11 APRIL 1903, Page 1

M. Jaures, the French Socialist leader, has succeeded in re-

opening the Dreyfus case. He insists that it shall be probed to the bottom, and on Monday he read a letter from General de Pellieux to M. Cavaignac, -who in August, 1898, was Minister of War, in which the General resigned his command because, he said, he "was no longer able to trust those of his chiefs who had made him work on the strength of forgeries." M. Cavaignac had concealed this letter from his chiefs, and on Tuesday was fiercely arraigned by M. Brisson, the Premier of 1898, who bade him congratulate himself on the amnesty, for he deserved to be impeached. The Right grew furiously angry, and hurled insults ; but General Andre, the present Minister of War, sided with M. Brisson, and promised the fullest official inquiry. The object of M. Jaures is obviously to show that the French War Office, taken as a body, was determined on the conviction of Dreyfus, and used forged docu- ments, including the bogus letter from the Emperor William, about that "canaille de D—," 'to secure it The scene in the Chamber resembled the scenes of the Revolution, but the majority is believed to be with General Andre. The popular voice supports M. Jaures, • but with the reserve that it is " inexpedient " to reopen a question fraught with such bitter passions. The total result must be to restore confidence in the Army administration which, being in good hands, has ventured to probe such an affair to the bottom.