The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-22
DELCASSE TO RESIGN
INFORMS PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL
 OF HIS INTENTIONS.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs He Mas Been One of the French Cabi- nets Most Prominent and
 Useful Members.

| Paris, April zl.--After notapIe ser l vice of nearly eight years in the direc-
 tion of foreign affairs. Theophile Del casse today informed President of the Council Rouvier of his desire and in- tention to resign.
 This announcement came as a sur prise and shock to M. Delcasse's col leagues of the cabinet, who immediate ly took steps to endeavor to secure a reconsideration of his determination. A cabinet council was held this af- ternon at which M. Rouvier. in the absence of M. Delcasse, laid the situa-
 tion before the ministers. It was the
 unanimous determination of the coun-
 ell that the interest of the country at
 this particular time required that M.
 Delcasse retain the portfolio of for-
 eign affairs. Accordingly, at the con-
 clusion of the council, M. Rouvfer pro-
 ceeded to the Quai d'Orsay, where he
 held an extended conference with the
 Minister of Foreign Affairs. The Pres
 ident of the Council, voicing tho
 wishes of President Loubet and the
 ministers. earnestly besought M. Del
 casse to retain his place in the >abi-
 net.
 It is evident that M Rouvier's earn est appeal caused M. pelcasse to waver in his determination. When the Pres- ident of the Council came from the in- terview he stated to his colleague that he bore a favorable impression of it's results. M. Delcasse he said had given no final answer but had promised to reserve his determination until tomor- row, when a final answer will be given. It Is believed that M. Delcasse will yield to the insistence of President Loubet and the President of the Coun- cil. The motives leading up to M. DeIcasse's sudden determination to re- tire from the Cabinet are primarily at- tributed to internal controversies over the Moroccan question and this to some extent has been accentuated by similar controversies over French neutrality in the Far East. The opposition has been quick to seize upon both questions and headed by Socialists and Nationalists have directed their criticisms against M. Delcasse The Socialistic criticisms have been particularly vehement dur ing recent days on the Moroccan ques- tion and this appears to have finally decided M. Delcasse to surrender the question into other hands. It Is felt that his retirement now would be hailed in Germany as a German triumph and this is one of the main considerations leading M. Rouvier to earnestly appeal to M. Delcasse to remain in the For eigr Office
 The news of NJ. Delcasse's intentions made a profound impression in the Chamber of Deputies, where 1t was first treated with incredulity Later, however, when M Deloncle, Republi- can, questioned the Government upon the neutrality question and M. Rouyier replied instead of M. Delcasse, it was realized that the report had solid foun- dation. Several deputies stated that Nj. Delcasse had sent letter of resig nation to the president of the council this morning, but that M. Rouvier had declined to accept it, saying that he would be obliged to put it to the coun- cil of ministers. It was as a result of this presentation to the council that M. Rouvier persuaded M. Delcasse to withhold his final decision until tomor- row. The announcement concerning M. Delcasse's intention to resign was but one of many incidents in day of much anxiety throughout the Govern ment quarter. Following close upon the heels of the complications with Germany over Morocco, the Franco Japanese incidents suddenly assumed ominous proportions and unusual ener- gy was shown in preventing its em- broiling France in complications in the far east. In order to secure definite cooperation between three jepartI ments of the Government, namely, na- val, colonial and foreign, a conference was held this afternoon between lead ing representatives of each depart ment. This brought about g. clear un- derstanding regarding the measures necessary for the maintenance of neutrality of Indo-Chinese waters and orders were sent to the Governor Gen. eral, Beau, to specifically report the exact location of the Russian Pacific squadron and whether or not it had from French waters. Com with St. Petersburg led to orders being transmitted by the Rus sian government to Vice-Admiral to vigorously respect the of French waters.
 Probably the most significant de- velopment from the energetic measures adopted was the receipt of a dispatch from Saigon saying that imperative orders ha dbeen given for the disarma- ment of the Russian cruiser Diana which sought refuge in the harbor of Saigon eight months ago for the pur- pose of repairing. The main portion of the Diana's machinery must now be handed over to the French naval au- thorities at Saigon.
 The anticipated debate in the Cham Der of Deputies over the question of was postponed owing to the Delcasse announcement. The only reference to the subject was the in- quiry by Deputy Deloncle and the brief reply from Premier Rouvier who said:
 Formal, precise and repeated orders have been given our agents in Indo- China to assure the absolute neutrality of France in Indo-Chinese waters"
 It was stated at the Foreign Office late this afternoon that no representa- tions of any kind had been presented by Great Britain concerning neutral ity At the same time 1t Is anticipat d that some such representations will be made. The fact that the British Am bassador has given up his Easter hol- iday and will return to Paris tonight after a conference with Foreign Seccs- tary Lansdowne. appears to support this view. However. the cordial rela-