General de Pellieux.—“One word. The bordereau was not written in April. I appeal to General Gonse.”
M. Labori.—“It has always been said at the war department that it was written in April.”
General de Pellieux.—“Not at all.”
M. Labori.—“This is an interesting point. Will you ask whichever of these gentlemen it is who knows, at what date the bordereau was written, and at what date it was seized; and, when I say seized, I mean at what date it fell into the hands of the minister?”
General Gonse.—“It reached the department toward the end of September, 1894.”
M. Labori.—“And at what date was it written?”
General Gonse.—“There is no date. It must have been written toward the month of August, since there is a question in it of a note about Madagascar.”
M. Labori.—“Just now General Gonse made use of the phrase: ‘A note on Madagascar,’ as a basis for saying it was certainly very serious, since in the month of August a very serious note on Madagascar was made; and now he makes use of this date, August 10, to fix the date of the bordereau. This is a begging of the question.”
General Gonse.—“Permit me. I do not give the date with absolute certainty. I know only that the bordereau reached the department at the end of September. We suppose that it must have been written toward August.”
M. Labori.—“At what date was the important note on Madagascar drawn up in the department?”