1898] George Wyndham on Fashoda 299 



the platform applauded Lord Salisbury for having thus swindled Egypt 

 and defied France. We live in an odd age. 



" Judith's engagement to Neville Lytton was announced to-day. 



" 16th Oct. — I think very seriously of the crisis between England 

 and France. It will likely enough lead to a war, for both sides being 

 in the wrong each naturally sees the other's wickedness and so believes 

 itself right. The best road to an agreement between them would be 

 that each should give up its preposterous claim to the Nile Provinces. 

 Lord Salisbury, among his many reasons for renewing the Soudan 

 campaign three years ago, said that the destruction of the Khalifa's 

 power would make it easier for England to evacuate Egypt. Let him 

 keep that part of his programme and France will be satisfied. Our 

 people, however, want war, fancying it is a favourable moment for 

 dealing single-handed with France. I hope we shall not be invaded in 

 Sussex. 



" ijth Oct. — To Saighton. Things look very warlike with France, 

 and war would certainly happen if the position in Europe were at all 

 less unfavourable to the French, but as it is their Government will 

 certainly not risk a fight if they can help it. The danger lies in the 

 weakness of their Government, in the long discredit into which France 

 has fallen, and in the ascendancy of the army. There may be a revolu- 

 tion any day and representatives of the Bourbons and of the Bona- 

 partes are announced as being on the frontier. 



" Arrived at Saighton. I have had it out with George about Fash- 

 oda. He states the English case with brutal frankness. ' The day of 

 talking,' he says, ' about legality in Africa is over, all the international 

 law there is there consists of interests and understandings. It is gen- 

 erally agreed by all the Powers that the end of African operations is to 

 " civilize " it in the interests of Europe, and that to gain that end all 

 means are good. The only difference between England and France 

 is which of them is to do it in which particular districts. England in- 

 tends to do it on the Nile, and it makes no difference what the precise 

 legal position is. We may put forward the Khedive's rights if it is con- 

 venient or we may put forward a right of conquest, or a right of 

 simply declaring our intentions. One is as good as another to get our 

 end, which is the railway from Cairo to the Cape. We don't care 

 whether the Nile is called English or Egyptian or what it is called, but 

 we mean to have it and we don't mean the French to have it. The 

 Khedive may be kept on for some years as a sort of Indian Maharajah, 

 but it will end in a partition of the Ottoman Empire between Eng- 

 land, Germany, and Russia, France will be allowed North-western 

 Africa. It is not worth while drawing distinctions of right and wrong 

 in the matter, it is a matter entirely of interest.' 



