The morning call., 1892-08-02

a COMING EMPIRE.

The detailed accounts of the expulsion OF
Sir Charles Smith, the British envoy from
Fec, the capital Of Morocco, confirm the be-
lief that Sir Charles was checkmated 10y the
French. Ever since the partition OF Africa
among the European powers began, a contest
has been waged by England, France and Spain
for the sovereignty, or as the diplomats
mt if. s.the Influence" OF Morocco. This is
q kingdom as large as France, with popu-
Iatiou Of some 100000. chiefly Berbers
and Arabs, under q desp0hc Sultan.
France claims that she ought TO control it
by reason of its proximity TO Algeria.
Spain claims that she should control 1t by
reason Of lis proximity To the Spanish coast,
and also because it is largely peopied by
descendants OF the Moors, who were eX-
PEELED from Spain. England claims it on
general principles, on the ground that dere-
lict estates naturally belong to her. For
several years France has had the best of the
struggle; French influence has become
potent at Fee, and all along the coast. from
Oran TO Tangier It was to counteraet
French intrigue that Sir Charles Smith was
sent TO Fec.
Americans viii be amused at the demands
which Sir Charles made of the Sultan OF an
independent power. lie required that the
duties on cereals. md abolishing export
duties or goods shipped from one province
Of Morocco TO another; that a system of
water works should be established at Tan
gier; that the slave trade should be abol-
ishcd; and that a police force should be
organ zed 10 be under the joint control of
the foreign C0nsuls and the Sultan. On
reading these demands, ii is easy to under
stand ho~ the French persuaded the Sultan
to invite Sir Charles to return whence he
came.
England, will hardly make war on Morocco
to sustain such professions as these. espe-
cially as the French will probably accom-
plish the same objects with less friction. 1t
is. of course. calling to the Briton who looks
upon non Christian countries as his natural
appanage to see the French gradually
spreading their sway over Northwestern
Africa; bot there seems TO be no help for it.
England Will have TO content herself with
Egypt. The foothold which the French
troops have secured is too solid TO be shaken
except by actual war.
An empire, as large as the United
States and Mexico nut together. including
Alaska. and with even greater possibilities
than British India, Is slowly hut surely pass
ing into French hands. From Cape Boa in
the Mediterranean, opposite Sicily, all round
the coast of the continent, 10 the mouth
Of the Niger in the Gulf OF Guinea, the sea-
ports are falling under the French flag;
and by the application Of the HBteyjnnd
principle, which was enforced in Canada
when il was first settled, the possession OF
the Seaeoast carries with il control Of the
interior for an indefinite distance Thus
tie occupation Of Sencgambia IS supposed
to entitle the French 10 dominion over all
the territory between Cape Verde and the
Niger; the occupation Of Whydah is the
Justification for the expedition Dahomey
which the French troops undertake next
month, ana the occupation OF Tunis entities
France TO claim the territory round Lake
Chad, which is 1900 miles south. Expedi-
ton after expedition, under the conduct of
the ableSt officers Of the French army, is
penetrating this area from every direction,
giving battle 10 some tribes, cOneiliating
others. but always planting the French flag
as the symbol CT French dominion. IL
seems inevitable that within a given nun Der
Of years the whole OF this vast empire VIII
be as French as Algeria is.
II has been frequently observed that the
French are not a success as c0lonizers
They certainly made mess OF il on this
continent But nations learn Ike men.
No mistakes have been made by the French
in Africa since they annexed tie domains
Of Abd-el-Kader. 1t is not likely thar any
tirst-class power viii oppose tie undertake
ing to FTencbify 4 region which has been
the abode OF bloodthrsty uptamable saw
! ages ever since Il first became known. But
| the extension Of French Africa will alter
the distribution of territory among the
/ natforc