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561,
Over Fnnhoda even the Radical press joined in the
opposition to the ]French claims. There wes some
confusion, ne the Mnncho ter Guardian quietly pointed
out,
(1)
as to whether the British claim reotod on
Egypt'o prior rights to the Sudan, or on Britain's cola
right of conquoatl but thin did not prevent the French
claim being regarded as an intolerable intrunion into
a Britinh schere of influence. Tho French "have no
more right to be in raehoda than they would have to throw
a regiment or two across into Uuarueey. " na the Pali 11
Gazette put it.
(2)
The Sudan was not important so much
for its own merits an because it was essential to the
development of an African Empire, "The French are
troapancine in Etrptian territory and
if troepaacers
will not go when civilly invited, they are usually
ejected. England will stand no more of the tricks of the
kind that have been played by the Quai d'Oraay in West
Africa and Siam. She means to have her clear road from
the Cape to the Mediterranean and no Faahoda in the hands
(1) tfianchent_r Gunrdii n, 13th October 1898, p
(2) Pall Sall ahzatte, 13th S ptenbor 1898v