New-York tribune., 1911-11-05
TILE CONGO SETTLEMENT

Chief interest in the settlement or
| affairs between Germany and France
centres in the readjustment of bouo-
diaries in Equatorial Africa, in the basins
of the Congo and Lake Chad What is
to be done with Morocco was long aso
| fully discounted The Shereefan Empire
| follows Algeria and Tunis and becomes
a. part of the colonial empire Of the
| French Republic. The extent TO which
! France will give Germany "compensa-
| ton by ceding a portion Of the French
Congo has remained heretofore an un-
| certain factor in the problem. 1t is now
disclosed, and is seen to be by no means
sensational, though neither is 1t unim-
portant.
What Germany has wanted, as we
have hitherto explained is to enlarge
! her frontage upon the Atlantic and 10
gain direct access TO the Congo River and
| to the territory of the Belgian Congo
! State. The arrangement which has been
made effects those ends. 1t advances the
southern boundary of the Cameroons
southwark about a hundred miles, a.
most to and on a line parallel with the
| Equator. Thus 1t will begin on the coast
at Monde, or MundO, Bay, at the south
ern extremity of COrisco Bay, just north
of Libreville and the GabOon River,
and the little territory of Spanish
| Guinea will thus become an enclave in
German instead Of French territory.
Thence the line will run eastward to the
Sanga River and down that stream to the
Congo; thence up the Congo five or six
miles just far enough to give Germany
frontage and trading station on that
river. Thence the line will run north
and east. parallel with the Ubanghi
River. but some miles west of It, leaving
that river entirely French, until the town
of Bangui is reached. where the line will
curve so as to give Germany short
frontage on the river there. Thence II
will Swerve away TO the northwest to
LogOne River and down that stream to
Lake Chad. Thus Germany will. get her
increased coast frontage and direct ac-
cess to the Congo and Ubanghi rivers,
and large addition to the Cameroons.
On the other hand Germany will sur
render and France will acquire the east
ern portion of the socalled Ducks
Beak,' lying between the LOgone aud
Shari rivers, and al claim to the
Bagirmi territory east Of the Shari Als)
Germany will relinquish in Frances
favor her frontage upon Lake Chad, leav
ing to France all the shores Of that lake
excepting that possessed by British NJ
geria. Obviously this will materially
strengthen Frances position in the Sou
dan. 1t is true that her Congo territory
is cut quite into two parts by a German
wedge. But France gains much in those
regions TO offset in part her concessions
10 Germany, while of course her gain in
Morocco is enormous. There are, in fact.
IN the whole scheme advantages as well
as renunciations on both sides, and 1t IA
not clear that there is just cause for the
complaints which are said to he made
at both Paris and Berlin. Germany Las
gained much substantial advantage in
return for surrendering an insubstantial
claim. while France has gained ten times
more than she has relinquished. II will
be gratifying 70 the whole world II the
settlement thus outlined is made effec-
tive, and thus a final disposition is made
Of problems which have long been vexa-
tious and menacing to the worlds peace