is point
or this question has entered the head of Her Majesty's present
advisers."

Messages were transmitted up the Nile to Major Marchand at Fashoda. In
response thereto he sent Captain Baratier down with despatches. That
officer arrived with Slatin Pasha in Cairo on the 20th October. His
despatches were wired to Paris, for which Baratier himself started
next day. It happened that the Sirdar, who also left for England on
that date, was a fellow-traveller with him. Another hitch occurred,
the French Government stating that Marchand's report made no allusion
to the meeting with the Sirdar at Fashoda. That they would have to
wait for before giving an answer. Marchand, it was alleged, had not
had time to bring his report down to date, when Baratier left him.
They had not long to wait, for suddenly the announcement was sprung
that Major Marchand, acting on his own volition, had left Fashoda and
was coming down by Khedivial transport, to Cairo. He arrived in that
city on the evening of 3rd November, and got a deservedly hearty
reception from the English as well as the French community. Prominent
officials, civil and military, were there to greet the brave and hardy
explorer. His companion, Captain Baratier, who had been to Paris and
had hastened back intending to return to Fashoda, met the Major next
day in Cairo. But on the very day that Major Marchand reached Cairo,
the French Government had issued an official note stating it had been
decided to evacuate Fashoda, as the position had been reported
untenable. So saying "No, no, they would ne'er consent," they
consented.

At the Mansion House banquet given to the Sirdar, on 4th November,
Lord Salisbury said:--

"I received from the French Ambassador this afternoon the
information that the French Government had come to the conclusion
that the (Fashoda) occupation was of no sort of value to the
French Republic, and they thought that under those circumstances,
to persist in an occupation which only cost them money and did
harm, merely because some of their advisers thought they would be
an unwelcome neighbour, would not show the wisdom with which the
French Republic has uniformly been guided. They have done what I
believe every Government would have done in the same
position--they have resolved that the occupation must cease. A
formal intimation to that effect was made to me this afternoon,
and it has been conveyed to