The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-31
RUPTURE WITH THE VATICAN COMPLETE France Has Not Yet Sent
 Answer to Note DOES NOT CAUSE SURPRISE Was Generally Foreseen That Premier combes Was Determined to Bring
 1t About In Spite of
 Opposition.
DOES NOT CAUSE SURPRISE

l Paris, July 30-Although no official an- nouncement has yet been made, it can be positively affirmed that the rupture between Franco and the vatican is com plete.
 The holy sees lengthy reply to the French note. though most courteously worded, merely amounts to polite state ment that the pope does not intend to infringe the stipulations of the concordat and will not withdraw the letters recall ing the bishops of Dion and Laval to Rome.
 Diplomatic courtesy forbids the pubica- ton of the French answer until the pope l is notified, but Foreign Minister Delcasse last night sent M De Courie. the French charge d'affares at the vatican, two notes, one for the papal secretary of state ] announcing the rupture, and the second a 1 personal note instructing the charge d'af- faires and the others of the staff of the embassy to return to Paris Immediately after his mission is accomplished which probably will be this morning.
 Nuncio to Leave France. When M De Couriers advices reach Foreign Minister Delcasse. the latter will immediately request the papal nuncio 1 here to leave France. It is not expected i that the rupture will have any immediate consequences beyond the mutual with drawal of the representatives of France and of the vatican and the suppression of the embassy and nunciature, as the denunciation of the concordat requires parliamentary sanction. Consequently fresh developments ere improbable until the appointment of the new bishops comes up.
 Well informed persons do not believe that the vatican will retaliate by with drawing Frances protectorate. for the eastern Catholics
 Did Not Cause Surprise.
 The rupture of relations between France and the vatican does not cause surprise
 It has been generally foreseen that Pre- mier Combes was determined 10 bring it about despite the opposition which doubt 1 less he met from certain members of the cabinet. The impression prevails that the government will be satisfied with having given the vatican lesson that 1t will ] not seek to repeal the concordat when l parliament reassembles. The fact that the ! vaticans reply to the French note was 1 drawn up in Italian, which Is the official language neither of the church nor of | France. causes some irritation.
 The note severing the relations between France and the vatican was couched in the following terms:
 After having received and pointed out l the serious blows struck at the govern ments rights under the concordat by the | yatican's dealing directly with the French l. ltlf ffef4 power with which the concordat was l signed, and seeing that the pontiflcal sec retary of state in his reply of July g af- hrmed those proceedings. the republican government has decided to conclude of- ficial relations, which at the Holy Sees fdesre has become objectable."
 Papal Secretary of State Merry del Val. said that the replies would be tele- | graphed and that an order to leave Paris | would he teegraphed to Monsignor Loren zelll The nuncio left Paris tonight on his way to Rome.