Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-07-26
History of the Complications
Which Threaten to Involve
France and England.
Why English Menace and French
Defiance Will Lead to
Open War.
The Third Largest Island on the
Globe as a Bone Of Con-
tentiOn.
The Present Troubles.

The Present Troubles.
The main interest in the cOmplica
tons in Madagascar lies not in the
fact that a French naval officer has
bombarded certain ports and occupied
certain others, but in the fact that
this action of the French is but an in
cident in the outcropping of the policy
that must in time result IN conditions
as strained as those between England
and Russia. For years 1t has been
principle in the international policy
of Europe to regard Madagascar and
the adjacent coast of Africa as com
mon property, subject to invasion
from no power. The recent action on
the part of the French authorities in
Madagascar is in furtherance of the
new foreign policy of that country,
which involves cOnquests in Africa of
such magnitude as will balance those
of England and Russia in central and
southern Africa.
France has for years held certain
points in Madagascar, and has Occu-
pied points on the coast of Africa as
colonies There has been for years
much irritation among the French au
thOrities in Madagascar. Some months
ago the Hovas, or principal tribe in
Madagascar,
ESTABLISHED MILITARY POSTS
on the west coast. France looked
upon this as a violation Of the treaty
of 1871, and ordered the posts aban-
dOned The Queen refused, and Ad-
miral Pierre on the goth day of May
bombarded and captured Maiunga,
the principal seaport of the west coast;
he then went with his fleet to Tama
tave, the principal seaport on the east
coast, and occupied that on the 18th
of June. He started a column of
troops toward the capital, and sub
mitted an ultimatum to the Queen.
This was rejected, and the Admiral
took possession of the custom house
at Tamatave, destroyed the town at
Madonna, Tenerife, and at TOule
Point Some of these were old French
stations and were simply reoccupied.
No political Importance would be at
tached to this, but the occupation of
the custom house and the ignoring of
the rights of the Representatives of
other nations at Tamatave was inter
preted by the English as a violation of
law The French were in such force
as to overcome all opposition made by
the natives tribes, and are now secure
IN their position.
The French authorities claim that
the treaty of 1871 sanctions a proteC-
tOrate over the northwestern part of
the island, and the recent action of
Admiral Pierre is supposed to be the
first step in establishing that protec-
probability that England will consent
to this, and the remarks that Mr.
Gladstone made in the House of Com
mons on Wednesday indicate that
there is more irritation in England
than appears on the surface. The
announcement of the French Govern
ment that they will await advice from
Admiral Pierre may be regarded
SIMPLY AS A PRETEXT
to gain time France is evidently en-
tering upon a foreign policy that in
wolves c0nquests inAfrica. The ques-
ton is whether other European pow
ers will submit quietly to her occupa-
to occupy the Congo country in Afri-
ca. The fact that Madagascar has an
area about five times as large as that
of Illinois, and that the resources are
in great part undeveloped, gives this
new departure of France a special sig
nifcance.
The accompanying map makes clear
the locations and Importance of the
towns and districts occupied. Mojun-
ga. on the west coast, is the city bonn
barded by the French May 20. TWAS
defended by a garrison of 1000 men
~ the forts, mounting thirty guns.
An eyasive reply was returned to tie
demand for surrender, and the Hova,
or native, portion of the town was de-
stroyed. The French factory and
American and Indian houses were not
injured, but the French authorities
took possession of the custom house
and then proceeded to occupy all the
other Hova towns on that coast. or
rather to drive the native troops away
from them.
THREE WEEKS LATER.
the same sort of a raid was made on
the east coast. On this coast there
ar 1900 British subjects, the greater
number being at Tamatave and engag-
ed in trade The French admiral oc-
cupied this town, and according to the
English report disregarded the pro
tests of the British Consul and ignor-
ed the claims made by representa-
fves of other nations.
THE PEOPLE CHARACTER OF THE Ma
TIyES.
While the people of Madagascar are
not civilized in the European sense.
they are not a savage race, and some
of the tribes can hardly be classed
among barbarous people. They have
never, for instance, fallen into. the
cannibal practice of many allied race:
in Polynesia; and the tribal instincts
are strong among all sections of the
population. They are law-abiding