The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1898.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 353, 13 October 1898, Page 2

The Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1898.

ONE of the characteristics of the French people is to effervesce much as does "their popular wine. It is equally characteristic of both that the effervesence very soon subsides—in the one case by enlightenment on the question which caused the disquietude, and in the other by simple exposure to the air. Their latest performance has been with regard to Fashoda, and at one time matters looked very serious. Had Major Marchand happened to have been rash enough to attempt to retain his position at Fashoda, there can be no doubt but that General Kitchener would have dislodged him. There would then only have been two courses open to the French Government—the one to declare war, the other to repudiate responsibility for his action on the grounds that he had acted without instructions. By a cablegram irf this issue it will be seen that, although the above serious position was not arrived at, M. Delcasse, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, has stated that Major Marchand had no mission to Fashoda, and that ho was simply an emissary of civilisation. In what sense he was this we confess v.o aro quite unable to comprehend. _ The Minister threatens that, if bis colleagues do not support him in _ his version of the affair, he will resign. The dispute should now be practically settled, and there should be no further risk of a rupture between the two countries; neither would there be were it not for its being another characteristic of French Governments to resort to war rather than face the risk of internal revolution. The Dreyfus case, which is one of the greatest disgraces which her governors have ever inflicted upon France, has excited a very strong feeling against the Ministry and the form of Government which renders it possible for such a disgrace to be brought upon their country. Judging by the intelligence which has reached us by cable, this feeling is so strong that it should be no matter for surprise if the wire informs us that the elements of revolution have been fanned into activity, or to avert this, that the Ministry had taken some step which would render war inevitable. The British Government have shown that they have deemed it advisable to provide against such a contingency by sending the Channel fleet to cruise in the Mediterranean, and it is added significantly that the ships are provisioned for six months. If France were to take such a step at the present time she would commit the greatest of blunders, but it is impossible to calculate what the French people may do when in a state of effervosence. At such times passion, not reason, arbitrates the fate of their country.