Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-13

field of influence. as Britain has chosen
Eastern Africa. The total French possess
81 rs, free from controversy and ,lispute
VIA other powers, now reach the enormous
area of 3.Wo.UO0 square miles This in
tiLdHs the npurishiug colony of Algeria on
! the nurih, which. like cap. Colony m The
other extremity of the continent. is natur-
ally adapted as a home for he white man
South of this is that vast swa,p Of r.,In-
try once known as the Desert Of Sahara.
ana sun referred 20 with derision bv Lord
salisbury as very light suil"
but France has found unknown wealth
in these sands. Already a rliIrpad bas
crossed Algeria and is pushing into his
former desert for the purpose of up.nins
up me Whole western section and bringing
I"tih ITS latent riches. South of the desert
France controls the headWaters of the
NlStI, with its fertile valleys Farther
south Is the French Congo, with the Congo
border
II WAS from these western possessions
that Mdrchand pushed forward TO Fashoda
~hiIr another French expedition, starting
from obok, on the east coast sought TO
join hands with him, thus demonstrating
10 the world that England's dream OF a
British Africa, inseparable from Cairo to
the Cape. was not to he rea lied But
Mhlie these plans were not fully carried
out. France has developed her possessions
IN other directions, until she rightly makes
claim OF holding first place in the extent OF
possessions in Africa.
about l.hn,ooB square miles, but, while
this Is small in comparison with France
and Great Britain. these powers have been
long exploring and colonizing, while Ger
many came on the scene only sixteen years
ago. In 1883 the German flag was raised
for the first time in southwest Africa Ger
man East Africa was added soon after
Thus far. however il cannot be said that
any marked development has followed this
movement, as Germany, coming late, took
The least desirable desert country and
even the scant possibilities of this have
been further weighed down by oficialism
ana nllItarism, which are the main char
acterfsfcs Of German colonizing, as against
the local civil administration which the
British and French put into force
In West Africa Germany has also set her
tooth the kamerunS. not far from the
Niger country and at Togo Land, running
terror. With Germanys industrial awaken
ing and her need for new markets this Ger
man empire in Africa is viewed at Berlin
as a seat of future greatness.
other powers-ltaly, Portugal, Spain and
Beiglum-haye their possessions in Africa.
but they do not rise to the dignity Of en-
pires, although Italy, but for the reverse
by the Abyssinian mountaineers, would
have We'd with Germany in the extent of
possessions.
The United States has thus far given
attention to territory in Africa, and has
permitted the other powers to apDOrtion
Africa among themselves best suited
them Liberia has at times reached out to
~ country for help, and an American
pr0tectorate has been proposed. But LII
IBERIA is little more than a dot on Africa,
having an area of 1900 square miles.
Moreover, 1t is not white mans country.
As a charity, protection might be given TO
Liberia. but for practical consideration Il
would be travesty for the United States
TO look TO that spot as the seat of future
American effort in Africa