New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-09
THE TRANS-SA NARA R1ILWlT.

FRENCH PROJECT THAT WILL PROBABLY NOT
BE PUSHED To COMPLETION AT PRESENT.
The amcable agreement between England
end France. announced last month. in regard
TO the division OF African territory. will remove
one Of the chief motives which have impelled
the French people to favor the construction Of
a railway from the Mediterranean coast down
across the desert Of Sahara. When such a
scheme was first discussed. years ago. the main
arguments urged in its support were OF COM
mercial nature But Of late French chambers
OF commerce and other influential bodies OF citi-
gems have been told that political and strategic
considerations should he foremost I'm the matter.
A straight line run due south from the city
OF Tunis along the tenth meridian OF longitude
east from Greenwich would strike the Gulf OF
Guinea about 1000 miles from the starting
point and then run the coast Of the Came
room State and the French Congo possessions
to the mouth OF the Congo River. some 600 or
100 miles more. A little to the eastward Of this
line and two-thirds OF the way from the Med
iterranean to the Gulf Of Guinea. lies Lake
Tchad. of to the westward IS the Niger Valley
and Timbuctoo. In the earlier plans for a road
across Sahara II was proposed to aim for the
Upper Niger But in an essay which Paul Le-
roy Beaulieu recently contributed TO the Jour
nal des Debats" It was strenuously urged that
the new road should proceed 40 directly to Lake
Tchad as possible and then he extended still
further TO the southeastward through the small
State Of Bagirmi to the Ubangi River. The
Ubangi is a tributary of the Congo. and for a
considerable distance runs in a westerly direc
ton parallel with and 80 or 2oo miles north %
the Congo. Under certain circumstances. NJ.
Eoa
slrabe to push on to the Congo itself reaching
that mighty stream several hundred miles above
its mouth
IT." said the distinguished Frenchman just
mentioned 1T heoomcs necessary in a war with
another European Power 10 defend our colonies.
not simply those in Africa. but also Madagascar
and Tonkn It will be in the region Of Lake
Tchad that we must carry on the struggle" He
does not fully explain himself; but the suggestion
may he interpreted meaning that in the
tingoncy referred to he would threaten the
Upper Nile possessions Of England and would
have the means Of placing an army far on thu
road to that region in a very short space OF
time.
The northern terminus OF the proposed rail
way was made the subject of careful considera-
ton by NJ. Leroy Beaulieu He did not Ike the
city Of Tunis for two reasons. The angle in the
Mediterranean coast in that vicinity makes the
place too vulnerable In time OF Second.
It is too near the boundary Of Tripol which
might not be any too friendly in time Of war,
and might admit enemy on the flank OF the
road. Nor was he any better satisfied with
Gran in Western Algeria because II Is too near
Morocco. oH whose goodwill France could not
count confidently. And 1t is not quite near
enough to Marselles either. On tho whole the
choice seems II lie between Algeria Bougie
and Phpvie. II has been estimated that the
road could he built to Lake Tchad for SCOOP
WO