The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-09

"~i"hH nrd France I'm WEST Africa.
Thomas Gibson Bowlas. NJ p. In the
Forum
The aims OF the French colania, Marty
are. IN truth. most ambitious and far
reaching. They dream of French en-
pre- extending over the whole of North
Elm Africa. from the Mediterranean 20
the Congo. and from Senegamoia to the
Red Sea: and so high do their fantastic
fancies run, tina, they seriously affect to
lock To the day when St Louis ON ina
Senegal connected with Algeria by rail.
way. shall become the one great entre-
fHr III the ssaSarne nroduee desti~ ed
Tor Europe. OF South America and the
Paciiic. These are the unhridied exag-
gerat'ons OF the enthusiasts: but there
Is solid ground for the belief that even
psacssca! statesmen In France have con-
ce.Ved, and are even now attempting to
carry out, plans scarcely less ambitious
plans which aim at nothing less than
the extension OF French dominion from
the southwestern limits OF Algeria In a
direct line or a thousand miles to Cane
Blaneo. and similar extension from.
Senegambia eastward. by Tfmhuctoo and
the northern and eastern shores OF Lake
Tehad, to join up with the French Congo.
vast region on the northern and west.
ern banks of the river bearing that name,
The effect Of this stupendous movement. 5
were it to he carried out would be Ia IN s
close between French territory and the sea
Morocco, upon which France has long
been believed to have designs and on the
other side, 10 inclose similarly between
French territory and the sea the possss-
SONS OF all other countries on the Guinea
coast.
The scheme Is one well fitted to strike
the French imagination: but II could not
be carried out. could scarce indeed be at
tempted. without an intoierah.e strain
upon the resources Of France such az
couldly hardly for long be endured. For
1t is to be remembered that. In all but
few cases. the so-called colonies OF France
are not profitable colonies. or indeed coll
onies at all, but only costly and unproit-
able chains OF military stations Their
plan and purpose is no. commercial, but
POLITICAL: their end and object Is less gam
than Glory: and their immediate use
and IMPORTANCE lie In this rather than In
aught 80 viz. that they tend to amuse
and y the French people at home.
who wise might become disconnected
or r wen look too keenly toward
that by which their lost provinces
lie. BIZ eh 1t Is condition of the so
called sian alliance that they must
not at present SO much as think about.
Ner could 1t wen be different with a
stationary, IL not diminishing population.
France has no spare sons to send out to-
form colonies and inhahdt them. The
Frenchmen IN her colonies are not sturdy
pioneers who intend to make their home
In the country and whose fortunes are
bound up with II. together with few
sad, enforced exiles. whose one thought
IS regret for their dear Paris and whose i
one ambition Ii to return as soon as may
be to the unmatched delights OF the Bou-s
levard des Capucines. Such trade A.
there Is IL due to the artificial fostering
OF a severely exclusive tarif; and such !,
navigation as exists Is carried on by lines
of vessels barely kept afioat by extrav-
agant subsidies. Yet. however disappoirt-
ing the balance sheet OF the colony, how
ever palpable Its Improbable character,
however costly In men and money its
maintenance.~N the belief Ii general in
France that great material result has
been attained II only the nefarious for-
eigner and his poisonous merchandis can
be kept outv-most especially the partic-
ularly poisonous merchandise OF the par
tfcuIarly nefarious English.