On 6 January 1885 Emperor Wilhelm I issued an official letter of protection for the Dubréka and Dembia colonies. Colin agreed to pay the cost of building a German colonial administration, but this never happened. As a result of the West Africa Conference, France and Germany began to delineate their spheres of influence and spheres of influence as of February 1885. Bismarck’s aim was to weaken French revanchism and to encourage its colonial ambitions instead, which would have the effect of pitting France against England.