The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-31
THE ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ALABAMA
Great Britain and De!agoa Bay.

Great Britain and Uelag0a Bay
In 1889 the Portuguese seized the railway
that connects Pretoria with the coast at
the port of Lorenzo Marques-that is to
say they seized the ffty-two miles that
lies in The province of Lorenzo Marques
A syndicate of Englishmen and Americans
were engaged in building the railroad when
it was seized. and the heavy claims of the
syndicate are pending before a board of
arbitration now sitting in Switzerland. The
damages will, it is believed, be assessed at
about $1O,OOO,OOO. As England has held
since 1891 an option on Delagoa Bay, it is
plain the sale by Portugal of the province
of which it is the southern extremity has
long been probable. Such a sale would set
tie all troublesome neutrality questions at
once
And now comes intelligence from an
usually trustworthy source in Berlin of
treaty based on the transfer of Portuguese
territory in both Asia and Africa. The
reported treaty is half English and half
German. England is to have as soon as
the Swiss arbitrator render their report,
Angola in West Africa and Loernzo Mar
ques south of Mozambique in East At
rIca, while Germany is to nave the Cape
Verde islands. Guinea, Princess and GIT.
Thomas islands in West Africa, Goa, Da-
main and Din islands in Asia. Timor and
some other islands in the Malay archpel-
ago and Macao in China. Portugal would
thus go out of the colonial business re-
cefving for her colonies a handsome sum
from England and Germany. strip of
land three miles wide is reserved for Mr..
Cecil Rhodes railroad project.
If the reported secret treaty should prove
fact England gains Delagoa Bay. which is
one off the best haribors in the world. She
gains what she long claimed through oc-
cupation by the Dutch, but which was
taken from her by arbitration. President
MaoMahon of France was the arbitrator,
and he awarded the coveted haroor to
Portugal. and England subsequently, ac-
quired presumption rights to it in case Por-
N'NN+NeA
probably been FASTENED by the claims that
arose when Colonel McMurdo, an Ameri-
can, was not able to complete the rail-
road to Pretoria in exact compliance with
his contract. resulting in the seizure OF
the railroad by Portugal on that ground
This treaty, if treaty it be, is simply fatal
to the Beers, and their surrender becomes
a matter of time. They will Zoe completely
''bottled up when England takes posses
sion of Delagoa Bay, which she will do
in the next thirty days, if the reported
treaty really exists; and she will have the
moral support of Germany in the act, and
consequently will have her own way. When
the present stock of shells and ammuni-
tion held by the Beers give out the war
will fall of its own weight The Beers
cannot make modern Shells. They can
scarcely subsist themselves. They will be
shut in more completely than any people
in the worlds history ever have BEEN
There would in such an event be but little
more left for them to do than to get at
the first opportunity the best terms that
are open to them. Their bravery would
he wasted after Delagoa Bay passes into
English hands.
The reported treaty is a far-reach.ng
event in more ways than one 1t not only
ensures a great Anglo-saxon empire in the
heart OF Africa, but it makes Germany
great colonial power. requiring a large
navy, and calling for large pretensions, if
not aggressions, in the future. Few treat
aes in this century have been more import
ant than the one the Lokal Anzefger pub
fishes to an astonished world.