THE PANAMA CANAL SCANDAL.

New Zealand Mail, 30 December 1892, Page 36

THE PANAMA CANAL SCANDAL.

By Electric Telegraph.— Copyright.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Paris, December 21. The Orleanists have spent 400,000 franca in purchasing documents connected with the Panama Canal Company. M. Hertz, who fled from France, has been interviewed here. He explains that he received cheques for 400,000 francs during the time the Panama Canal vote was under discussion in the Chamber of Deputies, but he assorts they were for a private debt due to him by the late Baron Reinach. The extradition of Hertz is demanded. The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies have granted the Public Prosecutor authoriy to prosecute MM. Rouvier, Roche, Avene, Proust and Dugue de la Fauconnerie, members of the Chamber, and MM. Albert Grevy, Renault, Beral, Theveut and Deves, members of the Senate, owing to the discovery of their initials on the counterfoils of cheques aggregating the sum of 3,300,000 francs, alleged to have been distributed by the late Baron Reinach in connection with the votes on the Panama Canal Lottery Bill. M. Rouvier, in a violent speech, protested that he was perfectly innocent of the charge and was prepared to have his action scrutinised by the court. He declared while Premier he levied money on his friends for tho purpose of* increasing the secret service funds, and without this many members now in the Chamber would not have secured seats.

MM. Derouledo and Millevoye assailed M. Cleraenceau for his relations with Herz, and 'accused him. of selling his journal to a foreigner. M. Clemenceau called M. Deroulede a liar. A duel is the outcome of the quarrel, and the sesonds are making the arrangements. There is intense excitement in Paris over the scandals.

The Paris correspondent of the Times foresees a revolution as the outcome of the Panama Canal scandals. M. Cottu has surrendered himself to the police to answer the charges in connection with the Panama Canal Company. Paris, December 22. The duel between MM. Clemenceau and Deroulede, arising out of the Panama Canal scandals, has been suspended, the seconds being unable to decide the cause of the quarrel. December 22. The city papers are alarmed over the Panama scandals, and state that it reminds them of the Reign of Terror in 1791. Le Soir, the evening Republican newspaper, defends M. Rouvier, and declares that during the popularity of M. Boulanger M. Rouvier found it necessary to ask for monetary assistance to help to maintain the Republic. Le Siecle, also a Republican journal, treats the trouble as a Jesuit conspiracy. La Liberte", a Liberal organ, considers there is great danger of a revolution. The Bourse is excited. A heavy fall iu stocks has been occasioned.

M. Dauncy, a member of the Chamber of Deputies, alleges that President Carnot has for a considerable time been in possession of the list of names of those implicated. A further (discovery of cheques and letter books has been made in connection with tha Panama Canal scandals.

Persistent rumours are current that proceedings will be taken against four more members of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. It is reported that Prince Victor Bonaparte, chitf of the Bonapartists, has arrived in Paris, and is about to issue a manfesto in favour of the restoration of the Monarchy. M. Floquet, ex-Premier, has assured the Committee of Enquiry that ho had never received any of tho Panama Canal Company's money from M. Deves, one ot the members of the Senate who are to be prosecuted. M. Guyot declined to testify respecting his statement as to the -list of members compromised, submitted to President Carnor, because he was reluctant to introduce the President into the matter. Preliminaries having been arranged, the duel between MM. Clemenceau and Deroulede took place. Each exchanged three shots, but none of them took effect, both participants escaping without a scratch. In an article in the Figaro, M. Delafosse, member of the Chamber of Deputies, advocates the establishment of a Consular Republic with Prince Victor Bonaparte as the head. Paris, December 23. M. Andrieux has submitted to the Panama Canal Enquiry Committee a photograph of a memorandum alleged to have been received from M. Herz, who had received the original from Baron Reinach. The document contained entries of payments to ten of the defendants already accused. M. Rouvier is charged with obtaining 80,000 francs; MM. Roche, Grevy, and Floquet 20,000 francs each ; and M. Barbe 500,000 franca. M. Floquet is also accused of having received 250,000 francs for political purposes. One milliou three ' hundred and fifty thousand francs is said to have been distributed by M. Arton amongst 104 members of the Chamber of Deputies. M. Andrieux, in his evidence before the committee, alleged that the late Baron Reinach had swindled M. Cottu out of three-quarters of a million francs on the pretence that M. Floquet required the money, but that he kept it himself. In consequence of M. Andrieux's evidence, M. Bourgeois, Minister of Justice, has decided to prosecute a further batch of members of the Chamber.

It is expected that M. Floquet will be forced to resign. M. Andrieux declared that M. Clemenceau also acted as M. Floquet's agent in connection with an advance of threequarters of a million francs from M. Cottu, tho indusement to the latter being the replacing of M. on the Credit Foncier by a supporter of the Panama enterprise. The French Government have issued a manifesto denouncing foreign reports of discontent in Franoe, and asserting that the Republic is safe. The Orleanists are highly elated at the excitement over tho Panama scandals, and are drafting a manifesto. M. Floquet admits that he bribed the press for political purposes. Paris, December 24.

The vote of confidence gave M. Ribot a majority of 262 in the Chamber of Deputies, but this is not regarded as a real indication of the feeling of the Chamber. M. Rouvier reiterated his assertion that he had levied money on friends in order to combat Boulangist plots, and declared they were reimbursed by advances out of the secret funds. If he acted otherwise, he says, the Republicans would have been wandering in the paths of exile. M. Rouvier admitted that he received indirectly the sum of 50,000 francs, but was not aware that Baron Reinach advanced it.

M. Flouquet's admission that the Premier had said in the course of an interview he had control of an immense Panama Canal press fund, created a bad impression in the Chamber, though it was obvious that the motive was to combat Boulangism. Le Siecle declares that the conspiracy discovered is similar to that of which Boulanger was at the head. Several Paris newspapers announce that it is intended to arrest M. Andrieux in connection with the Panama Canal scandals. Andrieux declares the object is to close his mouth, and states he has not yet revealed all the names implicated, especially one leading politician. Paris, December 25. It is rumoured that M. do Freycinet, former Premier, is urging M. Andrieux to return to him a letter addressed to Herz, but now in the possession of Andrieux. Paris, December 26; M. Andrieux denies that he is in possession of the letter addressed to Herz-, It is freely alleged that the Government have abandoned his arrest. Andrieux also declares that the Opportunists have been robbing the country for the past twelve years, and threatens to expose the corruption <>f the Credit Foncier and the Franco Egyptian Bank, and also their plunder in connection with army contracts. Madame Carnot says she never received a single centime from the Panama Canal Company in aid of her charities. Berlin, December 22.

Tho press, commenting on the Panama Canal scandals, considers that M. Rouvier's admission will seriously injure the French Republic. St Petersburg, December 25. The Russian press contain articles strongly opposing restoring the Bona* nartea to the throne of France,

(special.) Paris, December 24. News has been received that the Kanaka crow of the French vessel Csnstantine, recruiting in New Hebrides group, murdered the captain and mate and looted the vessel. The murderers cooked and ate the body of the captain. The Panama scandals led to a stormy debate in the Chamber of Deputies. M. Millevoye urged the Government to return to the Panama Company the money used for secret service,and moved a motion of want of confidence in the Government. M. Floquet stated it was necessary to control the company's press by subsidies. M. Bernis retorted that by so doing the Government was accessory to the robbery of public money. M. Rouvier declared ha would treat the scandal with contempt. M. Ribot, the present Premier, said the Republic really indicated the Ministry, members of which would not fail in their duty to the State. M. Millevoye challenged the Government to dissolve and go to the country. The motion of want of confidence was defeated. Paris, December 25. The Bourse is recovering from the heavy fall sustained by the Panama scandals. The Senate has authorised the prosecution of directors and others implicated in the Panama swindle.