The morning call., 1893-08-28
THE FRENCH IN AFRICA.

It is understood that the French Gov
ernment has approved the recommends
ton of General Dodds and given orders for
the annexation of the coast of the Gulf of
Guinea. including the towns of Nhydah,
Grand Popo and Kotonon. The interior
for the present it leaves under native con-
troll and divides it into three provinces, in
each of which it retains one city under
French authority.
The real base of French operations is the
island of st. Louis, at the mouth of the Sem
egal. This is town of some 20, 600 peo-
pie, having grown up in the last twelve or
fifteen years; it is good base for opera
tiODs against any portion of the French
Soudan. The French idea is to build up
French territory between the Senegal and
The Niger, embracing the Slave Coast, the
Gold Coast and the Ivory Coast, and the
country from the mouth of the Niger past
Cape Palmas to Cape Verde, with an
interior line as indefinite as the line which
bounded the American colonies on the
west in the middle of the eighteenth CEN
tury. ID the future France cherishes
visions of anneXing TO this territory the
Soudan proper, so as to connect Algeria
with her other African possessions; but
this of course is in the dim distance. At
present the republic would ba satisfied
with line of seapoTts along the coast and
a chain of forts from Abomey along the
Niger
1t must be admitted that there is more
method in the scheme than can be discov-
cred in the French operations in South
eastern Asia. The latter can hardly help
eliminating ultimately in disgrace and
retreat. But there is no reason why the
French should not establish a foothold in
Western Africa. Whether the game
would prove 10 be worth the candle is an
undetermined problem. The border of the
desert is mainly swamp and impenetrable
wood. There may be stretches of arabic
land, for thus far exploration has been
limited to the shores of the rivers. But
the exports of st. Louis in 1890 were less
than S2,5O0,000, and consisted mainly of
ground nuts and gum arabic. There may
be country hack Of the coast which will
grow cotton. sugar, rice and other tropi-
cal products, but it has not yet been found.
Exploration is rendered extremely diff
cult by the malaria, which prevails in the
river valleys. Du Chaillu, who made ex-
cursions into them in search of gOrillas,
lOuuQ 10 hfCoSSdlN W idiSt MS
tion Of quinine to forty grains day.
In Senegambia, which embraces the val
leys of the Senegal and the Gambia, hopes
have always been entertained that i'm
pOrtant gold discoveries would be made.
Gold is found in the gravel Of most of the
streams, and likewise in quartz veins in
the mountains. Thus far it has never
been found in quantities which induced
its pursuit by white men. but the Berbers
have legends Of time when the world was
supplied with gold from their mines. The
formation lustfies a more thorough exam
ination than the country has ever had.
1t is impossible to withhold a tribute of
| admiration from the Europeans who are
investing life ana treasure in the hope OF
bringing Africa into the pale OF civilization.
France has made quite a success Of AL
geria; 1t is becoming an orderly, prosper
Gus region, and has railroad running into
the Sahara. England is extending its
colony from the south, and before very
long will have railroad from the east
coast to tap the great lakes. Germany is
endeavoring to esta blish foOthold at Zan-
zibar, while Italy is trying to plant col
ony on the west bank of the Red Sea. and
along the Congo and its tributaries. On
all sides the two hundred millions of native
! Africans are in contact with white men.
| What benefits will result from the con tact
| time has vet tO disPiOSa