New-York tribune., 1899-07-24
THE TRANSFER or NIGERIA.


The settlement of the African Question" by
the conclusion of a treaty between France and
Great Britain is closely followed by the trans
fer of Nigeria from the British Africa Com
pany TO the British Crown In this jux
opposition of incidents there is especial fitness
for it was the formation of the British Africa
Company and the beginning of It's opera
tions in Nigeria that created the african Ques-
ton" In those operations, led by Lord ADer-
dare and Sir George Goldie. from 1877 to 1892
the partition Of the Dark Continent was under
taken. and Great Britain France and Ger
many were made rivals In the scramble FOR
possession There is a wondrous contrast be-
tween a map of Africa in 1876 and one of the
present day on the former no European pos
session extends more than four hundred miles
inland. and few of them as far as that. Ger
many does not figure at all, nor Belgium. nor
Italy. France has Algeria. smaller bit on
the Senegal, and an insignificant enclave on
the Gaboon. Great Britain comes second, with
the Cape and Natal. the coast OF Ashantee. ana
microscopic bits at walfsch Bay, Lagos, Sierra
Leone and Gambia. Portugal has the Angola
and Mozambique coasts and the small enclave
of Blssao Spain has small encaye at COris-
co. and an indefinite claim upon some coast
Is ALL The rest of the vast continent Is unap-
propriated, largely unexplored. The country
north of the Guinea Coast was at that time one
of the least known in the world. The coast
had been touched but nothing more. No mis-
sionary had traversed II. No cOlonizlng Power
had thought of extending a sphere Of nfu
ence" over il. II was vast and vague populous
and barbaric rich and repeant 1t presented
Ia raafS hpt
steamipg swamps Of the coast and the arid
wastes of the Sahara, between the squalid
sayapcry OF Coomassie and the imperial splen-
dors of Timbuctoo But save for contact with
the merest fringe Of coast. and for scarcely
credible traditions, all was an unknown land.
To-day's map, on the other hand, shows
scarcely spot left unapproprated. France Is
the largest territorial holder followed at dis
tance by Great Britain. Germany has three
large trncts Belgium-or the Congo Free State
another and Italy considerable portion.
All these changes were Immediately provoked
bv the disclosure Of the British Africa Com
panys designs in the Niger region. The de-
tails Of the international competition are now
historic Military and naval expeditions were
sent Commercial enterprise was pushed to It's
utmost limit. Diplomacy was busled. lnferna-
tonal conferences were held. There was more
than once talk of war But step by step the
partition was effected. the final step being
taken this very year by Lord Salisbury and
NJ. DecnsSe The map Of Africa Is now sub
stantially made up. So far as the country
abuttng on the Gulf Of Guinea is concerned.
Germany gets the extensive territory Of the
Cameroons and the smaller one Of Togoland,
Great Britain gets Ashantee and Nigeria. and
France gets all the rest The French and Ger
man holdings have from the first been Govern
ment colonies. Nigeria has. on the contrary.
down TO the present time been In the hands
Of chartered company. as Rhodesla still IL
and as India was for many years. That has
been q characteristic British method OF begin
ming colonization. But now Nigeria Is pur-
chased by the British Crown. for cash, and
becomes n Crown colony, by far the most I'M
portant acquisition OF the kind since John Com
pany was succeeded by the Empress Of India.
For while Nigeria Is small by the side OF the
French acquisitions In that quarter, 1t Is still
one-Of the most valuable regions OF all Africa.
It comprises some 10000 square miles OF land,
with population OF fully 30,0OO,OOO. including
some splendid native tribes OF considerable
degree Of civilization. Its natural riches are
inestimably great. Its commercial facilities,
thanks to the great river from which II takes
its name, are exceptionally good. In spite OF
It's torrld climate, therefore, we may expect to
see IT developed into an empire Of great worth.
This empire the company, which has ex-
pended an enormous amount OF work upon II.
sells 10 the British Crown for s4335O0O On
the face of it, the bargain seems 10 be good
one for both parties II will also be good
thing for the world. or for all that part Of the
world interested In trading In that part OF
Africa For while hitherto the chartered COM
pany has imposed restrictions upon trade at