The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-08
sokoTo IN ENGLAND's SPHERE
Recognized by Frenchmen ms Not
Belonging 10 Them.

Sokotoland, which two French expedi-
iions were reported 70 have invaded, Was
acknowledged by the French TO be unde-
niably within the British sphere Of in
fiuence even before the boundary east %
the Niger was definitely settled by the
Anglo-French treaty OF August 5. 1893.
as running along the thirteenth parallel
from Say TO Lake Chad. And when the
treaty was finally signed the French press
ACKNOWLEDGED EuEIaud's undisputed Su-
premacy over the country south OF the
thirteenth parallel and east Of the Niger.
lie Journal des Debats Of August 20, 1890.
said:
I'VE have had recognized to US all thu
Upper Niger and the great bend Of the
river down 10 Say. To the south
OF this point and of the parallel which
passes through il are territories which
appear relatively rich and populous; these
win not be ours"
Ia Republic Franchise Of the same date
said: 1.-THE line from Say 10 Lake Chad
places the kingdoms OF Borgu, Sokoto.
Bornu, the richest and most pOpulOus
parts OF the Soudan. within the British
sphere"
And on the official treaty map Of lie
Temps published a few days later there
was marked as British not only everything
southeast of Say. bur also In the block of
territory between Say and Bussa, north
OF Lagos the settlement Of whose west
ern boundary was delegated by the treaty
10 the commission now sitting in Paris.
A few weeks ago NJ Paul Thlrion gave
a careful analysis q the French side OF
the case in lie Correspondent Of Paris: he
quoted the clause In the treaty Of 1890 TO
show that England's claim 10 Sokoto was
not 70 he questioned. In speaking OF the
disputed boundary. he said:
The simplest and. # seems 10 me, the
natural solution OF the questions 50 far As
lagos ana Dahcmey are concerned Is 10
continue along the os-Dahomey ueri3-
ian uutil the Niger Is reached, at latitude
L degrees 20 minutcs-that e 10 say. about
sixty miles south Of Say. From that point
up 70 Saw the French should have the west
bank OF the Niger and me English the
east Such a line would 70 TO the west OF
Nikki according 70 the position assigned
10 tha. place in T.ugard's map. Although
the greatest cordially exists between the
French and British commissioners over
the dellmlEatson OF this line. the French
WI he undoubtedly disappointed shat ths
probable division does rot give them all
thu villages. which had previously hesu
under the sway ar pahomey, This is
especially the ease witn the town of
Mako. whlch has been placed four miles
Within the British sphere.'
But n Thirion notwithstanding. * s.
wen understood by Tumors that have
trsnsrIrCa from the G,iai f'ersay tnat
France VIII Insist On the boundary line
here drawn from fhe Terminus az tre
settled I.aros-Dahomey boundary ID the
tenth parallel 10 Hu=sz on the E.sar az
about I'D DEGREES - rr.ru-rs- fr-rn fhae
point north The French l1 take ta= wes-
bank ..d -ae E-sIsb t-- east
Aecer'. g re tee Erzrco--iserTna1 c-r-
re1.iea 20 Jatr - 1885, WlFh determined
,l= tourdarv ~ pahoHs7v aEd T7eola-a.
Ger-larT gave Frsaes a. u-resr-l-ff1 eu--
- fr1m rhe Taacu=y coast to the Niger
ana fa taAt rar- ~ the Western SoaIan
U-H.1 beg sphere ~ Inference. IN atHp~
w1r3s. Toeoland = ~ the terms ~ thss
coHFfu-lcn. as c1Mple e'y l7eiaF-8 bv
French territory as are the British coli
ooies G., Sierra Lecue aad the Geld Coast