The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-04-14
BIG TERRITORY ADDED
To THE BRITISH EMPIRE
What the Capture of SokOto, in Central
Africa, Means.

Very little attention has as yet been
paid in this country. or, for that matter,
even in England, TO the announcement
made in the house Of commons on March
30 that Sokoto had been occupied by
British force on March Is after slight
skirmish, says the New York Times"
Four days after the fall Of the city Sir
Frederick Lugard. the commissioner Of
Northern Nigeria, arrived at sokoto.
And yet this little expedition is little
only In the sense that it has not been
expensive either in money or men. The
fall of Sokoto means the end of the once
great Fulah empire, and the different
states which constituted this powerful
Mohammedan confederation viii in
future be under British control It is
stated that the slave traffic between
Lake Chad and the seacoast may now be
regarded as utterly at an end. The cap
ture of Sokoto, following the fall OF
Kano. places coo square miles Of
territory under the rule OF the white
man. and the population OF this territory
IS estimated at no less than 20 600 600.
The Fulah empire was founded by 9th
man Dan Fodio a hundred years ago. He
preached religious war On the borders
Of Lake Chad. and, after subduing and
converting the existing kingdoms. firmly
established his sway at Sokoto- He be
/ queathed two empires 10 his sons To
! the elder he left SOkoto itself, and to the
younger Cando and its dependent states,
which have ever since recognized the su-
/ premacy of the great fuiah- Six years
( ago Sir George Goldie dealt a crushing
( blow to the fulah By the defeat of the
Emir of Nupe, the strongest and most
warlike OF the kingdoms tributary to
( Gando. The position OF the great fulah
was at that time compared to that OF the
great moguI during the decay Of the Mo
/ hammedan empire of Delhi
| The British followed the example OF
the East India Company, and avoided a
direct challenge TO the fulah by admin
/ istering their conquests Indirectly
/ through native feudatOry princes. After
/ causing some trouble the fulah formed
an alliance with Great Britain. rejecting
/ the advances of the French. Later he
/ began to intrigue against the British.
I and the expedition which has now been
brought to a successful conclusion under
the leadership of Sir Frederick Lugard
followed.
Sir Frederick has been heartily con-
graduated by Mr. Chamberlain and other
officials Of the British government on the
success Of the expedition, and it is
probable that he will receive some fur
ther honor as result Of it. possibly a
proved the opportunities for opening up
Central Africa to trade.
In an editorial article on the fall of
Sokoto the Pail Mall Gazette" sang
song of triumph of the kind which is so
intensely irritating TO some Of the Con-
tinental nations. It spoke of the wrath
of our rivals over the continual en-
largement Of the British empire, referred
to Egypt. the Soudan. and South Africa.
/ and added;
/ And now, even before our German
/ friends have had time to recover from
the shock of the South African customs
convention. with its preferential treat
ment Of British Industry, there comes
/ this morning another blow-a blow not
/ of course. unexpected. but still. and
equally OF course. entirely UuwelCOme.
/ That is the news that Sir Frederick Lu-
/ gard has occupied Sol1oto. And what.
and where. pray, is Sokoto? II we are
not much mistaken there must be thou
| sands OF quite superior persons who
must have asked that question this
morning in the spirit of the rustic who.
when informed of the death of the Duke
| OF Wellington. merely said. Who
wur'ee?' Or. If somewhat more precise
/ " informed they will, perhaps. have
opined. as in the case Of Rhoda. who ran
q pagoda and sold tea and lees and soda,
In san Toy that Sokoro has something
70 DO with Africa or Fashoda.' and hav-
ing been confirmed in that luminous
opinion these quite superior persons will
straightway forget all about Il. Verify
il is a weird thing, is the British empire
and We who run it are, surely, not less
weird"