Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-15

The Anu-SlaVe Trade Alllance'
The European alliance for the extirpa-
ton Of slave trading I'm Africa promises more
frr.reacl6ng results than the capture Of a few
slave dhows aud the establishment Of apayal
blockade Of certain portions Of the east coast.
The situation, particularly in the German
and English possessions IN Africa, to say
nothing Of the rcawakened interest In Aid.
can exploration aud IN the fate Of ENIN Hey,
indicate. that coincident with or following
upon the work Of the naval detachments Of
the various Powers will be a general move
iuent for the opening up Of the Dark Con-
tncnt, which, after all, presents the only
means OF eiIcctually and permanently break.
lag up slave trhnia. While tho action Of
Germany, who seems 20 have taken the
ialtiatvo ia forming the alliance, was
necessary for the maintenance Of her
prestige on the east coast Of Africa, and IL alec
regarded a, good stroke Of policy in ilS
bearing on certain domestic questions, and
while both the German and the English Gov
ernments disclaim sny disposition to render
military assistauce 20 tho trading companies
further thsu TO protect their subjects on The
coast and those friendly to them, we
all know the probable end. First there
will be srmed parties sent out by
the trading companies Themselves, which
will provoke hoslilitics with the nstiye
tripes. then a state OF general foment, and
finally the "ueccasiiy" for the pAciilcailon
OF the couuNry by regularly organlzed Gov
eminent military expeditions. This pro-
praume OF colonization has been carried out
more than once, especially by England, aud
II we may judge from The tone of the EAEish
press the British public have concluded that
II Is time thsi the cory" was heard from
"Zuiuisnd 10 Khartoum" and that history
repeat itself In the Dark Continent. England
has more at stake on the African Continent
than any other European Power. As We
have frequently said, she commands nearly
all the most important routes 30 the interior.
Egypt she must hosd and the Red sea littoral
she must protect, and even II as stated,
SALISBURY was at first reluctant TO join the
alliance he could not have resisted the pres
sure OF public opinion. British jealousy and
BRITISH greed, II nothing elIe, would have
forced the Government to join the alliance.
This was made manifest by the stir created
In the little island upon the announcement
that German expedition under WIssMANN
had been orgsnized for the relief Of ENIS
Bey, It's we'll understood that EMN has no
desire to leave Africa. lie has repeatedly
declared that he wonld not relinquIsh the
fruits OF the endeavor OF years to elyilize
those around him aud that all he wants Ia
the maintenance OF safe communication with
the outside world The British mind took
alarm at the wlsMANN expedition, seeing
that ii was construed to portend permanent
occupation by the Germans OF territory con.
tiguous to that OF EMIN's. But there Is ad-
dt,ousl evidence that the English are deter
ilioed that no other people shall oustrip
African territory. We dud this in
the demsnd that Egyptian sway be
re6stabliShed over the equatorial pro-
Vinccs, IN the intimations that secret expe-
dtions have been sent 10 the Dark Continent,
in the hints OF English public men regard
lux OuhN 81 tuc NtNtAAlCut W tue tuls-
terious Sdyenturer Of the Bahr GAzelle re.
gion, and 10 toe sneers OF the press at the
"Buteher aud Bolt policy hitherto pursued
IN Upper Egypt. The logical deduction,
therefore, Is that under the operation OF these
influences the English Government will be
led 10 conclude that the opportune time has
arrived for opening up the interior Of Africa
by concerted movement OF the Powers,
and will see that a "provocstion Is forth
coming. In the event % such a movement
Germany and Italy, the other Powers most
interested, will get valuable spells. bus
England may be depended upon TO secure
the hons share. The chance TO use Others
10 bringing about . contamination which
the whole English people deslre--that Of re-
establishing English prestige IN Central
Africa and making the country pay tribute
70 English coners-s too good TO be thrown
away.