The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-24
WALKERS CONCESSION.
Valuable Forest Which the French
Are Trying to steal.

Valuable Forest which the French
Are Trying to Steal.
On April 20, 1894, Mr.. Waller secured
concession from the Hovas government Of
the whole southern part of the island of
Madagascar and this concession was OBJ
tanned in spite of the repeated protests of
the French residents and the French colony
general. According to the French pioneer
colonists all the nationalties Engaged in
the India rubber trade considered that their
vested interests had been injured by the
concession to Mr.. Waller The latter did
not share in their opinion.
Tamatave is the chief port of entry in
Madagascar, and India rubber is among the
principal exports of that great island which
also has extensive forests, containing much
valuable timber suitable for furniture
France hitherto has claimed protectorate
over the island of Madagascar, and Great
Britain has recognized it. But, the native
government of Madagascar repudiates the
French claim TO protectorate and the
government of France is now sending to
Madagascar a large expeoltion, intended to
subdue the Hovas. 1t may also be added
that the last two American consuls at
Tamatave have presented their credentials
to the Malagasy government. thereby caus-
ing some friction between themselves and
the French residents.
The concession granted to Mr.. Waller is
admitted to be most valuable one as it
is in the great rubber district of Fort
Dauphin, on the south coast If the island.
and the terms under which the ex-consui
obtained it were very much more reasonable
than any previously granted in Madagas-
car. Moreover, the concession is by far The
largest, and is said to be in every way the
most important surface concession ever
granted in Madagascar. 1t covers an area
of two hundred and twenty-five square
miles, or, more than i've, times the area of
New York city. The lands in addition to
producing rubber trees and vines in vast
quantities, abound in such fine timbers as
they admirably adapted to the culti-
vation of tea, coffee, sugar and vanilla.
he announced that he would st stop iesslHl the del
struction of rubber trees and vines by the
natives in their method of getting rubber
and that he would preserve the producing
capacity of his concession by having the
milk of the rubber trees extracted in
scientific manner. He also proposed to en-
ter largely into the cultivation or the rubber
plants. The Scientific American and the
Electrical al. Review IN commenting on the
almost constituted a prospective CONNER
cial revolution. From this it win be seen
concession is a valuable one. and i'm view
Of the opposition pp al he has h !, met with on the
that he is now in trouble.
AN EDITORS VIEW.
Adivces from Antananarivo under date
of May 81. 1894, announced that the French
resident-general there had entered formal
protest against the concession secured by Mr.
Waller declaring that France would re-
fuse to recognize any concessions made to
foreigners without her permission. Early
in June last the New York World published
a letter from Antananarivo. dated April 81
in which Mr.. f. Underwood Harvey, editor
of the Madagascar News. asked the World
to convey 10 the American people a mes
sage, saying: 1T is time for the great
American government to put its foot down
and say that American enterprise in this
country shall longer be trampea by
French bullying This was q result of
the action OF the representatives of France
in Madagascar in denying the Malagasy
governments right to make land grants to
american citizens without first obtaining
the sanction of the French resident-gen-
eral
France is endeavoring to persuade Pres
ident Cleveland" Mr.. Harvey declared.
ITO allow her representatives to be the
medium of all communication between the
American consul in this country and the