New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-31
THE MADAGASCAR EXPEDITION.
THE SECOND SERIES OF MILITARY ofEh" ''''
ABOUT TO BEGIN-THE FRENCH GUINEA
TRATING AT sUBERBIEvILLE READY ~

THE SECOND SERIES OF MILITARY OPERAii'N'
ABOUT TO BEGIN-THE FRENCH coNCEN-
TRATING AT sUBERBEvILLE READY To
MARCH-DEATH OF COLONEL GILLoN.
The French expedition In Madagascar has 'efn''-
mated the frs. series of It's operations, anu - "
ready resume It's march upon Antanahai''' Wv
capital OF the island. Only onc-third OF the io",'
to that place has been covered but IL Is t'e n'
est on account Of the unhealthy condition % "e
lowlands through which the invaders had 10 pas
They have consumed nearly three months III 'e'o"
ing Suberbicve, about one hundred ana twenty NV
miles inland. This is due to the dlihcu'ueS eNP
enced in landing soldiers. coolies anG scores OF t
sands OF tons OF ammunition and provis''hS' i"'
wharf which to be constructed at Majuhs"' '"'
seaport on the northwestern coast OF Madagascar
WAS not ready when the transports arrived theie'
with 1900 soldiers and all belongings oil 'n s'
military expedition; the unloading had 10 De "'"'
with lighters the wharf extending no further tha''
eighty metres from the shore though II was uh'r'-
stood that It would be go metres long. the 'a''"'a
tons had been wrongly made: instead Of conth"-
GUS sandy bottom the builders OF the wharf iouhp
rock nearer the shore than they had expected.
The landing OF troops and implements was accom-
plished safely. though slowly. between the pcsn
ming OF May and the middle OF June "ehera' "e,
Finger occupied Majunga temporarily since APRIL
and merely made some military reconnoissah'e' III
the interior OF the country until the arrival OF ten"
eral Duchesne. the commander-in-ch VINO '""''"
on MAY with the bulk OF the expditionary corps
A few DAYS were consumed in erecting suitable DAT
racks military depos. and putting together the gun
boats and launches which had been brought IN parts
I-nfortunately there were few workmen to do u;
more have been sent recently from France. Inc
fact II that the troops which were to De cat'' ~
the launches up the Betsiboka River as far a- Nc
vatanana. where that river ceases - be naNig""''
on account OF the rapids were compelled to Har'h
along the banks OF the Betsboka. and wer" thus *
turlnc mar q
Nuence Of the morasses. swamps and muddy paths
| through which they tramped under broNihs SUI"
Still. the death-rate much lower Than couid
| have been feared under the circumstances J.
hardly reached 10 per cent. Including the 'oo"'S
| and load bearers who nearly as numerous as
the soldiers themselves The first officer who sue
cumbed 10 the influence OF the climate was cap
| tain Buguin. who landed at MaJunga In IN" Dc
| ginning o, May with the sixth company o. me
military train OF equipagcs. Later on Colonel Gil
| lon commander OF the 2oth Regiment. which is
the nucleus OF the expedition. died OF dyseni"ry IN
the hospital a, Majunga wherein he had been
| hastily transported from Ambato II place inland
! occupied by his regiment. The sick soldiers are
sent 20 a sanitarium near the coast o- 20 III"
| French colony o, La Reunion. Moreover, those
| FOR whom there is no hope o, a speedy cure ar"
| sent 10 France and many OF them have been re
| Gently embarked on board tho steamer Noire Dame
| de Salut bound 10 Marsciiles. where the munci-
| paity has already taken steps 20 tender them a
patriotic reception besides preparing special hos
1 piial for these nrst victims OF the Madagas Ar
| climate
| Had the gunboat- tugs and launches been ready
| In proper time. the troops would have been trans
ported from Majunga to Subcrhcvillc inside 81
| three days Instead OF this the march consume
/ nearly six weeks account 81 The difficulties %
the route and the total absence OF any roads The
| advance delayed mainly. also. by another kind
| o, difficulties. that is the necessity 10 have the
| spv he he Cd
| carried the backs o, the coolies. most OF whom
| were imported from ObOck and even Als"f An
| Kabyly. since the Sakalavcs o, the Madagascar
| coast afraid to help the French. fearing ID
| be punished afterward by the dominant tribe and
| the Government OF the Hovas. II is easy to I'M
derstand therefore. why the expedition took several
| weeks 10 reach Subcrbcyillc. The campaign u.s. No.
| deel. like that OF General Wolselcy IN Ashaniee
| zone OF doctors and engineers" more Than OF mill
| The nghtng has been up to the present time IN
significant. and 1t Will continue 70 be 80 probably
| The Hovas rely more upon their General F"vei
and General FOrest-that H.. upon their unhsa hfu
than upon n" strength. yaior and stability or tnei
| soldiers. They know that IN" advance ~ The
sity OF revctualllng. since no less than apj of
food have daily TO be transported by carriers 70.
are Few and deserted BY their imhaSItamtt Who ar,
ordered TO burn everything that could be used b,
II is said by the Revue FrAncal.e." scml-om
| cial magazine devoted TO the studies Of col0nlh
and exploration questions. THE mos, serious am
| culties Will begin not In regard 10 the IIoyas
| admitted TO be negligible quantity Ia tho AFFAIR
| but In regard 10 the problem ~ r~vciualilug the
troops" Up 10 the present time food has beer
| easily procured and a soldier could write hi,
friends in France: Il have never eaten no much
| chicken. duck, etc" But the Hovas fleeing from
| the lowland districts occupied by the French have
driven before them the becves which were fornorl,
plentiful and which have already become scarce
| These difficulties have compelled General Duchcsn,
to alter somewhat his plan ~ campaign. II Is ru
morcd that he Will send forward a nyIng column
under command Of General icyron who h,inl
unencumbered with too large a fore, ami impeli
menia. VIII proceed rapidly toward Antananary'
ana capture the place. II that new plan Is folowc,
II Is probable that the small column OF Genera
Ncyron would not be stopped By any Important por
ton or the foVas army. which showed little Nyh
In the two engagements by which they tried Z,
stay the French advance AT Moroway and Tsara
troa: At any rate. the flying column could hardl,
reach the Madagascar capital before the end OF Au
gust.
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