The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-06-30

PARTITION OF AFRICA.
An international Agreement of tho Most
Momentus Consequences.
Philadelphia Press

Momentus Consequences.
Philadelphia Press.
Lord Salisbury has negotiated over Africa
one of those strewd, clear-headed, nom
sentimental bargains with Germany which
his political opponents will attack, but
which common sense approves and history
will ratify. The division practically gives
England control of the great water high
way of Africa. which stretches, with but
two breaks of less than $50 miles, for 5000
miles from the mouth of the Nile to the
mouth of the Zambesi. and it gives her
Zanzibar. 1t gives Germany an eligible
water front on the Indian ocean running
back TO the great lakes and marching with
the Congo State. Ii Germany can secure
that realm, ana all observers think her eye
is on it, the German flag will fly from coast
To coast, across the center OF Africa, over a
territory as large as the United States with
out Alaska, and with negro and ne-mixed
population of from 1000 coo to 0,G00, 600.
Since Napoleon gave Louisiana to the
United States at the opening of the GEN.
fury, no internal agreement has been
reached likely to have more momentous
consequences in the future. As make
weight in this gigantic swop, England
throws in Heligoand an utterly useless
rock which she owns in the North Sea.
The situation in Africa is simple. Eng
land holds the Nile, and in few years the
Equatorial provinces will be again subdued
and steam navigation will be continuous
from Alexandria 10 lake Nyanza, within
800 miles OF Zanzibar. 1t is rather hard
for us to realize that this town has as large
O population as Pittspurg. electric lights,
clubs and as big merchants and traders as
are to be found anywhere in the East.
From the waters of lake NyanZa it is less
than 100 miles to lake Tanganyika, the
southern end of this is connected by
"Stephensons road" with lake Nyassa.
and then it is plain sailing To the Shire and
Zambesi, which England has dotted with
stations. Between the southern end of the
lakes from which the Nile springs and Fan
zibar is, however, German protectorate
which England was weak enough and fool
ish enough TO let Germany secure when, in
1884 she built her first small block-house
at Sima, $50 miles inland from Zanzibar.
England has, therefore, two objects. She
desires the imperial water course south
open to her. She wants access to Zlnzi-
bar. She secures both. In the debat-
able three-cornered region which lies be-
Nyanza on the northeast, the top Of
Tanganyika on the south, in which Stanley
made treaties with the Usagara, where DR..
Peters has been negotiating with the sue
cesSive rulers of Uganda and and where
Germany's advance would give her the
neck of the bottle, the German lire is
swung south so as 10 cover SANKEY'S treat
les and give Mount Mkumbiro and strip
of territory on the western edge of Lake
Nyanza to Great Britain. AS this noun
tain is below south latitude three degrees
and Germany is said to run up to the first
degree south Of the equator, it is not easy
to reconcile these statements, but the plain
purpose of this bend is evidently to give
England approach to Lake Tanganvika.
Between this lake and Nyassa, England
again secures strip along ''Stephenson's
Road, and this completes the water chain.
The coast Germany keeps, but Zanzibar
and its neighbor island 10 the north go to
England, and this power secures the mar
row strip of coast which Germany picked
up two years ego between the Italian coast
| ending at the Juba river and the British
coast beginning ut the lama river.
These names count for but little. The
main thing is that England secures her
waterway and the great port of East
Africa, with a stretch of coast back to the
great lakes. She surrenders to Germany
Heligoland. Its possession would be a
doubtful advantage in war to England.
| To Germany in war with France or with
| Russia, it will be of priceless inheritance.
tic and its entrance which the German
fleet is built 10 secure. Sentiment will be
against this cession, common sense favors
| ii, and by IL England is able tartly to re.
mind both Russia aid France how easily
she can aid Germany.
The bitter drop in England's cup is that
if she had acted five years ago she might,
without firing n shot or losing a man, have
held all she now yields 10 Germany.