Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-12-07
GREAT EMPIRES IN AFRICA.
Possessions of Britain, France, Ger
many and Others.

The present day and generation, says |
he New York Herald, is witnessing |
building the world has ever seen. In |
America the process is so new and
strange that new terms and issues are
imperialism and "expan-
which many seem to
think are exclusive to this country.
But a glance at events now transpiring
in other parts of the world shows that
American expansion is only an Incl
dent in the world movement of empire
building.
As if by coincidence, recent events
in different parts of the world have
contributed simultaneously to this
empire movement. These are:
1. The South African war and it's
effect on the three great empires OF
British and German.
2. The breakup of China and the
mapping of spheres" for new empire.
s. The Philippine war and it's effect
on the American possessions in the
Pacific.
4. The British-Venezuela award, ex-
tending the British empire in south
America
5. American authority in Cuba
Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the proposed
partition of Samoa.
Roughly estimated, the British en-
pire in Africa embraces 100000 square
miles, a region equal in extent to all
that portion of the United States east
OF the Rockies. This includes the
white mans country of south Africa,
with its high table lands, it's diamonds
and it's gold; British central Africa, or
Rhodesia; British East Africa, stretch
ing from the Indian Ocean to Lake Vic
toria, and having within it's borders
Uganda, "the pearl of Africa dis
covered by Henry NJ Stanley, and now
fast developing into a prosperous and
modern community, with merchant and
warships aiding its commerce on the
lake and railroads connecting it with
the ocean and the interior.
On the west coast is the Niger Terri
| tory, holding the mouth of the great
waterway of western Africa, under the
control of the British Royal Niger
| company, having such absolute sway
that it makes war and peace, concludes
| treaties with the natives and exercises
all the attributes of sovereignty I'M
| der the protecting care of Great
Britain. Then there are the minor col
onies, the Gold coast, Sierra Leone
scarcely worth speaking of, as they are
relics of past greatness during the
slave trade days.
1t is in east Africa, however, from
the cape up to the Mediterranean, that
one sees the present imperial sway OF
the Briton, as we'll as the potential
importance of this new empire. It ex-
tends practically in an unbroken sweep
from the northernmost to the south
ernmost points Of the continent. Egypt
continues to be nominally Independent
although under the protection of the
British flag, with British officials direct
ing Egyptian, finances and British Off
GERS leading Egyptian armies. Essen
TALLY, therefore, Egypt is to be regard
| GU do a Dl lItSu SJASlS VI lu1tlSllCC. l. Lie
area of Egypt and the Soudan was not
included in the 100000 square miles
given as the British Empire in Africa
and if these dependencies are added
the total is brought up to almost 3,000,-
! 900 square miles, equal to the area OF
the United States, not including
Alaska
| A glance at the British possessions
in Africa shows how strong the i'm
pulse of British statesmen has been to
knit together this African empire into
one homogeneous whole instead of de-
tached parts. Each part is reaching
out to it's neighbors. This has been
going on until the chance of "Cairo
to the cape" route, entirely under
British control, is no longer a dream.
Already the railroad is up to Bulu-
wayo, 1000 miles from the cape, while
| from the north Kitchener has pushed
the railroad even farther The Nile
and the lakes give added means of
transportation. At present there is a
gap of less than 300 miles in the con-
nection Of British central Africa and
British east Africa, and with this gap
filed the rule of the British empire
will in fact reach from Cairo to the
cape. 1t will be from Germany or
from the Congo Free State that this
gap will be made up, either by cession
or lease.
Considering the steady development
Of this new empire in Africa and the
manifold benefits springing from it, it
would seem to be part of this general
plan that the Transvaal and the
Orange Free State should be absorbed
by the larger power. But it may be
that these small communities will
show a Spartan fortitude and courage
which will resist this hitherto irresist-
ible tide OF empire
The French explorers and states
men seem to have chosen western
Africa as their field of influence, as
Britain has chosen eastern Africa. The
total French possessions, free from
controversy and dispute with other
powers, now reach the enormous area
of 100000 square miles. This in
cludes the fourishing colony Of
Algeria, and is pushing into this for
mer desert for the purpose of opening
up the whole western section and
bringing forth its latent riches South
of the desert France controls the head
waters Of the Niger, with it's fertile
valleys. Farther south is the French
Congo, with the Congo River and its