New-York tribune., 1895-09-25
FRANCE AND MADAGASCAR.
FOR A PRoTECTORATE WHICH SHALL
DEBAR FOREIGN INTERFERENCE.

TO REINFORCE THE TROOPS WITH sENEGALEsE
AND HAoussAs-wHo Is TO BLAME FOR THE
IMMosILITY OF THE EXPEplTIoNg
paris. Sept 24.-"Le Figaro says that Presi-
aent Faure has summoned Gneral Borgnls- Des-
,oraes 10 the Palace of the Elysee to confer with
hin, in regard to military operations in NADIA
gsscar
N Grandldier. president OF the Madagascar
. committee. has advised the Cabinet to establish
an effective protectorate the island of Mad
ssascar totally debarring foreign Interference
president Faure presided at the Cabinet coun-
I'll to-day. All the members OF the Cabinet We're
nresent with the exception OF NJ Poincare. Min
,s,er OF Public instruction. 1t decided 10 re-
,nforce the French troops IN Madagascar with
Senegalese and Haoussas who. II is believed. VIII
he capable of resisting the climate.
The information published by "1c Figaro " con-
Arms the rumors current In Paris fortnight ago.
and which were commented upon by Rochefort n
his usual lashing and ironical style in 'L'Intrln-
.lseant" OF September II. He said that the venll
noll,lc!ans and the greedy specu.ators who ac-
cused by the Opposition press OF having instigated
the Madagascar expedition only In their selfish in
tsresis are anxious to Il promptly terminated
IN order to place easily the shares OF the Mad
sgascar financial company already constituted by
them shown in the legal notice or advertisement
Inserted in the official record Les Petltes Afches
The undertakers OF that military campaign"
wrote Rochefort. " holding meetings. In
view OF replacing General Duchesne by some other
man less temporzlng. who would double up the
marches even at the risk OF arriving before An
,snanarivo hardly ted by fifteen moribunds ana
one dozen invaiids."
II may be that the French Government does not
wish TO increase public anxiety by displacng Gen
eral Duchesne and Il seems that such contingency
has not been discussed In the Cabinet meeting
held yesterday under the presidency OF NJ. Felix
Faure II must he admitted that the disasters. the
delays and the frighful mortality which have sig
nalized tho campaign since his landing at Majunga,
chesne II he has taken four months to advance
IsO miles. out OF the 300 which extend between
Majunga and the Malyassy capital. and II he has
lost through sickness than 1900 soldiers out
Of the 5000 under his command. this was due TO
the incredible mlsmanagement In the preparations
Of the campaign. since boats not ready for
the rapid transportation OF troops across the pest-
lowlands OF Madagascar, and since neither
the medical nor the quartermaster departments OF
the expedition properly equipped.
Resides that. General Duchesne is no longer n
Young and active man. especially account of his
obesity He has not seen colonial service 10 the
same extent as some more experienced officers VINO
might have been chosen as Commander -in-Chlef.
Rut when the names of Generals Dodds or Negrler
were mentioned in the Ministers councils they were
SET aside because Il feared that the glory they
had already acquired in the Dahomey and Tonktn
campaigns might be increased by their successes in
Madagascar. and that their popularity might induce
General Borgnis- Desbordes. mentioned in lie ri
garo" has seen service In Tonkln Out MS
principal merit In the eyes of the Opportunist Gov
yernment lies in the fact that at the ,e ne OF ,ne
throw OF the Opportunist Cabinet of jules Ferry, NJ
Rorrnis- esbordes wrote a report showing tnat the
terrible defeat Of the French at Langson IN !onHIh
was dine to the faults Of Colonel Harbinger instead
Of being the result Of unnteligent orders sent by
the Ministry at Paris