The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-01-06
THE PARTITIoNING OF AFRICA.

| 1t is announced from Berlin that the En-
peror Of Germany proposes to proceed
meth odically with the colonization of East
Africa. and to dispute with other powers
| the Lake region. He purposes 10 initiate
the policy of his predecessor when Poland
was partitioned; if there is TO be any
| spoliation of the heather he will have his
share.
1t is just about twenty years since the
powers of Europe declared that Africa was
an undiscovered country, and that it was
open TO settlement by Christian nations
At that time Portugal claimed sovereignty
over large tract OF sea coast, with unde-
teTmiued lack country in Angola on the
west ana Mozambique on the east coast.
France held Algeria, and England Cape
Colony. with unknown boundaries. Some
ten years ago each European power began
TO stretch out for territory England moved
her QUIZ Csts north ami east from Capetown.
and eventually claimed the coast with
slice Of back country as far as the Poltu-
guese setNou ents in Mozambique. France
pushed her flag west and south, enyelCping
spanish colony near Cape Blanco, and
now sweeping down into the Gulf Of
Guinea. Germany laid her hands on the
territory en- the mainland opposite the
island Of Zanzibar, aud put forth armed
colonies north, west and south. Italy
planted her flag at the mouth of tie Red
Sea, with indefinite territorial prelensions.
and simultaneously Belgium, operating
under tie flag of the Congo State, laid
claim TO the valley of the Congo and lis
tributaries
how enormous an area of territory is
thus claimed TO be under European SOW
ereignty may be inferred from the preten-
tions lately set forth by the Practitioners of
the Dark Continent. 1t will be remembered
that the area of Africa is IL, 100000 square
miles. The conquered territory is as
follows:
Square
France Senegal, Sahara, Gaboon, Congo.
Madagascar, Algeria and TuniS ......... 800 24s
South and I.ast Africa Companies ...... l, 800 445
Germany = Zanzibar, Southwest Africa
ItaIy-A byssinla and Somaiiiand. 800, 900
Spain-Cape BIanoo. Adras and NUM-. 100000
Portugal-Angola and the Stands. 1898
Congo State-The river valleys. -. 900 600
Total . 1880, 400
There is but one nation in the world whose
area exceeds that of this African grab, and
that Is Russia, which by counting in its ST.
beran deserts figures out an area of $685.
GOO square miles of territory. The total
area of the United States, exclusive of
miles. Seven European nations thus pro-
pose to annex or have actually annexed a
territory which is two and a half times as
large as the whole of the United States. and
which is capable of supporting a denser pop
ulaton than ours.
There is no sort Of reason why we should
object. We are not believers in this coun-
Try IN the doctrine Of the balance of power.
and certainly in European hands, under
European laws, and with European provis-
IONS Tor the preservation of peace and order.
AFRICA VIII be more useful portion of the
globe than 1t has ever been In the hands of
the descendants of Ham. The conGuerors
may ind that in acquiring these vast
stretches Of territory they have incurred re-
spons!bilties and involved themselves in ex-
penditures which the glory of territorial ex-
pansion will not offset. But that is their
business, not ours
@ me meantime, their operations make
~ O'NiIZation and progress. Railroad and
80 - ~ puliulhg are proceeding yiqor
U1'I' !" every eeCtioh OF the Dark Continent
ne ROAD along the cataracts of the Co..
will be completed this year. ana an mT
broken line of transportation established he
tween Stanley Pool and Bona The road from
the Kimberley diamond-felds TO the Fam
besl has been completed for 125 miles of the
distance, and telegraph line is working IN
a point 17Go miles north Of Capetown. The
line from Kimberley to Capetown was
opened some time ago. and two other lines
from the diamord-fieIds, one to the east.
the other to the west coast are in progress.
Both the English and the Germans are pre-
pairing to build from the coast to the great
hiiilnanJaro Range; the English road will
rNn from the range TO the Victoria Nvanyo
Du. Vhe greatest of all the projected African
N @i.iaue Is the one for which the French
, ion - nave Just asked for an appropria-
Cons.nS.i I'm 'ie Chambers. 1t is to connect
,%n h in Algeria with Lake Toad in
b "i nt ta pi 81 Africa The road is already
Tchad the distanoo From that point to Lake
desert of Sahara. 'N'ough The
Enterprises like this will reconcile -,
"orld 10 European colon ization in Afr;oa 'ne