Arizona republican., 1912-02-11
ASSOcidtcd Press DiSbafchl

' LONDON. England. Feb. lO..The
 next big tusslc between the powers of
 Europe as far as they can be seen at present. is to be over the Portu-
 Gese colonies in Africa
 This time England and Germany will come directly face to face: each will be fighting her own diplomatic battle, not that of her friends or al- lies. as in the Moroccan and Bosnia and Herzegovina cases The British government is being urged by the Im- perialists to take the matter up im- mediately and get her share at the same time that Germany comes into
 hers. Germany. there is no doubt.
 is willing; in some quarters it is be- lieved that she has her preliminary
 negotiations well under way. while
 Portugal. being in need of money
 and knowing that the present is a
 good time to sell, is not averse to parting with colonies which she can
 not afford to keep up.
 A glance at the map makes the division of the colonies between Eng
 land and Germany look easy The Portugese East African possessions are bordered on the south and west
 by British South Africa and on the north by German East Africa There are two ports. Delagoa Bay, on which England has had an option for some years. and Beira, d little furthep north
 which England would certainly wish as her share. as they would give her great South African colonies outlets to the sea through British territory The difficulty would arise in divid- ing the rest of this colony Germany wolld consider herself entitled to a portion of il to extend her East African colony and the trouble would come in deciding where the dividing line should be. Some Englishmen think all or Portugese East African should become British. for Germany's share of the division would he An gola on the west coast
 Angola has a coast line of 1000 miles and an area of about half a million square miles The acquisition of this extensive and rich territory by Germany adjoining as it does her Southwest African possessions. would give her that Central African empire of which German expansionists talk England. il is understood. has already intimated to Germany that she would offer no opposition to this acquisition, and in fact 1t is believed to have been this to which Sir Edward Grey referred when he spoke of offering no obstacle to German expansion in Africa.
 But there would be long and per hapS bitter controversy before the transfers could be completed. With the suspicion existing between the two countries and the determination of both to give up nothing that they believe tO be in the interest Of their respective empires to maintain. there would be lots of opportunities for squalls. The islands along the coast Of Angola. although Portugese terri tory. are practically owned by British merchants. and influential ones. too. while Liberal government is in power The great cocoa manufactur- CTS of England. strangely enough. ail Radicals, owning papers to advance their political views, get their raw material from these islands. Of which St Thome and Principe are the larg- est Germany would want these islands with the mainland, and these cocoa magnates would doubtless raise the objection that they had acquired rights there that would be injured by the change in ownership. There are also a few border questions tO settle, but these aside. England would proo- ably be anxious to give a favorable reply when Portugal and Germany, having completed the deal. asked for her views according to diplomatic us- age. A favorable answer might re- lieve the tension between the two countries and pave the way for a cordial welcome to King George when he nays his coronation visit to Der lin some time this year.