Toulon
the schools have been closed to
ings to be used as barracks for
troops and marines ordered TO those
points. On the British side, feeling
of absolute self-confidence is displayed.
Everything ready" is the burden of
all the statements from naval quar-
ters. In fact the British navy has
practically been on a war footing for
year past, and an authoritative an
nouncement to this effect has come
from the secretary of the admiralty.
The British admiralty list shows that
nine British battleships and IL fast
cruisers are lying in the Mediterra-
mean, while the British channel squad
ron, which was last reported off VIII
largarcia, Spain, consisting Of eight
battleships and five cruisers, consti-
tutes the most modern and powerful
homogeneous fleet of warships afloat.
The commanders of all warships of the
British North American squadron have
received orders to mobilize at Halifax.
1t is understood that the British gov
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necessary TO insist upon an early and
definite statement from France.
kilograms from Balmoral intimate
that Queen Victoria is following the
trend of events VITA much chagrin.
Her aversion to war in the declining
years of her reign is well-known and is
an appreciable factor in the situation.
The French yellow book on Fashoda
seems to indicate an intention on the
part of the French government TO util-
ize the Marchand affair as means of
raising the whole Egyptian question.
1t sets forth that France does not re-
gard the British claim TO the Soudan
by virtue of conquest as applying to
Fashoda. The Marchand expedition
pushed forward at time when the
equatorial provinces were lost to civil
ization and France considered herself
equally entitled with England to the
possession of any point occupied by
French officers. AS Marchand reached
Fashoda first, England has no right to
demand an evacuation of Fashoda prior
to negotiations, and that such a de-
mana would DC equivalent 10 an ulJl-
matum, and no one could doubt
what would be the reply of France.
The London press admits the gravity
of the situation revealed by the yellow
book, but the papers are unanimous in
declaring that it is impossible for Lord
Salisbury to consent to any negotia-
tions until Fashoda is evacuated. NJ.
Delcasse with equal firmncss declines
to withdraw Marchand without previ-
Gus negotiations, the situation has an
ominous look. However, Baron dc
Courcel, the French ambassador at
London, and Lord Salisbury held a
conversation in which the former prac-
tically stated that France would relin-
quish Fashoda if she were granted a
Nile outlet on the River Bahr-el- Gazal,
one of the tributaries of the Nile, en-
tering it about $50 miles southwest of
Fashoda at Mokrem-el- Bohur. In re-
ply Lord Salisbury said it would be
necessary that he consult his colleagues
and some claim TO see in this posi-
bility of compromise.