New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-28

NEVERTHELESS THE SITUATION is HIGHLY IN
FLAMMABLE-MoREM MEN AND GUNS
LEAVE LIVERPOOL.


LEAVE LIVERPOOL.
Lagos West Coast OF Africa Nov. 27-The report
OF collision between British and French troops
near Nikki IL unfounded. The French expedition
from Porto Novo has reached Nikki without any
trouble.
London, Nov I'm spite Of the CHEEKY optimism
O. the colonial officers OF both Great Britain and
France the rumor Of conflict at Nikki between
French and British forces is matter OF the great
est gravity The reasons for believing the report
were far from wrong. Since the initiation OF the
wild policy Of sending armed bands from Dahomey
and Lagos led by hotheaded officers. to assert the
authority OF their respective nations and grab any
thing in sight which might still be unoccuped II
has been obvious that collision was bound to oc-
cur sooner or later. Both governments have re-
peatedly been warned to recall these rowing expe-
dltions. and await the settlement OF the Delimita-
ton Commission now sitting at Paris
II is difficult 10 apportion the blame for this state
Of affairs. That the French initiated the system
OF raiding the contested territory in West Africa
is indlsputabe but "the Colonial Columbus" as
Sir William Vernon Harcourt the Liberal leader.
has nicknamed Joseph Chamberlain. the Secretary
OF State for the Colonies, has made serious false
step In following suit. II diplomatic protest on
the subject had been promptly lodged In Paris ana
vigorously pushed. the whole question would proba-
instead OF this the French have been permitted
boldly to invade the admitted limits OF British Lagos
that they might more easily reach and occupy the
Say BoussaN kki triangle, which Is the subject OF
the dispute. So far as known. the Marquis or Sails
bury has not asked for reparatlon or even for ex-
panations and the whole story appears TO be IN
credible II the Marquis OF Salisbury and MI
Chamberlain have a settled policy regarding West
Africa, they have failed to make Il known. and all
they seem be doing at present Is TO impress me
French with the fact OF Great Brtan's unlimited
'saueezability."
The present situation is fraught with perilous hu-
milaton and the loss the little sef-respect the
Tory Ministry has left. For this the country and
press even the Conservative newspapers, are de-
handing reprisals. by the reseizure for instance
OF the town OF Boussa. lately seized by the french
British sphere and by the breaking on OF the nego-
tiations In Paris until the acts OF the Dahomey o'-
Gals are formally disayowed. 49,.
In the mean while. another batcn OF eighty BRUSH
officers and non-commlssioned onlcers sailed from
Iiyerpoo to-day for Lagos, west coast OF AFRICA,
accompanied by a battery Of six i2-pounder Maxim
Nordenfeldt howitzers. specially supplied by tne
Colonial Office, withou; consultation with the ar
ONCE II is computed that when the forces IN
process OF being dispatched are Joined to the
troops already there Great Britain will have two
hundred and fifty officers and non commissioner
ofticers and four thousand troops In West AREA
Commenting upon this fact. the semi-onclai
Temps" OF Paris, says: .....
THE British troops will be received by our troops
who are already de facto In possession ana . VINO
propose 10 remain until the pending negotiatons
70 settled by equitable compensations, legtimately
shared by France and England Until then We snail
not swerVe" -. ,-. 4.
II this means anything It means that France in.
tends to extract further graceful concessions
fr,m the Marquis OF Salisbury. similar 10 those IN
connection with SIAM Tunis and Madagascar