But that there is the remotest possibility that England and France will go to war over the Fashoda question no sane person believes. In spite of this last provocation there is no general ill-feeling towards France in this country, and no desire to humiliate her. No doubt a way will be found, without sacrificing any British interest, and without admitting that Marchand's expedition into Egyptian territory has conferred any rights, territorial or commercial, upon France, to gild the pill which she must swallow. If France likes to defer the withdrawal of her emissary of civilisation" from Fashoda there is no reason why we should be many hurry. We may treat the French flag which Marchand has raised as a piece of decoration, and Marchand himself as our guest. He is quite helpless—entirely dependent on us both for supplies and for communication and civilisation; and, of course, we shall not allow the brave adventurer to starve. Technically, of course, his invasion of Egyptian territory after Sir Edward Grey's warning to the French Government was an act of war, and we have a right to
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.