Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-04-04

Ta,aapasear, Its People. Climate, Pro
ducts. Etc.

Madagascar. Its People, Climate, Pro-
ducts. Etc.
Tho nresence in this country at the present
fine of the MaIagasy ambassadors attracts at
.ention TO a corner of the world which has been
far less prominent In the public eye than it's
present and prospective Importance would war
rant.
THE COUNTRY
Many people. whose geography has not been
refreshed since their school DAYS are inclined to
Class it with Long Island. the shape Of which 1t
somewhat resembles. As a matter Of fact. NADIA
gascar, II iaid upon the Atlantic slope, would
Teach from Halifax to Washington, and cover up
the New England and most of the middle states
it, length is about 1890 miles. average breadth
% miles ana the area Is estimated at $50 600
SQUARE miles or about seven times that of the
state Of Indiana The population is about
5e10N The general surface OF the country
Is mountainous. some of the highest peaks ri5-
Ing from 200 10 IL COZ feet above the sea level
There IL. however, considerable arabic land on
either side of the mountain ranges There are
several rivers navigable for small boats and
several natural seapOrts. while the island is sep
aracd from the eastern coast of Africa by the
Mozambique channel, which is in its narrowest
part about 2JO miles broad.
THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND
II has been usual to consider Madagascar "a
one kingdom of twenty-five provinces, with
Tananarivo in the center for its caritaI but this
town Is only the capita of Imerina in AnkOva,
the territory of the HOvas the dominant tribe.
whom the embassy represents. The IIOvas ex-
ercjSe no authority south Of their fort at Mama,
and many tribes are practically. and some absO-
lute'y. independent ThetwO great divisions of
the people are black and olive. the former occu-
pyins the western slope of the island and the
no oil i1 ri
tin@ushed by light. exquiSite.y formed person.
fair complexion and straight or curling hair
while the black race is of more robust form and
has w0olly hair. The HOyas of the olive
division.
A BIT OF HISTORY.
Radama. who was poisoned by his wife in
1S3S. founded this kingdom at the beginning of
the present century This great chief. like Peter
the Great in Russia, endeavored to civilize his
subjects by instituting schools and sending
numbers of them to Mauritius and Europe
He established an army, provided with firearms
and horses, and organized on the European
system His empire extended over an area of
10000 square miles, with population of 2. co.,
coo. but since his death it has greatly
degenerated and petty wars with the Sakalares
have been frequent. This people has ALWAYS
disputed the sovereign power with the HOvas
and it is on this dispute that based the pres
ent claims of France. In IS4l two small tribes
in the northwestern part of the island rebelled
against the Queens authority A French cruiser
was in the waters near by and some of the
rebels signed over to the Frenchman part of
the land which was not theirs to give away. &C
cOrdin9 to the MadagaScaas and the little island
OF Nossibe. The latter Island the French have
kept. but nothing has come of the other terri
tOrial rights alleged to have been obtained by
the treaty. with the rebels. The French also
have an older settlement on the island of st.
Mary's and others in the fertile and popli3us
province of AruOSy. in the extreme southeast of
the island of Madagascar. Also. in 1862. NJ.
lambert. Of the island of Reunion. gained the
Kings friendship, and. after making him very
drunk, got his signature to- a paper granting
extensive rights in the island to a company of
which Lambert was the head. The rext year
the King lost his head and his throne and the
succeeding government refused to acknowledge
the validity OF NJ Lambert's claim The London
Globe thinks that the Madagascar question can
De looked at from two distinct points of view
This Journal says that the point i'm litigation
between the French republic and the Hova gov
eminent is simply question of whether the
Queen OF the H0yas is or is not equally Queen of
the Sakalares. The French pretend that the sol
distant Queen of Madagascar is neither in fact
nor by right Queen of the Sakalares and SOW
erei@n OF the northwestern part OF the island.
On the other hand. the ambassadors and English
cOiOniStS and missionaries affirm that she Is
Queen of both and that the difficulties which
arose were only local troubles on the coast pre-
may be, the dispute is likely to become serious.
CLIMATIC PECULIARITIEs.
The climate Ia exceedingly diversified, both i'm
temperature and salubrity In the lOwlands and
along the coast, the heat is intense but In the
interior the mercury seldom rises above IS de-
grees. and on the mountain SUBMITS ice is some
times found The rainy season continues from
December until April. The coast region with
lew exceptions. Is extremely unhealthy to ma
tiveS OF the interior well as to foreigners the
rank vegetation and stagEant water causing a
deadly fever. This is also the case in many in
terror valleys. One elevated spot near Tanana-
rivO Is so unhealthy that Punishment to it is
considered equivalent to condemnation to
death.
NATIVE PRODUCTS
Among the plants peculiar to the island is the
rayenala, or traveller tree" so called because
ut all seasons its trunk, when an inclson is
made, yields cool sweet and wholesome beyer-
age. Its wood is used in the construction of
dwellings, and for many domestic purposes
Mahogany and ebony also abound Vegetables
OF all kinds ale abundant in the island
LOcusfs. of which large swarms appear in the
spring and summer. form an important article
OF food They are gathered in baskets bv women
anu children and. after the legs and wings have
E''h picked on. they are partially boiled and
theh dried IN the sun The silk worm also i'm
It's chrySalis state. il cooked and eaten in some
provinces But the most general article of sun
pOIF u rec, winch = native to the island In
49, several -. 49, Of English subjects bpran
TO plant cotton ~ the south part of the island
having brought seed from the Feee islands
They employed Madras coolies "a labor in NADIA
gaScar cannot be- relied on Parties from Maui
fitius hayf planted SUGAR cane aud built mills
ior making SUGAR, but the crop Is exported to
hacritiuS for refining. Coffee is also raised by
ioFei"hers In 1naHs parts of the island with
EOod success. The government fosters all such
enterprises and makes tree grants of land for
Cultivation To any extent desired.
COMMERCIAL FACTS AND POSSIBILITIES
Foreign commerce has long been carried on
with the Arabs from Muscat and Zanzibar
and with traders from the west coast of India
who bring raw silk, cotton cloth. gunpowder
trinkets and other articles to the northwest
ports, particularly to Majunga, in the bay of
BeIroatooka- American vessels going up the
mozambique Channel. or from Tamatave to Ian.
zioar. usually stop tnere to exchange cotton
shcetin2s. hardware, furniture, gunpowder and
firearms for rice, hides. ebony, beeswax and
gum copal- The commerce of the east coast is
mostly at Tamatave, where a United States con-
su!ar agent Is accredited The trade i'm India
rubber began in 1o6J-10. and in 1872 the export