The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-04-03

i
thou come, and no further. The recen
heavy concentration of Russian forces In tn
vicinity Of Merv can leave no doubt that sh
was trying the temper of England with
view TO further advance south, and relied o
the Ssudsn affair and England's othe
troubles to prevent prompt acceptance Q
issue. But England did meet 1t, and In
| spirit which showed such reselutensss tina
Russia has apparently faltered and appear
DESTROYS now to make out the whole matte
was simply drill exercise Of its troops or
harmless joke. There are two things certain
IL England proposes to hold India she mus
hold Herat, "the Gate of India" when Eng
lana gives up India IL will be after q war o
stupendous magnitude.
1t Is difficult to-day to comprehend the sit
ustion In the Soudan. We had not believed
strong enough to advance to Berber-s dis
lance Of probably $50 to $50 miles from Sua
kim, across IN inhospitable desert, with thu
intense heat and disease decirating tn,
ranks and the impeachment increasing with
the lengthening line of Communication bese
with an alert and vigorous foe. The repor
that Osmsn Digna had decided not to hszart
. pitched battle ct Tamsi but to lure thu
British to the vicinity of Berber and ther
give them battle, rendered the situation still
more dangerous for the English; but lstel
advices state Osman Digna has sent in q flag
Of truce asking the terms Of peace. This !.
scarcely credible although 1t % but ques
ton of q few months when England car
compel that result. The English manage
nent Of Egyptian affairs has been series Of
crimes or blunders since she battered down
Alexandra, II not before; but If the r ussian
complication is adjusted peaceably there Is
nothing to prevent her putting troops enough
In Egypt to lay 1t waste.
In the Northwest Territory Riel's rebel.
lion has assumed greater magnitude and the
situation Is more threatening than was sp.
pretended week ago. He has actually de-
feated the Mounted Police and . general up
rising of the Indians Is imminent. Troops
are pouring West and 1t is, Of course, mat.
ter Of but little time when the rebellion
will be reduced to msrauding bands, but in
the meantime much damage may be done in
the settlements. The half-breeds appear to
have the equities on their side, but their
mastering under the banner Of so obnoxious
person to Canadians ss Riel 10 liable to
impair rather than improve their condition.
The Toronto Mail Of q recent date thus
states the case:
The half. breeds in the St. Laurent district
complain that the Dominion has treated them
badly, and we think it has. Under the Man
itoba act OF 1870, each half-breed born In that
province before July list of that year was
granted $40 acres of land free, in satisfaction
Of what may be termed the half-breed title.
But beyond the confines Of Manitoba lay q
few half breed settlements, for the inhabi-
tants Of which no provision was then made !;
nsr, indeed, was any demanded at the time.
81. Laurent, enc Of these, was established as
long ago as 1862, and is fairly prosperous
place. The first demand for consideration
when they asked to be placed on the same
footing Is regards free homesteads as the
Netie Of Manitoba. Later on, when the do
minion surveyors appeared in the country.
fresh grievance sprung up. The half-oreeds,
as was the French custom, had settled along
the rivers, each farm having narrow water
and extending far back In the form
of long parallslogram. The surveyors were,
Of course, compelled to destroy this arrange
ment of the holdings, and the people earnest
ly protested against 1t. They also renewed
their claim for grants Of 24o acres per capita,
and from that day to this the agitation has
been maintained, Riels arrival from Mon
tana last spring giving 1t the semblance Of
general and united movement. The bill OF
rights adopted by the halt. breeds at public
meeting at st. Laurent In September de.
mands:
First, the subdivision into provinces Of the
Northwest Territories; second, the half
breeds to receive the same grants AND other
as tho Manitoba half-breeds;
third, patents to be issued at once to the col
onists In possession; fourth, the sale Of half
= million acres Of dominion lands, the pro-
ceeds to be applied to the establishment In
IN the half.breed settlements Of schools, hos
pitals and such-like institutions, and to the
equipment Of the poorer halt. breeds with
iced grain and Implements; nth, the reser-
vation Of q hundred townships Of swamp
and for distribution among the children q
! grant Of at least 81 900 for the maintenance
" an institution TO be conducted by the nuns
n each halt. breed settlement; and seventh,
better provision for the support OF the In
iians.
This last item was inserted by Riel In order
o please Poundmaker, . turbulent Indian
,hief, whose band has since made common
,ause with the half-breeds. 1t viii be oh
rived that the original claims have assumed
anciful proportions, Riels rule being to ask
or mere than he Is entitled TO In order to
,etter his chances for getting his due. Tho
,alf. breeds will be well satisfied, However, IL
hey obtain the patents for the farms which
hey have been cultivating all these years,
With grants of $40 acres for those among them
rho have not yet taken mp land. Monsignor
the Roman Catholic bishop 81 that
egion, supports the bill of rights 70 that ex- |
emit, and so do the vast majority Of the Eng
settlers.
While England has oil these Affairs on
and, France has had . ministerial crisls |
yer what was for considerable time con-
idered an uncomfortable affair-the Tonquin |
nsttsrr. The origin Of this difficulty dates |
ack TO the conquest Of Cochin China from |
he Annamese BY the French in 1850. The
rsaty Of 1862, giving France . suzerainty |
yer AMMAN, was never recognized By the
'ekin government. Tonquin contains about |
IN million inhabitants, largely composed Of
utlaws Of the Tai-piag rebellion, yellow
nd black days, and other tribes TO some ex.
int independent Of the Pskin government.
D 1872 Jean Dupois, IN adventurer, fitted
ut . fllibustsring expedition, penetrated
'onquin, captured Hanaoi, the Capital, and
,vited French residents Of Cochin China
, come In and occupy the land, which many
Id. After repeated troubles, China has
gain asserted her authority over Tenquin,
nd exercises considerable authority In the
utlying provinces, while the French are
confined 10 the cities. China
,fases 70 recognize thai France has any
gh,s In Tonquln, holding that ~ AMMAN 10
vassal State Of the Chinese Empire, II
,uld not convey to the French any rights
Tonquin. This complication OF disputed
ghts, the transportation Of goods on the
cd river In defiance Of treaties, and the
wages Of the outlaws and pirates, led 10
rance attacking last year and capturing
rec fortresses and destroying native fleets.
he force uadsr General De Llsls has re-
ntly proven inadequate, and his troops
I've been overwhelmed and crushed with . II
sastcr that has reused the most intense
dignstion IN France. The Chinese gov
nment seems 70 have espoused the cause Of
onquin, and late dispatches intimate var