The Penn's Grove record., 1893-02-24
A U STILL E F
The Corner of AFRICA Tha Yet Remains -
He Grabbed.


lie Grabbed.
There Is yet an UNEMPLOYED and IN
appropriated section Of Africa ex-
tending from the scene of Stanley's
exp orations on the Congo northward
to Lake Tchad, says the Springfield
Mass Republican. 1t lies east OF
the equatorial province and south OF
the new line of the French sphere
from the Niger to Lake Tchad; it is
a rich and fertile country, and said
to be one Of the most desirable pos
sessions in the dark continent. The
London Times gives an interesting
survey of the ~maneuyerlng on the
part of France, Germany, and En-
gland for possession Of this territory,
which touches the spheres Of all
these nations
The French scheme Is the most an.
nitiou., and it includes a railroad
from Brazzaville on the Congo-in
that part of Lower Guina given to
the French by the conference that
fixed the boundaries of the Free State
OF the Congo-northward through %
utRTCcS VI idblbuuc W Arg iCio Iui
500 or 600 miles northward the road
would pass through this unapproprl-
ated strip, then would come disputed
ground, not intended to be included
in the French sphere, and which can
only be annexed after a prolonged
controversy with Germany and En-
gland. The valley OF the Shari, in
Guiding the province Of Bagirmi and
parts of Adamawa and Bornon, lie
south OF Lake Tchad, and arc in the
territory under the eye of the ROYAL
British Niger Company, which would
formally resist their annexation to
France. Nor would Germany consent
to this addition to the French sphere
IL she had no other reason for oppus-
ing this railroad. The doctrine OF
hinterland, however, comes in play
here.
Germany's sphere in the Cameroons
extends to the fifteenth degree of east
longitude, and behind this sphere lies
territory appropriated by France
reaching to the Mobangi, which is the
property of the Congo Free State.
This French appropriation is contrary
to the German-E English agreement,
and cuts Germany of from a portion
of her hinterland, as the approps la
ton of territory along the line of
this proposed railroad would form
the remainder. German parties are
now pressing eastward from the Cam
eroons to take possession of this him
terland--a strong n under the Gov
ernor working steadily toward the
northeast; another under Lieut.. Nor
gan making its way to the ources of
the Binue: while a third is on its way
to establish a base of operations in
the Bali country, on the borders of
Adamawa-
French exploring parties are pene-
5ratin. this region from the uortt as
well as the south. From the south
they have followed the Mobangi River
and It's branches-one party following
the Sanga to about 4 degrees north
latitude; another the M0bangi to tho
Bongra rapids, whence it is proposed
to push across country to the Sharl
and through to Lake Tchad From
Algeria and from senegaInbia expe-
ditions are trying to reach the upper
Niger and thence along to Lake
Tchad.
In the meantime the ROYAL Nige
Company are looking after their con-
nections with the central Soudan and
trying to keep hold of the countries
not granted to France to the south
and east of Lake Tchad. The Shari
valley, Bagirmi. and Wadi they will
keep In their sphere II they can; and
the British East African Company
will hold on to Darfur, and will work
Its way as far to the south and west
of that country as it is able. What
ever France and Germany may claim
when the time comes for the new par
tition Of this unappropriated part Of
Central Africa by international agree
ment, as it must before long, England
will probably manage to cur the
larger part If not the whole Of the
central Soudan for herself.