Frenchmen in a Panic

Reported Strengthening of German Forces at Metz.

THINGS PARIS TALKS OF

SANTOS DUMONT PERFECTING HIS AIRSHIP — TROUBLE IN THE BIG NEW SIMPLON TUNNEL

Special cable to The Express
From the New York correspondent

Paris, Jan. 15 — The Liberte prints in italics an almost special dispatch from Nancy, which states that there has been an extraordinary strengthening of the German forces at Metz, 25 miles away, and that great quantities of supplies have been accumulated there. The Liberte, which apparently desired to make the most of its scare, interviewed a French officer on the matter. He declared that the French intelligence department was very much alarmed at these preparations, which were out of all proportion to what was necessary to keep the German garrison on a peace footing.

The Temps says that all the state alliances are on an unstable equilibrium. It notes that no great success has attended the advances of England to Russia. The paper says some people dream of a quadruple alliance between England, Italy, Russia and France, and others of an agreement between England and Japan. The Temps adds that the recent advances of Emperor William toward America are very significant.

M. Santos-Dumont is now at Monaco, perfecting his airship. He says he expects to accomplish the Corsica trip of 120 miles in about three hours. He will make preliminary trials next week over the Bay of Monaco.

Serious, but unexpected difficulties have arisen in the construction of the Simplon tunnel. The normal average progress hitherto has been from 120 to 150 yards per month, but only two yards were bored in the month of December. The friability of the rock and its porousness to water increase, while the mysterious flood, which for several months has been pouring through the gallery, can neither be traced nor checked. It has now attained the enormous volume of 10,000 gallons per minute. It is believed to come from a huge lake, formed between the internal strata of the mountain by the infiltrations of more than a century. Fears are felt that another of these internal lakes may be tapped. The contract of the constructing company expires in March, 1904. There is a forfeit of $3,000 per day after the contract date.

M. Ducretet, the eminent inventor and savant, has spent the last five years in a special study of wireless telegraphy. It is announced that he has patented a number of inventions relating to the latest mode of signal transmission. He says that he does not believe that Mr. Marconi has solved the problem of wireless telegraphy across the Atlantic, but he feels sure that the feat will be accomplished. He believes that Mr. Tesla is the likeliest to succeed, because he is working at the least perfect end, namely, the transmitter.

He regards the receiving apparatus as a combination of the microphone and telephone. The Branly tube as arranged by himself and M. Popoff, the celebrated Russian engineer, may now be considered perfect. M. Popoff made most successful experiments in the beginning of 1900, when a Russian battleship was injured by blockaded ice on a rocky headland on the Island of Hogland, in the Gulf of Finland. Established wireless communication with the town of Kotka, 30 miles away, and sent information with the result that a number of sailors were carried off an iceberg and the ice-ship Yermak was dispatched and effected the work of rescue. This receiver has now been introduced into the Russian navy. M. Ducretet believes that Mr. Marconi has employed it in his experiment between the Lizard and Newfoundland.

The annual meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce was held here today, with President Kimbel in the chair. Mr. Kimbel and all the other officers were re-elected.

The annual banquet was held this evening. In his opening speech Mr. Kimbel said he was sorry that the reciprocity treaty between France and the United States had not been concluded.

Baron d’Estournelles de Constant, who represented France, said he was glad to appear for his country on such an occasion. The baron, who is a well-known diplomat, a member of the Chamber of Deputies and delegate to The Hague Peace Conference, has accepted an invitation from the city of Chicago to deliver an address there on Washington’s Birthday. In his speech tonight he said he was pleased to have been selected to represent his country on such an occasion. The French people, he said, found that the Americans were not too young. They must copy America not only in business, but in political ideas. He advised the establishment of French schools in America and American schools in France. He added that Americans would not find France so old. She leads the world in new ideas.

Mr. Goudy, the American consul general, said that the year 1901 was the greatest ever known for Franco-American trade. He expressed himself in favor of the adoption of the Franco-American reciprocity treaty.