Smyrna times., 1883-05-09
European Annexation Schemes.

European AnneXatlon ocnemes'
The territories of the British Crown
have been increased in West Africa as
well as in the South Seas. The Lon
don Journals contain letters from Sierra
Leone announcing that Governor
Havelock, acting on instructions from
Lord Derby, has annexed to that colo
nv a large tract extending along the
coast from British Sherbro to within a
few miles of the Republic of Liberia.
This secures under a proclamation
from the queen the entire control OF
the trade of that coast. The colony OF
Sierra Leone has never been in flour
ishing condition, but as the additional
territory acquired is rich in African
produce satisfactory results are antici-
pated so far as revenue is concerned.
Almost the entire west coast of Africa
south of Morocco, with the exception
of Liberia, is now claimed by various
European Governments, France and
Great Britain being the main rivals.
The reason assigned for this new an
nexation of territory is that the French
agents had been secretly undermining
the influence of the British north of
Sierra Leone, and apprehension was
felt lest they might be equally success
full in the southern quarter. Lord
Derby will not be in a position to raise
serious objections to the proceedings of
De Brazza at Ponta Negra if that ad-
venturer with his armed force to sup
port his claims annexes as a dependen-
cy of France the whole Congo region,
including Stanley's new road and chain
of trading posts.
The acquisition of New-Guinea by
the authorities of Queensland, Austria
liza, is naturally greeted with express
sions of sardonic humor in France.
One journal twits England with feeling
philanthropic horror at small French
celonizations, of which she is CONNER
cially jealous, while seizing every op-
portunity to enlarge her own empire
and another sarcastically remarks that
of course, every English annexation is
inspired by pious or commercial virtue
Manchester cottons and Sheffield pock-
et-knives having a mysterious sancti
ty, whereas every French extension o.
territory is viewed as abnormally
wicked. The English Radicals have
not waited for the stings of French
satire before protesting against wha
they denounce as colonial filibusterinl
in the South Seas. They regard tn,
supposition that the Governor o
Queensland "by a sudden imperialisti
impulse" seized upon New-Guinea a
simply incredible, and insist that
colony has no right to make othe
colonies, especially when the new tel
ritories are of vast extent and the cor
sequences of annexation are yer
serious. They taunt the Governmer
with showing a lack of courage
throwing the responsibility of this ne
acquisition of territory upon the coli
NAL officials. The Radicals, it must /
admitted, are wholly in the right whe
they assume that the distinction b
tween Colonial Imperialism and Bri
ish Imperialism will not be appreciate
by foreign critics in France or els
where. Nor does the world ha'
either the patience or the leisure
discriminate between French filibuste
ing and English filibustering.
French restlessness, meanwhile,
evinced simultaneously in Madaga
car, Tonquin, and on the Congo. II
intrigues with the native tribes WI
are hostile to the Hovas have been f
lowed by military and naval prepal
tions and the landing of arms and al
munition for the savage allies who a
expected to fight in behalf of t
French pectorate. An expedition L
also been sent out to Tonquin, but
the aggressive operations already c.
ried on in that quarter have excit
the resentment of the Chinese Cover
ment, the preparations which ha
been made seem ludicrously ina,
quate. 1t is not to be hastily assum
that the ancient kingdom will decli
war upon the French Republic, VIII
in its greedy effort to extend its &C
nial possessions is alternating the sov
eighty of a feudatory State. But
French officials seem to be neglect
the commonest diplomatic precautiC
and may find themselves confron
with Chinese army before they
the end of their present adventure.
the lower Congo the arbitrary proce
ing of De Brazza may have already
Volved bloodshed and menaced
peaceful progress of Stanley. The
tension of French influence in til
three instances is not to be defen
on moral grounds. But while th
true, English critics may as well /
their peace. In North Borneo, n
Guinea, Sierra Leone and Egypt T
ish activity is as conspicuous as Ere
restlessness is elsewhere.-Ne,0 ]
Tribune.
ANOTuED I TnuS n
of Dadeville, Ala, writes us 81 b