Great preparations are being made for the reception of Marchand and his companions, who have just arrived at Jiboutil and will-reach France at the end of the month. There is to be an official welcome at Toulon and another at Paris, the Gover ment having apparently made up its mind that Marchand is not likely to turn out a Boulanger., His return is giving rise to a variety of "manifestations "that throw a curious light on the present state of public opinion and parties in France. Everybody is preparing to receive the explorer not so much on his merits as with a view to making capital out. of his personality in-the Dreyfus or anti-Dreyfus interest as the case may be. The National. "trying to throw cold water on a yee tic ists continue to accuse the Government of demonstration, while the extreme Dreyfi ities profess to regard the. explorer as a possible dictator, or Cresar; as they put it. One of their chief organs argues that he is a deserter, and that a court: martial would be the only reward awaiting him in this country if French military justice were impartial. M. Urbain Gohier, the author L'Armée contre la Nation, does even better than this. He can only liken Marchand'to Vacher, the murderous tramp To such a state has party passion brought French polemists
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.