New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-27

SCENE OF THE ANGLO FRENCH DISPUTE
IN NORTHWEST AFRICA
troops IN the Lagos Hinterland is doubted, the
London morning papers to-day pointed out the
Imminent danger resulting from the proximity
Of the two forces in the contested territory.
Later in the day a rumOr was received at the
British Colonial Office 70 the effect that there
had been collision between the British ana
French forces at Nikld. which is said TO nave
been captured by the French troops
The officials Of the Colonial Office, however
consider this report TO be highly improbable, as,
they explain the British police in the hlnter
land who are in very limited numbers han
60. orders 10 avoid any collision with the
trensch II IS also understood that the french
forces had been instructed not TO come into con-
fict with the British
The British forces in the Hmteriahd' IL Is iui
Their stated. are being reinforced CONSIDERABLY
The Colonial Once. late this evening To
cA,vea a cable message from Lagos. west coast
NJ Africa. stating that a rumOr Is current among
,he natives there Of a collision between ioui
hundred British and French troops -,
The report, II is believed. VIII prove 10 "a
founded on conflict between me Fren0" anu
some natives. ,
Paris Nov. 2s-M. Lebon. the Minister OF
,ba Colonies has received information OF a
collision between the British and French troops
at Nikki. in the Niger region. and discredts the
report
oor4,c, bstvvesn the French and British forces
IN the Lagos Hinterland has been anticipated FOR
some time past Both countries have been hurry
ing troope into the disputed territory.
The trouble Is OF about thirty years staholhs'
dating from lsss In 1870 France and Great britain
opened negotiations for the settlement OF thei' re-
specttve frontiers IN West Africa, ana IL was u7
c,ded IN substance that French influence ana au-
graA Z he
,,na and that Great Britain should have free hand
soutb NJ mis- line The outbreak OF the Franco
Prussian war interrupted the negotations' 'nefe
WAS considerable opposition In both countries 10 te
cession of any territory. and during the next hVe
wears difficulties frequently occurred. FlnaNy II
was resolved TO appoint commissioners 10 reconsioe
tho whole matter a meeting In Paris was arrahgeu'
"a az a result during the Of the next ten
vears four separate agreements were concluded
One dealt with the territorial limits OF Sierra Leone
the second arranged a number OF disputed poih''
regarding Gambia Sierra Leone. the Cold coast
and Lagos: the third agreement drew hhe De-
tween the spheres Of the two countries in the Niger
region. running from Say. on the Niger 10 barua'
nm Lake Chad and making a detour 40 as 10 IN
,,,da the kingdom OF Sokoto in the British sphere.
,he fourth OF agreements settled the interior
frontier OF Sierra Leone. relinquishng Hinterand
70 France.
pu+ aimee these agreements were arrived at. fur
the Boundary Commissioners OF Great BrltsIn anu
France to agree among themselves as 70 the io'.t
lines and especially as 70 the M
Of any boundary line 70 the southwest OF say "hele
The Competition OF the British and French mas peeh
very strong The British Niger Company "hich
was orst in the field concluded number OF treaties
with native chiefs bringing the whole OF she
and Dahomey Hnterand Wi1nin Ihe briulsI op ,npie
This was during the fall Of s4 In the mean MIL
the French We're trying 6 10 to the basins Of the
Congo and the Upper Nile But for this purpose, IL
was esssn,ia to SECURE en pahomey became the
base for dspaching NUMBER OF rtenCn rApT IT,
British Niger Company, however ge'ums M Va o W.
the French plans. dispatched captain & tor
MAJOR ~ nesotiafIng treaty with the native
ruler and the English officer was fortunate enousn
Decnur who was bound for the same place and
with the same intention although the latter mao
the start and Lugard secured his treaty ana car
ried it away three weeks before Deceur arrived al
disregard this fact and hays dispatenedn
ia the sphere of British influence. Besides this
the rgSI bank Of he Niger say properly
Included In the British sphere. under the Say
Barua treaty, and to settle these and other ques.
lions in dispute Commissioners representing Great
Britain and France are now tardily beginning Il
iiRsoism France already excited on the wss
African h pas Of e The Sana Of the
Preobrajensky Resimept; sent to the French capi
a s IN Of s pRa
Sanned by the announcement that strong detach
ment OF Russian cavalry and artillery will shortly
saii from Odessa 10 Djbutil. northeast coast oil
Africa and thence will go 10 the capital of Kinl
Menolek OF Abyssinia, in order to assist the Frenct
Thereupon the tone OF the French press becam,
more and more excited, and II was asserted on al
sides that the position Of France is unassaila bic
by virtue OF justice and as result Of recent mill
sure the permanent occupation Of all the Nige
territory already hypothecated on the Frenci
sign Affairs. NJ Hanotaux, has repeatedly beer
strongly urged not 10 make any concessions on thu
subject 20 Great Britain
The British authorities. on the other hand hav'
not been idle Reinforcements OF West African
troops have been hurried toward the danger points
and on November. Is last, thirty officers q th
British Army left Liverpool for Lagos and Mato
Lugard OF the Royal Niger Company. with thrt,
more officers. start last week. with instruc
tons to Iced the British land expedition on Brous