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Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7225, 26 April 1884, Page 4

A war between Great Britain and France is said, on the authority of the Pall Mall Gazette, to be getting possible on account of the indecison which marks our conduct in Egypt. If the table had said that the danger of rupture lay in the absurd theories which mischievous people are allowed to air in the London newspapers about the consequences of the Bccidiviste scheme, one might have understood. But how indecision in Egypt, which can only cause difficulties and loss of prestige to the undecided Power, can be thought to cause war is not so obvious. We cannot be supposed to believe that France intends to try if the threat of a thrashing is the thing to make her neighbour walk straight. It is possible, of course, that between the Eccidiviste question, the manoeuvres of the French fleet in Chinese

waters, the old heart-burnings before Tel-el-Kebir, and the Malagasy unpleasantness,* there may be a bad feeling between the nations, which anything, however absurd or irrelevant, may serve to set in a Maze of war. That may be the explanation. As to indecision, there has been indecision* it is time, as to the Soudan, about relieving Gordon, and about nothing else. But the indecision is not the fault of the Government. Graham, there is now no doubt, was intended to open, the road to Berber and penetrate to that city so as to afford a line of withdrawal for Gordon and his garrisons. But this operation was found to be absolutely impossible. The heat of the sun was too much for our men, and the daily supply of water at the wells is enough only for a small force. It was said before Graham's battles that if the Arabs took to the hills in determined hostility they would be masters of the route by sheer force of circumstances. The Arabs, after defeat, did take to the hills, and Graham went back to Egypt with his men. There is now talk of relieving Berber by the Nile, and Minister? have been in conclave with Gen r.j Wolseley. There are two rouivs to which the river is common as far as Korosko. One follows the river, which takes a great bend to the westward; the other strikes across the Nubian desert, and strikes the river near Berber, whence the two routes have the river again in common to Khartoum. The obstacles to the river route are the cataracts, of which there are six. The difficulties of the Nubian desert are very similar to those of the Souakim. desert, and the distance is greater. The Nubian desert may therefore be set down as practically impossible. The river on the other hand is navigable during the months of high water, or from June to November, during which vessels can be taken up the cataracts. This is the only route open for the relief of Berber, and it is not available yet, except to considerable labour and special organisation. Indecision, then, is only another name for the difficulties of the countrv, which we are finding out. There are people who talk of the French desire to organise a Franco-Arab power, holding sway from the - Upper Nile basin across the African continent to Algiers and Tunis. But these people consider the sands of the African deserts as easy to pass over as are the waters of the ocein. Nobody need fear that France is likely to go towar because our conduct in Egypt is about to destroy a dream of the Empire of great deserts. Besides, the Great Powers have been called together to consider the Egyptianquestion, and they have agreed to come. That ought effectually to remove all danger of war between France and Great- Britain, whatever that danger may have been a few days ago.