The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-09

west boundary at the Mamma River, fifteen miles
ing. for he expected that shells would begin to
drop in Ashmun street 4 he fingered over the
refused TO ratify the treaty and a protest was
sent to the various powers, TO which no attention
Prs.i Ssia s sfcfst G IH 1hs to on COMPLY with With E 2Sl
lands demands, and, as there was really nothing
else to do, she put OF the evil day as long as she
England had secured a very valuable extension
tion OF the principle that might makes right. It
was a case Of ,bulldozing, pure and simple, and
Liberia was still in the depths OF chagrin over
this bald spoliatlon when danger began 70
menace her frontier in the southeast and north
ant for spells: France never woke up to the fact
until 1895 that her territory along, the, Ivory
session. This coast became hers, as far west rs
the San Pedro River, half a century ago. and
Ivory Coast is one OF her few colonies that can
be made TO pay It's own expenses, This discovery
pleased Era rIsnGS very N, much ,Sa HTSs she BEGAN IT., to
tween the San Pedro and the Cavally rivers,
which the black republic had ACQUIRED In
parcels OF various size between 1898 and 1880.
informed her that this was French territory by
and France had decided that II was high time to
take what belonged TO her. Moreover. certain
Grand Bassa and other places where the Liber-
fans had established towns, had been turned
into French soil by solemn treaties long before
Liberia found a place on the maps; and though
France had kept very still about II all these
years. and the Liberians had never seen the
ing. ships, treaties were, treaties. France had
valid claims. and now. she wanted her own.
But this vas only the beginning Of Frances
spread quickly to the east and northeast, until
II covered nearly the whole OF those frontiers.
Ringer had made his remarkable journey from
the upper waters OF the Niger TO the Gulf of
Guinea. He had found the great. popuious
plain fair to sec and teeming with possibilities
grain. was a prize worth having. II would cx-
tend the possessions OF France unbrOkenly from
the Sahara TO the Ivory Coast; So, not long after
story, French troops from Senegal crossed the
Niger, followed In Binger's footsteps. broke into
samory. and attended to ali the T little kinHiSts
who thought they could whip France, and tried
Liberia had pushed her frontier into the west
ern edge OF this region long before France had
ever dreamed OF acquiring II. Her Medina pro-
tectorate pierced far into, the plateau now
state, towering high above her weak sister re-
public In Africa, told the helpless Government
three OF her frontiers and accept a new boundary
which France would outline. IL IL needless here
To- recount Liberals protests and the long neGo-
when, at last, the French troops were on the
threshold OF the disputed, territory, all
there was nothing for Liberia TO do but 70 Yield
and accept the |" rectihed' boundary. The treaty
was signed in February last. In return for the
large territory thus fOrcibly acquired France has
waived her shadowy claims to tho small dis
tricts on the coast above referred to; hut she re-
serves the right to revive them il Liberia ever
passes into the hands Of a foreign power.
C9nsidering her. own performance, France,
perhaps, thinks this contingency is likely to oc-
cur. surely despOilment cannot he carried much
tirely. CYRrs o.. .ApA"s.