The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-06
SALlSBURY'S BAD BARGAIN.

tANlu AAlN At't W t'i VII Wv = AVN ~N'N''
SALlS8URY'S BAD BARGAIN.
The Anglo @ ermanic Arrangement in
East Africa.
We have not had 70 wait long for official
confirmation of the substantial accuracy Of
our account Of the Anglo-German arrange
meut in East Africa, and for the disposal OF
the unwarranted doubts which il pleased
certain Ofour contemporaries to cast upon IT.
Lord Salisbury's dispatch TO Sir Edward
Malet shows that in its main outlines at any
rate. our sketch of that arrangement was,
locally speaking. correct; or, in other words,
that il followed pretty closely 10 the actual
course Of the negotiations between the two
powers. so TAR as the territorial partition OF
Africa is concerned. Where II deNlates
and. as we hold. deyiates disastrOusl!-
from the plan as presented 10y us, = ia IFS
importation into the bargain of a European
possession Of the British Crown. and OF the
European interests thereto attached.
We have elsewhere described the pro-
posed settlement las tOlerable, but only
lust tOlerable," and we gave that descrp-
ton Of il when if was understood that the
recognition of our interests in | ganda ana
beyond the stevenson road, and the eyacua-
ton of With and the abandonment on the
part of Germany Of all claim t. the
territory behind II, found thor com
plete equivalent in the assent on
our part 10 the delimit ttiOn of German
fr0ntier-line ON the north. which would re-
linauish 10 Germany the valuable territory
living on the southwest shore Of Lake Vie
toria Nyanza. and permit her to touch the
boundary of the Congo state between Lakes
Nyanza and Tanganyika, This is the a.
rangement which can lie described as
'tolerable, but only just tolerable:' ana
though il now appears that we further con-
cede 10 Germany a rectlncatlOD IN NeF
favor of tue frontier between Ngamiland
and Damaraland, we are willing TO regard
the recognition Of our prOtectOrate OF Fan
Zibar as a set-Oh against what we part with
under that new term of the arrangement.
But il W. are right in contending and we
do very strenuCusly c0ntend-lhat the sum
of our concessions IN Africa Itself Is Just
barely balanced by the considerations we
have received for them on that Continent, II
follows that the surprising surrender Of
Heligoland is so much sheer loss TO us ana
50 much clear and hHpnsob9sed gain to the
other party to the negotiation.
We should say as much as this even IL II
were trla. IS il is inconsideratelv assumed
to be. that neiig0!9nd is an asset OF insig-
niiicant value to anybods. tYen We're lhat
the case. 4. would still remain ne iac, mat
territorial possessions, especially Wheh
they are cOnquests- as tho Times has. per-
mans. learned by this time 10 be The case of
HeligOland-haVe value TO the popular
Imagination which is bOt exactly TO
measured i'm pounds, shiliinGs asa
pence: and that even the slightest
of sentimental attcbments to an island
within hail Of our own shores, so to
speak, will seem a stronger tie on us in the
miBde Of ninety-nine out OF every HGndred
Englishmen than that which they are con
sciOus of as existing between themselves
and Zanzibar or With, or aay 0iter dlspu-
ted pied terre on the East African coast
But more: it is not by any means the TACT
that UeligOiand is a worthless possession.
II is not wholly 50 e, en- 70 Us; and the ques-
tiOn of including il in the African bargain
is NOT determined by its value 20 us, but by
its value 10 tho other bargalner.
Naval experts viii probably have some
thing 10 saw as to the use 10 x hich it could
be nut as a cOaling station, or foi other pur-
psses. in the event OfOur being engaged IN
naval war: ana unfortunately on point oil
this kind the fact adduced by Lord sails
huPy. that il mas never been treated by the
British government as having any de-
fensive or military value, nor has any at
tempt or proposal been made 10 arm II as
fortress" does not posbess the afgumenta-
tive cOgency which the Prime Mipister ap-
pears TO abscribe 10 II. II is so be feared
that a too rigidly local application OF TINS
principle would lead TO a considerable
abaudonment.of British "places of arms
and naval points d'appui all over the
globe.
There is no need, however, TO insist on
this point, Let it be granted professionally
...r.f ~ tlli
land has 30 "defensiy6 or military value,
that il would constitute an addition TO the
responsibilities Of ite empire IN time 81
war, Lord Salisbury says . heavy addi-
tom but surely responsibility OF which
we could divcst ourselves in time OF war by
abandoning the island, if it be real
Iv NJ no "militarv or defensive
yame.v can hardly be called heavy
and that il would not contribute 10 our
security" All this being nypo,hehcally
granted. the fact remains that what nal
he worthless 20 us IS woftD great deal 10
Germany T.. indeed, not0rl0usly coIeleu
by her, and ought therefore 9ndouotehly 10
have been appraised by Der hajestys GON-
eminent. as good men of business, al some
thing ike "fancy price" 10 such pur-
chaser. IL is the purchasers need oi Tue
thing. and not the vendors indifference u
IL whic,, shOuld determine the amount Oi
he consideratiOa for the transfer.
The Government hGVe, its must be con.
fesscd. dealt most improyidestlg with tn
particular territorial asset Of ours In thdS
lightly proposing to throw ii IN as make
weight ia an Arrangement iog he partition
OF Kasters and Central Africa. u Should
have beeu-inGogd, Il must still De-re-
tanned In our own haads los disposal 10
Germany on some future occasion, Hhen
She has something better 70 caer us than
so.called concessions" and "fecog-
nitionsv in region Of the world
in which our own supine pcncY
has ever made II Gecessary for us TO
resort TO such bargaiEin9s AZ AL, We have
substituted "must still be- retained for
"should have BEEN" beca Use Lord Sails
buryis arrangement is fortunately made
suffice, " the approval Of Parliament, and
that approval 6ught not 20 be given. We
cannot doubt that il viii be the duty OF
Parliament 10 refuse its assent 70 Helir
goland surrender bill; and We may take ~
FOR granted that there are plenty OF men,
bers OF the Ministerial party who Will de-
cline 20 support their leaders In carrying
Out the vesy unsatisfactory bargaip which
has been Professionally arranged.-'St,
James Gdzetfc,
FoR female troubles A. u. T.. Tonic has
10. Try -