Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-21
Collision With French Boundary Com
mission on Guiana Border.
REINFORCEMENTS FROM CAYENNE
News Creates Great Excitement in
Capital Of French Colony.
CRU Ell ORDER TOEX-CONVICTS


Correspondence of rhe Associated Press.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, February 14.-Ad-
vices received here from Cayenne, French
Guiana, say that the joint commission ap-
pointed to inquire into the boundary Ques-
ton between France and Brazil has just
been heard from on the Counani river.
The news, it appears, was more sensa-
tional than satisfactory, and for some rea-
son the colonial government was doing its
utmost to suppress the facts in its posses
sion.
The correspondent says that owing to the
unsettled conditions that have prevailed in
the disputed territory since the bloody COL
lision between a French government eXpedi-
ton ands the Brazilian local authorities at
COunani in 1896, both commissions went
out guarded by heavy escorts equally
matched. The Frenchmen had the gun
boat Jouffrey and fifty Senegalese soldiers,
and the Brazlians had the gunboat Qua
RAINY and an equal number of troops.
RunOr of Collision.
Now comes the news from Cayenne that
collision has occurred between these two
forces away in the wilds of the interior
There Were no details, and it was not pub
licly known in the colony whether there
had been any bloodshed. The fact how
ever, that on receipt of the news of the
trouble the governor Immediately dis
patched renforcements of 200 troops to the
front without waiting to communicate with
Paris was thought to indicate that the
matter was serious
Ihat was the situation when the mail left
Popular excitement was rapidly growing in
view OF the serious results to French and
foreign miners and settlers of the troubles
OF three years ago, and private information
from Counani was anxiously awaited
Inc correspondent does not mention the
matter, but in the absence of telegraphic
irDDrDh9 hat n
censorship which it has been alleged is
exercised on news about the lilies du Salut
IN IN general ana Dreyfus in particular, has
been extended to include this matter
Order Regarding Ex-Conyicts.
Another interesting item from this sec
ton is that the French government has is
sued an order that all liberated convicts
now at large in the colony shall be con-
centrated at Maroni This indiscriminate
and unlooked-for action tells most cruelty
on many now respectable and respected
citizens of Cayenne, who were liberated
years ago and have since been living peace
able and meritorious lives. A large proper
ton OF these own business places that they
nave succeeded in establishing by ,lint of
honest industry. These unfortunate peo-
pie have been compelled to sell out with
out even timely notice, and, therefore, at a
sacrifice, and betake themselves with their
families, to Maron.
gether miserable settlement, the chief pro-
ducts OF which are mosquitoes and malaria
It's one recommendation seems to be its
hardness as a dumping ground for the
more undesira BILE element of the .'libarated
convicts, whence they might conveniently
escape into the territory of the neighbor-
ing colonies.
This fact seems to lie at the bottom of
the measure. Being legally unable to make
any distinction between the reformed and
respectable people mentioned and the in
corrlgible cut-throat element which is an
nuaHy growing larger and becoming a
menace to the colony, all have been ruth
iessiy included in the damnation of Maroni
On Lookout for immigrants.
According to late British Guiana news
papers, the authorities there are on the
lookout for these prospective immigrants
over the border. And this is, perhaps. the
cruelest aspect OF the affair. If some of
the eXpatriated, respectable citizens of Cay
enne decide to try their fortunes in the
more enlightened British possessions how
can they be distinguished? They will
promptly be deported back to CAYENNE as
rascals, to be dealt with according 10 the
frehch laws governing the conduct of
liberated conyicts