The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1894-10-13
MADAGASCAR.

MADAG ASCAh.
For little time the people can af-
ford to have their attention attracted
from Japan and China to the country
near the west coast Of Africa. Though
France has denied tina. she contem-
plates blockade of the ports of this
island, and though England denies that
the sudden summoning Of her cabinet
has any relation to Franco-Anglican
unpleasantness, little skepticism as
to the professions of these two deeply
powers may be permitted
TO the outside world. That the French
would be very glad to have a hrmer
hold on Madagascar as strategic point
Of Importance second only to Gibraltar
Is not an extravagant superstition, and
that England is determined to prevent
the consum nation of such scheme is
quite matter of course.
Madagascar is the third largest
island, and has an area about equal to
that of France, and while it's govern;
ment is an absolute monarchy, by the
treaty OF Tamatav, signed in 1883,
France is allowed resident general
with military escort, by whom all the
fore,gn relations of the country are
regulated, and France has agents at
allimportant points, having, practically
speaking. supervisory control OF the
kingdom. This advantage is one that
France Is apt to construe into an i'm
perial right, it having always been her
policy to assert claim upon countries
in which she has succeeded in estab.
fishing what may be termed suze-
rainty, for that is what the treaty OF
Tamatav amounts to under French
construction.
Great Britain recognized in 1890 the
French protectorate over Madagascar,
but nevertheless succeeded through her
missionaries and commercial interests
in gaining dominant influence in the
Hova capital. France, while careful
to avoid a conflict with the Hova gov
ernment, industriously extended her
interests end influence ON the coasts
and in the northern part of the island,
until she now feels pretty secure. The
Malagasy government has refused t0
recognize English sympathies. so that
the internal conditions are as unfavor-
able to seizure of the island by the
French as the external circumstances
of British opposition may be.
1t is probable, therefore, that the
British have no very serious concern
as to the attempt of France to acquire
absolute control of Madagascar. More
over, it is possible the United States
might antagonize any plan of French
usurpation, for the sufficient reason
that three.tenths Of the trade of NADIA.
gascar is with this country, though II
the hands of two or three firms. Th'
commercial interests of other countries
than France seem to demand tha
there be no such alteration of existing
conditions as would be effected by th'
occupation of Madagascar by th'
French.
Though little is known Of Madagas
car other than as geogrsphical en-
tity, it has almost the dimensions of q
continent, having total length OF 97d
miles and greatest breadth of 35S
The population is. not great for the
area, but there are about 1000, 600
inhabitants. There is an increasing
yield of gold and copper among her
mineral resources, and many parts Of
the island are supposed to be very rich
in valuable ores. The chief exports
ars cattle. India rubber, hides, coffee,
lard, sugar, wax, copal. rice, and seeds.
The exports, according to the latest
authentic figures from French sources,
are about 3.s00,0O0 francs, the i'm.
ports being nearly the same. This is
not great trade, but as itls the basis
of greater possibilities the future of
Madagascar merely as commercial
interes. is important. To France and
England, however, the island is of less
consequence commercially than it is
politically.