The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-07
By Frank C. Carpenter


| Upon being assured that the pictures were not for use in Algiers the queen and | her aunt then went with me into the | garden back of the house, and she stood 1 in the sun while I made the pictures I l had one photograpn snapped by my drag oman Of myself standing beside the queen. am five feet seven inches in height and | the queen is almost head shorter. The photographs are excellent and they rep resent her majesty as she looks in this good year of our Lord, 1907 After taking the photographs I left, her majesty again ] shaking my hand as she said goodbye. With the French in Madagascar. Speaking of Madagascar, l have made some inquiries of the officials here as to what the French have done in that coun- try since her majesty was deposed. They tell me that many reforms have been in- stituted and are now under way Slavery have been abolished in all parts of the island. the schools have been improved and education is now compulsory upon all children between eight and fourteen years of age. There are now large number of schools, both for boys and girls. There are also schools of agriculture, and of industry, and for technical training. The children are required to learn the French language, and attempts are being made to Frenchify the island
 New Road and Railroads.
 
 gascar and there are but few places where wheeled vehicles can be used The most common way of travel on the part of those who can afford 1t is In chairs on the shoulders of men The French have made some military roads and they have a wagon road from the chief port Tama- tave, to Tananarivo, the capital. They have laid out a railway to connect these two cities, but so far have only built a few miles. There i5 also a railway sixty two miles long which is connected by canal with Tamatave. and I understand that this will be continued to Tananarivo. A wagon road has also been built from the capital to the west coast and mails are carried over that road on automobiles. The French have established postoffices almost everywhere and they have put up telegraph lines to the extent of about $500 miles. They have also about 130 miles of telephone lines
 Madagascar is now French colony, but 1t is entirely different from the colony of Algeria. Algeria is represented in the French parliament and it elects it's own officials, with the exception of the gov ernor general and few others. Mada- gascar is not represented in parliament and it has no congress. The island Is partly under civil and partly under mill itary administration. It has a governor general and civil and military admnis- traitors. In the military territory the sol- diers direct everything. There are alto gether LOGO troop and about 500 officers. There also seven or eight hundred civil officials, but large number of these are natives who have been chosen by popular vote. Taxes are said to be lit tie higher than they were under the old regime. The chief business of the island consists of stock raising and farming. Madagascar is covered with pastures and it has something like 100000 cattle. It also rears horses and sheep and the peo- pie are now engaging in ostrich farming. The land is rich in minerals. The French are opening up gold mines and there are also deposits of iron nickel, lead copper and coal. FRANK G. CARPENTER.