7 JULY 1900, Page 10

General Jamont, the head of the French Army, has resigned

owing to friction between the General Staff and t he War Office. In the Chamber the action of the Govern- ment was approved on a direct vote of confidence by 307 to 258 votes, but the position of the Government has undoubtedly since been strengthened by the manly and dignified state- ment of Al. Waldeck-Rousseau in the Senate on Thursday. Replying to a Nationalist speaker, the Premier recounted the incidents which had led up to General Jamont's resignation. Shortly after his appointment General Andre decided to send back to their regiments three heads of bureaux at the General Staff. General Delanne, the head of the Staff, pro- tested ; a conflict arose, and General Andre resolved to have the last word. In that, said M. Waldeck-Rousseau, he was simply acting in accordance with the Decree of 1890, which established the paramountcy of the Minister of War in con- firming appointments to the Staff. After mentioning that General Jamont, who was to retire in July, had been replaced by "a man of strict discipline," the Premier declared that an attempt was being made to create in France a Militarist party, which would destroy the real military spirit, adding that it would be better to speak less of the Army and to have its interests more at heart. " We shall go on with our work," he concluded, " and we are not of the sort that are intimidated or discouraged." The Government's declara- tion was approved by 164 to 84 votes, and by 153 votes to a0 it was resolved to placard the Premier's speech through- out France.