Evening star., 1915-01-20

tinent to the purpose of recovering It's
a!ienated property rights.
The Anglo-Liberian boundary dispute
began In 1852 as a simple question OF
title to the territory between the She-
bar and Mama rivers. but later was
complicated by the introduction and
pressure on the part of Great Britain
of what is known as the Mamma river
claims" British traders resident In
the territory and carrying on trade
in defiance of the revenue laws of the
republic caused the difficulty. At the
bottom of the dispute was bad feellng
Sierra Leone by the attempt of Libe-
ria to enforce her revenue laws WITHIN
this area.
Authority Resisted.
These traders resisted the authority
of Liberia for more than thirty years.
laying the foundation for what have
become known as the British Harris
claims" Liberia confiscated vessel
belonging to a British trader for viola
tion of the Liberian revenue laws.
Sending a military exposition into the
Mama country, in 1871. to uphold the
republican sovereignty resulted IN
new British claim. known as the Man
ma River claims
Great Britain presented these two
claims, demanding settlement from Lii
IBERIA, and also return of the confiscated
ship. The title of Liberia to the dis
puted territory. an afterthought. was
next denied by Great Britain, whose
agents Influenced the native chiefs to
repudiate deeds and grants obtained
from them by Liberia or the American
Society. Finally, these ma
tive chieftains were induced to sell to
Great Britain the seacoast OF the as
puted territory over which the Republic
al roic cy,ty hx n
title from the same source. The dis
puted territory was finally seized by
Great Britain. which then abandoned
the prosecution of the claims against
Efforts to Settle Dispute.
Many efforts were previously made to
settle this northwest boundary dis
pute," as it was called. British represent
atives on two joint commissions contended
that the title deeds held by Liberia were
worthless because they were not sus-
tained by evidence. The Governor Of
Sierra Leone on ship of war In 1857
went to Monrovia, demanded the return
of the confiscated vessel. and insisted
upon the payment of the British claims
The governor by this show OF force
persuaded the president of Liberia to en-.
ter into convention for the settlement OF
the territorial dispute. The United states
was party to the ensuing correspond
ence Liberia was compelled to relinquish
her claims to the territory between the
Shebar and Mama rivers, as the quld
pro quo for abandonment of the other
claims of Great Britain.
The French encroachments on the
ivory and grain coasts is a similar story.
the Liberian coast line In
cluded the ivory and grain coasts as
far as the San Pedro river. Title was
acquired from native chiefs by the
American Colonization Society prior to
esta blishment of the republic. For al
most forty years this title was undis-
puted.
French Obtain Treaties.
About 1s9O-91 French subjects visit
ing the coast. obtained alleged treaties
with native chiefs. France announced
that she had acquired this coast region.
The United States government at once
protested. France pressed her claim;
Liberia, without consulting the United
States, opened negotiations with France,
resulting in a treaty which ceded the
territory in exchange for $4,000 francs,
Or $4,000. The United States govern
nent expressed its regret to Liberia at
ner course. and opinion that the amount
was inadequate, advising against rati-
ication of the treaty. Threatening
kilograms from Paris and menace of
force, however. induced the Liberfan
senate to subscribe to the, cession of
territory.