The morning times., 1895-07-08
FRANCE WANTS TO FIGHT !.
Quick Way tolEid Her Long
standing ContentlDaWilh Brazil.
GUIANA BOUNDARY QUESTION
French Criminals of the Worst Type
Form Population of the Disputed
tempt to Make q King of Himself
Capt. Dreyfus VIII Live There.

The strained relations between France
and Brazil over the French Guiana bound
airy appear to become more complicated
daily The subject is ana alagous to the
Britt sh- Venezuelan trouble, in which
the United States has Ia ken hand, and
in the opinion of officials here the French
contest with Brazil is rapidly assuming
an aggravated aspect which may again
call for the attention of the United States,
as the Monroe doctrine applies to one no
less than to the other
An armed conflict has occurred in the
disputed territory, between French soldiers
and ETazillians. The French government
has demanded redress, aud the Brazilian
congress has passed resolution, couched
in sharp language, calling for an explain
alton from Era nee.
A cable report from Brazil states that
the government regards the subject as so
menacing that strict censorship has been
established on all Information regarding
it
The armed conflict has merely brought
to crisis the long contention over the
French Guiana boundary Both countries
claim a large tract of territory extending
north from the Amazon river, and equal in
extent 10 what is usually designated on the
map French Guiana
AS each country regards the occupa-
ton of this disputed territory as unwar-
ranted. the fault for the recent conflict
cannot be placed.
USED AS A CONVICT COLONY.
In one respect the disputed territory
presents more picturesque aspect than
R,.t n -, -.
French Guiana is used by the French as
a convict colony for the deportation OF
the worst classes from the French prisons
As result, the population is strange
mixture OF French, Arabians, Malayans,
Greek, and the rlff-ratf of Paris
One OF the most noted convicts sent
there Of late is Capt Drcyfus, OF the
French army, whose trial for selling army
secrets to the Germans was the sensation
of the day. He was convicted OF treason,
his sword was publicly broken, and he
was sent for life to the convict colony
at Guiana.
When convicts are discharged they usu-
ally settle in the locality, and as a result
! The territory now In dispute is peOpled
| by the adventures and eX-convicts from
the penal colonies. They are j desperate
and lawleSs class.
few years ago one of these adven-
| turers, Frenchman named Gros, at
tempted to set up an independent country
he established capital, and called his
| government Independent Guiana"
Gros addressed the different powers and
sought to be recognized as a ruler He
conferred numerous medals and decora-
tionS on distinguished men in order to Sc
cure their favor. Brazil was the first to
take steps against GrDs, and a military eX-
pedition swept away him ana his mock
government But this same class OF ad-
venturers continue to occupy disputed
territory
The boundary dispute has run through
two centuries and has the distinction of
being an article in two famous trea ties
Utrecht and Amieas. Brazil was origin.
ally Portuguese colony, and Portugal in
sisted that it be extended up to the French
Guiana boundary now shown on the maps
FIXED AS THE BOUNDARY.
France claimed that her territory ran
down to the Amazon. In the treaty OF
Utrecht the river Yincet-Pnzon was fixed
as the boundary, Portugal then claimed
that this river was the northerly stream
now marking the boundary, while France
claimed that ii was the stream near the
Amazon. so that the treaty left the dis
pute as far open as ever.
During the Napoleonic wars England and
! Portugalunit in occupying r FrenCh Guiana
/ In the treaty of Amiens, France surrendered
| her claims TO the land down TO the Amazon
Brazil then succeeded to the rights OF
! Portugal. commission met about $40
to settle the boundary, but it did not sue
| ceed. Since then the dispute has continued,
and two years age another commission
! was formed
Now, however, both sides appear to be
! tired of delay, and both are intrencbing
/ themselves in the territory Each side
| has its forts and military stations. The
| recent policy of France has been toward
! colonial agg ressOn. and this has led to a de-
| tarmined position in occupying the land
down to the Amazon.
Since the recent armed conflict, French
! soldiers have crossed the boundary and per-
/ mansntIy established themselves in the dis
| puted territory, with the purpose it is
| believed, of holding it by force.
In referring to the FTenchtiujana trouble
a prominent member oftbe diplomatic corps
said that an interesting question might
| arises as TO whether the Monroe doctrine ap
! piled to European republic. like France
! as it did to monarchy, for one of the
! original purposes OF its enunCiation by PreSi
dent Monroe was toward limiting the ex
tension of mOnarChIal institutions on tn
Western continents. Since then, however
| France has become a republic.