Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-03-16
SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA
Dark Continent Greatest Region
of Colonial Exploitation.
only Two small Countries Inde pen den
while several Europesn Powers
Hold Territory Larger Than
Home Country.

THE practical termina ton Of German
rule in Africa serves TO emphasize again
the fact that the Dark Continent is the
greatest region Of colonial exploitation III
the world. says a bulletin OF the National
Geographic society at Washington, ID. {,
Tho area Of Africa is 1! ,262 900 square
miles, exclusive OF It's Islands. 1t Will bs
seen from this that It il nearly four times
as large as the United States II has a
population of 10000.
And yet there are only wo small
countries In the entire continent that are
Observation-Disclosures and Abyssnia. Ii
IBERIA. has an area about the size of VIZ
ginis and Il population equal to that OF
the city OF Philadelphia. Abyssinia's area
Is little more than twice as great as
that OF France or Germany ard It's pop
ulation enuals that OF Pennsylvania.
England controls a territory In Africa
larger than that of the entire United
5 atcs including Alaska. The African
population under English dominion Is
one half as great as the entire popu's-
ton OF the United States France. at The
outset OF the war, had no African terri
tory cQuai In nrea to that OF the United
States and all of her possessions and
MEXICO The population Of French Afri-
can territories eauals that Of Brazil.
Portuguese holdings in Africa are as
large as Mexico, with n population about
half as dense, Belgian holdings are one
third, and those of Italy one-ffth. as
large as the territory Of continental Uni |
ted States.
1T is an interesting fact that Grea
Bl'tains holdings in Africa are almost
exactly equal TO those in North America.
They are 81 times as large as the United
Kingdom itself, and have a population
large enough to replace tina OF the Uni
ted Kingdom with enough to populate a
new London to spare.
The African holdings Of France are
q times as large in area as he home
country itself, while the population is
nearly two-thirds as great. Be gian hold
ings are s. times great in area az
Belgium herself, while the population is
more than twice as great. Italy controls
5000 square miles of African territory,
which Is five times as much as her Euro
pean area.
The manner IN which the nations OF
Europe have apportioned the second lar
gest continent Of the world among them
selves forms one OF the most unique
cha piers in the history Of political Ceogra-
ply.
Before 1850 Africa was allowed to drift
aong almost undisturbed by the politics
Of the outside world It is true that
scientific and commercial activities from
Europe had invaded the continent but
there had never been any apportionment
Of territory having the sanction OF in
tcrnational agreements.
I'm 1854 King Leopold of Belgium sue
ceeded In having A conference called to
determine the status OF the Congo terri
tory held in trust for civilization by the
African Interna tional association. The
result of this conference was the setting
up OF the Congo Free State. with the
King of Belgium at its head In addi-
ton thereto the conference defined the
general sphere of influence Of the powers
in Africa.
In 1890 following out the plans Of the
conference Great Britain ne&.otiated a
treaty signed in Berlin, which gave her
Uganda and thus thwarted a dream the
Germans had long held of Il through
railroad across Africa entirely on Ger
man soil. On the other hand, by gaining
possession OF the territory in southeast
Africa to the Belgian Congo Germany as
effcctuallv prevented he construction of
n Cape-to-Cairo railway under British
control.
"A month later the English and French
signed an agreement recognizing Il Brit
ish protectorate over Zanzibar and Penn
ba French protectorate over Madagas-
car. and n French sphere of influence
from Algeria southwark to point be
tween the town OF Say and Lake Chad
Still later England and Portugal came
q
tons of their respective territories.
In later years came the BOer war.
and thereafter another general scramble
for influence in Africa, in which Great
Britain secured control over tine Orange
Free State and the Transvaal, Belgium
formally annexed the Congo Free State,
Italy seized Trpoli. and France finally
extended a protectorate over Morocco.