Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-08-07
UNEMPLOYED AFRICA.
A Portion Of tho Dark Continent
Yet Unknown.
UnapproprIntel Parts OF the Country the
Objective Point of Exploring Pa
ties from Various
Nations

There is yet an unemployed and I'M
appropriated section Of Africa extend
ing from the scene OF Stanlcy's eXplo;T-
lions on the Congo northward to Lake
Tchad. says the Springfield (MaSs.)
Republican. 1t lies east of the cqua-
torial province and south of the now
line of the French sphere from tie
Niger to Lake Tchad: it is Il rich and
frrtilc country, and said to be one Of
the most desirable possessions III the
dark continent. The London Times
gives an interesting survey of the man
cuvcring on the part of France, Ger
many and England for possession of
this territory. which touches the
spheres Of all these nations.
The French scheme is the most am
bilious. and it includes Il railroad from
Erazzavillc on the ConGo-iu that part
Of lower Guinea given to the French by
the conference that fixed the boun-
dlrics of the Free State of the Con- 70
-northward through twenty-five de-
%frcs Of latitude 10 Algicrs. For five
/ andrcti or SIX hundred miles north
lard the road would pass through this
unappropriatcd strip, then would come
disputed ground, not intended to be in
c!;lded III the French sphere, and which
can only be annexed after Il prolonged
controversy with Germany and Ing
land. The valley of the Shari, inciud-
Ing the province Of Bagirmi and parts
Of Ad&naIva and Bornou, lie south of
Lake Tchad, and arc in the territory
under the eye of the Royal British
Niger Company, which would formally
r'3i$t thrir annexation to France. Nor
you'd Germany consent to this Gddi-
ton to the French sphere If she had no
other reason for opposing this railroad.
The doctrine of hinterland, however,
comes in play here.
Gcrmany's sphere in the CamcroOns
extends eastward to the tiftccEth degree
0f east longitude, and behind this
s,Dh"ro lies territory appropriated by
france reaching t. the aIobunTi, which
i the property of the Congo Free :StItc.
This French appropriation is contrary
= the Gcrman-En:liSh agreement. and
cuts Germany off from Il portion of her
l:ntcrlanA, as the appropriation of ter
rltory along the line OF tn is proposed
railroad would form tho rcmaindcr
German parties are now pressing elst-
ward from the ClmorOonS to take pos
session OF this hintcrland--l strong one
C1d"r the governor working steadily
toward the n)rthG!St: another under
!icut. Nor r1n making its way to the
sources OF t,lc Binu,, whilc Il third is
"a It's way to establish IL base of opera
lions in tie Bali country, on the bor-
GorS Of Adamawa.
French exploring parties are pona-
trating this Il. ;iol. from the north as
w9lI as the south. From the son tn they
liIvr followed The Moban'Ei river and
It's branehes--Onc party following the
SIn%a to about four dc Src2s north lati-
tudc; another the MoD1ngl 10 the Ion
l~:a rapids, whence it is proposed to
push across country to the Shari and
through to Lake Tchad. From Algeria
and from Scncglmbia expeditions arc
thing to reach the upper Niger and
thence along to Lake Tchad>
In the meantime the Royal Niger
Company are looking after their con
n"ctionS with the central Soudan ant
trying to keep hold of tho countries no
granted II France to the south and cas-
of Lake Tchad. The Shari valley, b
rirrni, and Wadai they will keep in thci
sphere if they caa; the British East AT
rican Company will hold on to Darfur
pnd will work its way as far to tn
south and west of that coun try us it i
rble. Whatever France and German,
may claim whe1 the timo comes for tn
new partition of this inappropriate
part Of Central Africa by intcrnationa
agreement, as it must before long, Eng
hand will probably manage to sccur
the larger part if not the whole of til
Central Soudan for herself.