hat time, however, the popular French feeling certainly was not
strongly pro-English; for when Major Marchand returned to France in
May, 1899, he was received with the most effusive enthusiasm.

In February, 1899, President Faure died very suddenly and M. Loubet
was elected as his successor. Throughout that year the Dreyfus
scandal continued to occupy public opinion in France to the
exclusion of almost everything else. A second trial was ordered,
but, although Captain Dreyfus was again condemned to ten years'
imprisonment, the president pardoned him and in the following year,
1900, the Senate passed a bill as a result of which further criminal
prosecutions on account of the Dreyfus affair became impossible.

Additional legislation regulating religious orders was passed in the
early part of 1901. In April of the same year, 1901, Toulon enjoyed
the visit of an Italian fleet which led to considerable discussion
among diplomats in regard to the apparently increasing friendship
between France and Italy. In August, 1901, the French Government
recalled its representative at Constantinople and handed his
passports to the Turkish ambassador at Paris because Turkey refused
to pay damages which had been adjudged due to some French companies.
Although in November, 1901, a French fleet occupied parts of the
island of Mitylene and war clouds once more seemed to be gathering,
the matter was finally settled amicably by the prompt payment of
the damages on the part of Turkey. In September, 1901, the czar
repeated his visit to France, where he witnessed both naval and
military maneuvers and was again received with expressions of the
most enthusiastic friendship.

Another change of ministry took place in 1902 when M.
Waldeck-Rousseau was succeeded by M. Combes. The new ministry caused
great excitement by closing by force all religious schools that were
not conforming by this time with the new Law of Associations.
Another difficulty which the cabinet had to face was caused by a
speech of the minister of marine during which he made remarks which
were considered offensive by England and Germany. The Government,
however, disavowed this speech and declared the expressions used to
be of a private and not of an official nature. The enforcement of
the Law of Associations continued to cause serious difficulties in
the next year, 1903. Throughout the country the clergy, which of
course resented the new regulations, took a more active interest in