The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-09
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 1900.
UNDER WHICH KING BEzoNIAN ?

M de Blowit2, who has long peen Inc
Paris correspondent of the Tendon Times.
is a person of very considerable impor-
lance IIe is kncwn all over Europe. and
me is respected for his character. intelll-
gence and general position. His utter
ances upon European politics in the Lon
don Times are to he attended TO, there
fore. because he has unusual facilities LOT
ascertaining what is going on, and he IS
in no degree a Sensauonallst. In
recent communication TO The LONDON
Times he quotes an cx-minister of France
US follows, upon the question of Euro
pean interference with England while she
is embarrassed by ahe struggle in South
.crn Africa:
PouIs,arers are now going on between
al least three of the Continental powers
to force her to enter into negotiations
Tor the settlement of the questions st1d
pending by taking advantage OF her pres
EN- 4e,nbarrassments. Ii you tell me that
this is neither generous nor chivalrous. l
would remind you that during the war OF
1870 Italy took advantage of :he defeats
Of France % enter Rome, and that Russia
at the same time benefited by the same
situation to release herself from the most
uupalataole restrictions of the treaty of
paris. Now we-for / speak only Of
France--h;ve not been more sentimental
than Italy or Russia, and. finding our
selves facing a nation which cannot heap
complications on complications, we shall
strive for a future accord by asking OF
ENGLAND the solution Of the Irritating
questions which have SO long divided us.
we ask. and shall ask, in spite of the
renewal Of the 1nodus viyendi, Tor the
definite solution of the Newfoundland
question, so as TO get rid of a lonS-stand-
ing difficulty. We shall next ask Tor the
definite settlement OF Madagascar. There
we mean to DE much our own masters
..s al home. The island must belong 10
us, free from any foreign intervention.
We ASK for freedom I0 agree. without be-
ing hampered by any third party, with
the Sultan OF Morocco, SO that. while pro-
tecting ii against outsiders, Morocco may
be an auxiliary, and not an obstacle, In
our civilizinE efforts.
We also wish the neutrality OF the
Mena,n Valley not TO he cause OF con-
slant troubles and not to be an obStac.e
whenever it seems necessary TO make the
weight of our arms felt by The Slamcse.
lastly, the Egyptian question must be
l,roached and solved. and this we are GER
tain We shall do with the cooperation of
Europe. England snay have evaued en-
fragments, but she is now unable to do>
so. We do not mean to Supplant her in
Egypt; but we can demand an Egypt en-
tirely independent and have on the Suez
Canal, az along the Nile. a friendly neu-
trai,1y. giving all Europe equal access 10
a territory which should belong to no.
body but herself.
France knows that when Egypt is now
spoken of you speak of the Soudan and
.Abyssinia: but Egypt, as regards admin
istration, finances. judicature and army.
can stand by herself, and as for her eN-
ternal security, when this is under the
guarantee OF all Europe. neither the Ne
gus-nor the dcrvishes will think of molest-5
ing 1t. Such are the demands which Eng
land may expect, for those charged With
drawing them up know that no time is
10 be lost, that the prop.tious moment
for satisfactory settlement must not be
neglected.
] am not IN q position 10 state the de-
mands of Germany and Russia. but i
can state that negotiations are going 'on
for common action, and ] may add that
Germany. far from wishing TO delay
French action. Is rather encouraging and
exciting IL, while Russia is IA: from dis
couraginG II. Neither Austria nor Italy
seems anxious TO be initiated into the
projects of the other powers. but the
agreement once cuncludea-and lids not
the sirst--DetWeen Franco, Germany and
aanss.a. Italy and Austria will be prpnpt-
~ sounded. AS to France, have reason
to believe that NJ. Paul Cambon. the AM
bassador in London. will shortly have
full instructions for entering into a can
vcrsation With Lord Salisbury which ought
speedily to lead to aa application for tits
solution of which ] speak.
tell you all this because! i do not think
mystery can long be made of these
matters, and in such a case 1t is better
for the public 10 DE foTewarned than to
he taken by surprise. thus preventing
both sides from acting cooiiy. M
Lastiy. there is the question Of the New
adebrides. which France contends have
been by mistake allotted TO England. She
regards those islands as essential, TO the
maintenance of her New Caledonia pos
sessions. She contends that their status
has never been exactly defined. aud that
this confusion paralyzes her action This
will. therefore, .oe the sixth chapter la
her urgent demands.
There 10 nothing sensationa. about
.i,he Times. and we have all along re-
Carded something Of this sort as most
prudbsple. and the source from which
$500 :, - n..n ,,ra. Ss.orA inava Il s iffflA5