Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-17
MARCHAND ON EASHopA AFFAIR
French Colonel Says Minister Del
cssse ts Not Responsible for
the Incident.


PARIS, July 1s-Cspecial Cablegram to
The Bee)-so many conflicting reports
have been made concerning the Fashoda
anair that Colonel Marchand decided this
week to put an end to all speculation in
the matter by issuing a statement as to
the origin OF the expedition.
1t was on November Is. 1895, that NJ.
Berthelot. minister Of foreign affairs,
signed and approved of his plan for French
Intervention in the Bshrael- Chazal and on
the Nile. The scheme, however, lay dor
mant until the following spring, when the
Soudan expedition was announced by Eng
land. The attitude of the French govern
ment changed Immediately. M. Gueyesse,
the minister of the colonies, implored the
writer to start as soon as possible, and
IL he had obeyed he would have left within
forty-eight nours completely unprepared
for journey of over 1O,OOO kilometres Of
country. NJ Berthelot, who had so far
forgotten himself as to tell Lord Salisbury
that he declined all responsibility for the
consequences to which the Soudan expedi-
ton might lead. quilted the Quai dOrsay
a few days after he had used such pecu-
lar language and as NJ. Leon Bourgeois,
the president OF the Council, could not
find anyone to succeed him, he took his
place. About the first thing NJ. Bourgeois
did was to send for Colonel Marchand.
preparations for whose journey we're then
hurried on. This was in March, 1896 and
few weeks later the Bourgeois ministry
fell and was replaced by the Meline Cabi-
net, with NJ Hanotsux at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs NJ. Andre Leon, the new
minister of the colonies. was not as gem
erous in the matter OF resources as M.
6o. Al.
was again enjoined to start as soon as he
could
The first convoy sailed from Bordeaux
on April 25. the others being transported
in steamers that followed. Colonel Mar
chanc himself left Marseiles on June %,
1896, at which date the troops which we're
to accompany him across Africa for the
occupation of Fashoda, If they arrived
there before the British army, were COM
pleting their movement on Timbuctoo, on
Dakir and on Librevile, in the French
Congo The writer says that his officers
and his own companions in the expedi-
ton were not aware of the destination
until eighteen months afterwards. when
they were in the very heart Of central
Africa. 1t has often been affirmed that
NJ. Delcasse had something to do with the
organization of the Fashoda expedition.
Colonel Marchand, however, terminates his
explanation with the following emphatic
words which close this discussion:
IN. Delcasse, whom hardly knew, and
who from February, 1895, to July, 1898, had
no share in the governmeit-the very re-
verse, indeed, was the case-had nothing
absolutely nothing to do with the consid-
GRAFTON, the preparation and the execution
OF an expedition. of which he only became
Informed to put an end to It in October,
1895. All that has been said contrary to
this affirmation, which l make on my
honor and which is based on history itself
which can be easily examined, is only a
tale, which wish now to demolish with
one blow, as ] think that the time has
come for me to do So"
Thus does Colonel Marchand dispose OF
one of the charges brought against the
late minister Of foreign AFFAIRS, which was
to the effect that. though he had been an
active promoter Of the Fashoda expedi-
ton' he deserted Colonel Marchand when
England adopted a resolute attitude. Colo
mel Marchand's explanation has created
quite a. sensation in political circles.