THE FASHODA AFFAIR. 323 France, as being an infringement of the rights of those Governments. I added that I could not recognise the occupation by | France of any part of the Nile valley.

‘“‘T left at Fashoda a garrison of one Soudanese battalion, four guns, and a gunboat under Major Jackson, whom I appointed Commandant of the Fashoda district, and I proceeded to Sobat, where the flag was hoisted and a post established on September 20. We did not see or hear anything of the Abyssinians on the Sobat, but were informed that their nearest post was about 350 miles up that river. The Bahr-el-Jebel being entirely blocked by floating weed, I gave orders for a gunboat’ to patrol up the Bahr-el-Ghazal in the direction of Meshra-er-Rek. As we passed Fashoda on the return journey north, I sent M. Marchand a letter stating that all transport of war material on the Nile. was absolutely prohibited, as the country was under military law. The chief of the Shilluk tribe, accompanied by a large number of followers, has come into Major Jackson’s camp. He entirely denies having made any treaty with the French, and the entire tribe express the greatest delight at returning to allegiance to us. | ‘*M. Marchand is in want of ammunition and supplies, and any © that may be sent to him must take months to arrive at their destination. He is cut off from the interior, and is quite inadequately: -provided with water transport. Moreover, he has no following in the country, and nothing could have saved his expedition from being annihilated by the dervishes if we had been a fortnight later in crushing the Khalifa.”

_ The gist of this despatch was communicated to the French Government, accompanied by a notification that the Sirdar’s “language and proceedings” had the complete approval of Lord Salisbury. M. Delcassé was evidently at his wits’ end to escape from an impasse which was chiefly of his own creation.

In an interview with Sir E. Monson on September 27 he wished to put off a final decision till he had received the despatches which M. Marchand had