, 1894-10-24


gard to him now.
1t is very difficult to know what France
really wants. 1t it quite clear that it is not
out of phi1anthropic motives towards
the natives that France is pursuing her claims,
but from her conviction of the naval and mi
litary Importance Of Madagascar in view Of
future war.
Il do not for a moment sup, o~e that Great
Britain will allow France actually to annex
Madagascar. If She only takes the northern
part she will get all she wants from a stra.
te"ic pojnt Of view without interfering With
any commerc VI inurrests except t, a very
limitel extent.
"The harbour Of Diego Suarez iSa magnif-
cent land locked one and from it in the event
fthe Suez Canal being blocked,a few French
cruises could cripple all British trude with
India, Australia, and the Cape. in order to
insure safety all British trade going east Ward
from the Cape of Good Hope would have to
be conveyed by war vessels. With regard to
the trade with Madagascar it is diticnlt' said
the Consul in conclusion, ito give actual fl
cures. Great b itain has f6ul. enths If the
total trade, next comes the I'm ted States
with three trnthS, aud France with only one
tenth of tie rntire mpolt aud export
trade of the islaitl. A good deal Of
British, German and American trade is, how
ever, carried in French bottoms. The Brit
ish imports al chiefly Manchester goods and
hardware. rdffia. fibre, hides, ~beeSwax, and
other articles. The American trade is in the
hands of two large firms Of Boston and Salem.
Massachusetts, who import cotton goods and
take in return india rubber aud hides. The
Germans are represented by ona large Ham
burg firm and by one OF two smaller houses.
Most Of the trading houses have stations at
Tamatave and other places along The coast"
The French AlnbaSsado. retortS thar. 1.-The
Madagascar Consul has no existence" the
British Government having withdrawn their
exequatur from UGH officials several years
ago and the Hova Government being repre-
scented in foreign counties by the agents Of
France.
According to The statements made in Paris
by u person W Tho is said to be well Informed,
the demands which NJ. lie Myre dc Vilers
has been instructed to make on the Hova
Government include the right to acquire free.
hold tenure of land III Madagascar, the pre-
sence e a French official ADVISER with every
HOva Local governor, an increase in the num-
Der Of French troops stationed Mt the oauital
and an increase of land, round Diego Saurez.
ut is a mistake, " according TO this authority.
"to suppose that the HovA Government is
more friendly towards the British than to-
wards tile French. The MaIagaSy %provern
has, it that . Hazo and Tazo" forest and f.
ver) are the country's greatest protection
against foreigners, and 80 they will doubtle $.
prove. The cemetery at Tamatave is full of
the graves of French soldiers who died during
the last war, not SO much in fighting as from
fever. At the same time the native troops
must be reckoned with. Some Of them have
been carefully trained by foreign officers
both English and French. If the Freuch
strike decisive blow at the very beginning
the Hoyas may be di heartened, but even
then no European army could reach the ca
pital without serious delay and heavy loss.
The Hovas are the most powerful tribe in
the island, and, although numerically by far
the smallest, they are by reason of their in
telligence the GOVERNING race. Az far rs the
rest Of the Malagasy are concerned, they q 8
too ignorant to care very much What hap
pens.
Peute S agency in London has received q
communication saying, at is Of course to be
understood thar whatever action France
may deep it necessary to take in Madagascar
the t~EeatieS concludeGDwith the Hova Govern
ment by Great Britain will subsist as provi.
ded for by the agreement concluded between
Greas Britain and France when the protec-
torate of the island was under taken ,by
the lattry Power"
The Po1;t;0ue fDlon;oIe of Paris oo~s