Evening journal., 1898-10-24
TIE FRENCH CASE.
Government Issues a Fashoda
Yellow Book.
MARCHAyD'S REPORT not INCLUDED.
Deicnsse Claims That ainrchnnd's
Occupation Preciudes English
Clnims-I,nrnn de CourceIs In
tcrview with Lord salisbury.

tcrview with Lord salisbury.
PARIS. oct PA semlonicial note
issued last evening says:
There Is no foundation for the
alarmist rumors regarding the relations
between France and Great Britain. II
is equally incorrect 70 say that extraor-
dinary measures have been taken at
any Of our naval ports"
The Fashoda yellow book is volumi-
nous. but It does not include Major
Marchands report, which will be pub
llshed later. The dispatches were
largely anticipated by the English Fa-
shoda blue book.
The diplomatic conversations record
ed show curious endeavor on the
French side to represent that Mar
chand's mission was quite as Important
as General Kitchener's. on the ground
that the struggle was against the kha-
lifa and barbarism.
on Sept. Is M. Delcasse, the foreign
minister, informed the British embas-
sador TO France, Sir Edmund Monson,
in explicit language that France did
not regard Lord Salisbury's claim to
the Sudan by virtue of conquest as ap-
plying to Fashoda, on the ground that
the Marchand expedition went TO the
relief OF the French expedition under
Captain Lieotard, which dated from q
period long before the declaration In
the house OF commons by Sir Edward
Grey undersecretary of state for for
eign affairs in Lord Rosebery's cabinet,
as TO the policy OF the British govern
when the equatorial provinces were lost
to civilization. In fact, NJ. Delcasse ar
gued. unless Great Britain possessed
the sultan's mandate as well as the
khedive's to acquire all former Egyp-
tian provinces France considered her
self equally entitled with England to
possession OF any point occupied by
French officers
Judging from the yellow book dis
patches, the foregoing represents the
French standpoint, and M. Decasse
contends that as Marchand reached Fa-
shoda first England has no right TO de-
mand an evacuation of Fashoda prior
20 negotiations.
on Sept. 30 NJ Delcasse declared to
Sir Edmund Monson that such a de-
mand would be equivalent to an ulti-
matum, and while he could afford to
sacrifice Frances material interests so
long as her honor was intact for the
sake of the Anglo-French entente, no
one could doubt what would be the
reply OF France TO such n demand.
The subsequent dispatches appearing
In the yellow book relate 70 conversa-
tions between Baron de Courcel, French
ambassador in London, and Lord Sails
bury, the latter contending that the
capture OF Khartum entitled Egypt to
possession OF all the Mahdfs dominions
and the French ambassador arguing
that Major Marchand had captured Fa-
shoda before General Kitchener took
Khartum and that France had for a
long time held several posts IN the
Bahr-el-Gazal
Lord Salisbury retorted that the
French forces In the regions referred to
were too weak to constitute an effective
occupation.
Baron de Courcel having represented
that It would be impossible for Major
Marchand to retire until 1t was settled
where he should go and how the evacu-
alton was to be effected Lord Sails
bury. after rejecting very seriously,
said he was not sufficiently acquainted
with the geography of Africa to reply
for the present regarding dellmitation.
and, moreover that he could not enter
into projects of that nature without
consulting with his colleagues.
Baron de Courcel concludes the dis
patch OF oct II by saying;
Il quilted him on these explanations.
which were pronounced in a conclliato-
ry and friendly tone"
A final dispatch, dated oct 70, from
Baron de Courcel to M. Delcasse, re-
cords a conversation with Lord Sails
bury, in which the French ambassador
claimed access TO the Nile through the
Bahr-el-Gazal and asked an amicable
delimitation of the respective spheres
OF interest of the two powers, in reply
to which Lord Salisbury indicated that
It would be necessary for him to con-
suit his colleagues.