The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-03
THE IVORY COAST.
A Part of Africa which Possesses
Much Interest.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
The French colony of the Ivory Coast
is attracting a good deal of attention,
and interest. is OF a twofold character
political and private or commercial,
writes w. b. Robertson, in Chambers
Journal. The political interest is due
to the activity of France in West At
RIGA, where she is establishing posts
and building railways, and so acquiring
a strategical position that is regarded
BY those who pay attention to these
things as threatening British power
there with extinction. The private or
commercial interest is due to the re-
ported discovery of gold in such guam
titles and formations that French writ
ers are already naming the Ivory Coast
the New Transvaal," and the British
Epeculator is already to the fore with
as sovereign lin the hand for two in
the BUSH
The Ivory Coast stretches in a fairly
straight line for a distance of BAL miles
along the northern shore of the Gulf OF
Guinea. Looked at on the map, 1t mas
the republic of Liberia (the old Grain
or Pepper COAST on the left or vest
side. and the British colony OF the
Gold Coast on the right or east side.
Inland it merges toward the north into
the French SOudan, toward the north
west into French Guinea, and toward
the northeast into Dahomey, which IS
also French. The course of the Caval-
~ river was made it's western boundary
by an agreement with Liberia in 1884,
and the course of the Tanoe river Tor
a short distance from the sea was made
its eastern boundary by agreement win
Great Britain, signed at Paris on June
IA, 1898, and ratified twelve months
later.
The French claim to the Ivory Coast
dates from 1912, when Admiral tleurloL
de Isangle made a treaty with some OF
the native chiefs-notably with Anna
tifou, King of njobo-whereby they
placed themselves under French pro-
lection. . The following year the french
built Fort ASSUME and Fort Nemours'
in the vicinity of Grand Bassam, the
canitai. and ii began to make their oc-
cupaton. effective" In 1853 another
fort was built further west along the
coast at Taibou These forts WERE
however worse than useless, for the
natives were too peaceful TO give any
employment to the garrisons ana the
soldiers, condemned to ldleness' gave
way to every kind of self-indulgence
(Which kills anywhere, but especially
in West Africa). The high mortallty
thus invited brought such discredlt
upon the country that all Thought OF
its development was abandoned. IN
terest in it, however, was revived
through the stimulating discoveries
OSS7-S9) Of the explorer, Col. Blnger'
who is now Governor General of French
West Africa. These discoveries. pc
sides showing the Ivory Coast to be
fabulously rich in mineral ana Vese-
table wealth, proved what was OF per-
haps greater Importance in the eyes
of the French government, with IT'S
aspiratiouS for colonial expansion
namely. its practicability of linking up
the Ivory Coast with the French Sou
dan and the other French West Atri-
can possessions. Leading steps IN TINS
linking lIp process were the occupation
of Timbuctoo in 1894, the junction OF
the Ivory Coast with Senegal in 1896,
the overthrow OF the Soudanese chleI
Samory, in 1898, and the junction OIL
the Ivory Coast with French Guinea in
1899. 4.
This last step-the junction of the
Ivory Coast with French Gulnea-ls
perhaps the most complete OF all py
reason of the excellent highway that
connects tine two colonies. In cpnnec.
tiun with this. we, have to explain that
on the confines Of Liberia, in the DuSn
of 1'abou, dwell the Tepos, Warlke
tribe who early in 1899 exhibited nos
tiIitv to French authority, French or
ficers accordingly led their Senegalese
troops against them, ana were met by
a fire from the Tepos, pieces OF pot
legs and of iron pots being used as
h,1IIets. and a French doctor and ten
Senegalese we're killed. 40 prevent
the Teposs from following q custom at,
tributed TO them of eating their deao
and buried foes, the French placed the
slain Senegalese in hut ana SCI IL III
Are thereby consuming the podies. Inc
Tepos defeated, and Grano, ftnell O s,u
tal occupied, the French burned -FOUR
of their larger towns, imposing me
Of fifty bullocks. and also condemned
them to two months, hard labor IN
making a road round the PACK OF Ii
IBERIA. This is the highway Leading 10
French Guinea, which Is destined 10
play an important part IN Ine 3pe'ii'ie
I'm of the rich region of the Cayally.
Tbe character of the Tepos as re-
,iected in the foregoing is quite diner
ont from the character attributed ny
travellers and prospectors to the natlNes
c,enerally WILDWOOD Reade, celeorat-
ed West African explorer, CONSIDERED
his treasure chest safer in the hanus
IF the humblest Ivory Coast carrier
than IL would have been in Englahn.
I6nper. too, found the natives not
orIv honest but also peaceful and IN
offensive. True, they are superstitlous
Trhev believe for instance, that the
White man has an attraction In gold
that gold is drawn to him; consequent
~ on approaching a mine they pant
themselves white so that the gold may
not run away, as it is supposed TO
do from a black man. Sometimes, too
in escorting prospectors they nave
prepared for the journey by sacrihcing
dogs. pigs, goats and fowls. The ma
tiyes number about 100000. Besides
gold washing, their 'employments in
Guide fishing (at which they are very
eNpert), basketmaking, matmaking,
pottery making, rubber collecting and
palm oil trading.
The coast tribes have a good smat-
tering of English. Every white man
is John" and the generic name for
food is Chop" This is easily account
ed for when it is remembered that for
over a century the bulk Of the trade
has been in. English hands. Bristol
mariners of former generations knew
the Ivory Coast well. They used to
freight their banks with trade goods
cloth, beads rum, gin, salt, gun
powder and. metal wares-to exchange
for gold dust, palm oil and other trop-
ical products; the ships lying at an
Choir in the. Gulf of Guinea, outside the
fierce surf that RACES all along that
shore, till they had sold out. The Brit
A CIMDTE 0ITECTT0N