The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs made this declaration
particularly:
That in case the German fleet entered the Channel or steamed northward
in the North Sea to go around the British Isles with the purpose of
attacking the French Coast or the French Navy, and to harass the French
merchant marine, the English fleet would interfere by giving the French
fleet its entire protection, in such manner that from that moment
England and Germany would be in a state of war.
Thus, from the present moment, the English fleet is guarding our
northern and western coast against German aggression.
Gentlemen, those are the facts. I think that, taken as a close-knit
whole, they are sufficient to justify the acts of the Government of the
Republic. Nevertheless, I wish to conclude by giving the true meaning of
this unprecedented aggression of which France is the victim.
The victors of 1870, as you know, have felt at various times the desire
of renewing the blows which they had dealt us. In 1875 the war for
finishing vanquished France was prevented only by the intervention of
the two powers destined to be united to us later by the ties of alliance
and friendship--by the intervention of Russia and Great Britain.
Since then the French Republic, by the restoration of its strength and
the making of diplomatic agreements, invariably lived up to, has
succeeded in freeing itself from the yoke which Bismarck had been able
to impose upon Europe even in days of peace.
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