Cross Channel Reflections : French Perceptions of Britain from Fashoda to the Boer War. John Edward Blockley. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 1 Statement of Originality. I, John Edward Blockley, confirm that the research included within this thesis is my own work or that where it has been carried out in collaboration with, or supported by others, that this is duly acknowledged below and my contribution indicated. Previously published material is also acknowledged below. I attest that I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge break any UK law, infringe any third party’s copyright or other Intellectual Property Right, or contain any confidential material. I accept that the College has the right to use plagiarism detection software to check the electronic version of the thesis. I confirm that this thesis has not been previously submitted for the award of a degree by this or any other university. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author and no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the prior written consent of the author. Signature: John Edward Blockley. Date: 10 July 2014 Acknowledgement of Support. This work was supported by a Queen Mary, University of London, French studies bursary. Abstract. This Thesis adopts a variety of different approaches in order to throw light on French perceptions of the British at the turn of the twentieth century. Introduction, chapters one and two set these in the broader context of nineteenth-century attitudes, in particular the genre of invasion literature, and the corpus of work produced by writers from the Ecole Libre, Paris. Not straightforwardly Anglophobic or Anglophile, both drew upon similar British stereotypes, and were shaped by French self-perceptions and internal concerns. The impact of the 1898 Fashoda incident and 1899-1902 Boer War upon French attitudes generally and these strands is considered, before analysis of French diplomacy. This departs from the contending ideas that the French Foreign Minister, Delcassé, determinedly sought an alignment with the British from June 1898 onwards, or that across 1898-1901 he was presumptively hostile to Britain, suggesting instead a self- interested opportunist agenda pursued irrespective of others in policymaking circles. Chapter five takes up John Keiger’s suggestion that the Paris press may have been less hostile towards Britain before and during the Fashoda incident than is often depicted, to broaden its evidential base, and push it further, arguing that French anger over Fashoda was in part directed against other, often domestic, targets and its Anglophobia was largely retrospective. Chapter six pursues this story into the early months of the Boer War, pointing to how French press opinions, if emboldened by the tide of international criticism of British policy, again strongly reflected internal preoccupations. The French who volunteered to fight on the Boer side in the war might represent an avowed kernel of Anglophobic opinion. Chapter seven, however, concludes that their motivation had more to do with asserting a certain vision of France, not least at home, something clearly understood by them and the French press of the time. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction. ....................................................................................................................... 6 Notable Historiography. .................................................................................................. 9 Form and Questions. ..................................................................................................... 12 The Nineteenth-Century Background. .......................................................................... 13 Defining Terms ............................................................................................................. 20 1: Invasion! Britain and the British in French Future War Literature. ............................. 27 French Invasion Literature. ........................................................................................... 31 Three Case Studies. ....................................................................................................... 34 Britain and the British in French Invasion Literature. .................................................. 37 Heroes and Villains: the French in French Invasion Literature. ................................... 44 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 49 2: L’Ecole des Sciences Politiques and the British. ......................................................... 51 Sciences Po, a seat of Anglophilia in Paris? ................................................................. 54 ELSP – a Diversity of Views? ...................................................................................... 58 Defining Les Anglais – a Race Apart? ......................................................................... 63 Britain as a French Model and a Mirror. ....................................................................... 69 The British Educational model(s). ................................................................................ 78 Conclusion. ................................................................................................................... 84 3: Fashoda, the Boer War and their place in Future War Literature, Sciences Politiques and French postcards. ...................................................................................... 86 The Fashoda Crisis, 1898. ............................................................................................. 86 The Course of the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902. ......................................................... 91 Fashoda and the Boer War in France. ........................................................................... 94 Conclusion. ................................................................................................................. 117 4: Irredeemable Foe or Potential Friend; Britain and the French Diplomatic Response to Fashoda and the Boer War. ........................................................................ 127 Policy making at the Quai d’Orsay at the Turn of the Century. ................................. 131 Historiography 1: The Old Views. .............................................................................. 134 Historiography 2: After 1968. ..................................................................................... 138 French Diplomacy in the Fashoda Crisis. ................................................................... 143 Post-Fashoda Diplomacy. ........................................................................................... 152 French Diplomacy during the Boer War. .................................................................... 160 French Neutrality in Practice. ..................................................................................... 175 Conclusion. ................................................................................................................. 181 5: A Case of Misremembered Animosity? The Paris Press and the Fashoda Incident. .......................................................................................................................... 187 The Paris Press in 1898. .............................................................................................. 189 Fashoda and the French Press. .................................................................................... 195 Views of Britain and the British through the Fashoda Crisis. .................................... 198 Conclusion. ................................................................................................................. 224 6: Le Déshonneur de l’Angleterre: The Paris Press and the Start of the Boer War. ................................................................................................................................ 238 Why the Attention to the Boer War. ........................................................................... 240 3 Marchand’s Return: A Prelude to the Boer War? ....................................................... 244 Chamberlain’s Work: Outbreak of War, 1 September-14 October 1899. .................. 246 The Boer War as Focus for French Internal Preoccupations. ..................................... 253 Anti-Semitism. ............................................................................................................ 255 The Question of French Intervention; a Case Study in self-image. ............................ 260 Revenge for Fashoda? December 1899-January 1900. ............................................... 263 Counter currents? ........................................................................................................ 273 Conclusion. ................................................................................................................. 275 7: The French Boer War Volunteers: Confused Motives and Contested Memories. ....................................................................................................................... 278 Who Were the French Volunteers? ............................................................................. 280 Why did the Volunteers Go?......................................................................................