Evening star., 1941-09-14
West Africa

An official announcement that the
Vichy government is rushing the
completion of a new harbor in West
Africa dovetails with other recent
news indicating that the Atlantic
frontage of the Dark Continent may
soon become an important factor in
world affairs.
The new port is at Abidjan on the
French Ivory Coast, a colony which
thrusts down from the French held
interior to the sea between the
British colony of Gold Coast and the
independent Negro republic of
Liberia. founded a century ago by
emancipated American slaves. Ever
since last June French engineers
have been busy cutting a channel
from the sea to deep lagoon which
will offer sheltered anchorage to the
largest ships. Despite Vichys press
ing need for funds at home, 128,-
100000 francs lover ST ,000000) have
been allotted, not merely for the
development of Abidjan but also for
further Improvements at the main
French base at Dakar, several hun
dred miles to the northWard around
the bulge" of Africa, and nearest
point to the Brazilian coast of South
America, only 1900 miles away.
The strategic Importance of Abid-
jan is obvious. Once completed, gar
risoned, and fortified, it will bracket
Britain's chief West African base at
Freetown, Sierra Leone, which lies
midway between Abidjan and Dakar.
A glance at the map will show that
all Britain's West African colonies,
together with Liberia and the tiny
bit Of Portuguese Guinea, are coastal
enclaves. backed by the huge mass
of French territory which extends
unbroken northward to the Mediter-
ranean. Were the Vichy government
to throw in its lot fully with the Axis,
the large forces of native troops
maintained in French West Africa,
plus strong detachmentS of the For
eign Legion. could concentrate at will
upon the relatively small and indi-
vidually isolated British colonies
along the coast, attacking them from
behind and perhaps picking them off
one by one. Only British Nigeria.
situated at the bend of the Gulf of
Guinea, is large and strong enough
to offer effective resistance to large
scale French attack with German
backing. In this connection. it is to
be noted that the British base at
Freetown, Sierra Leone, is only fifty
miles from the frontier of French
Guinea. The British colony of Gam
/ bia, nearest to Dakar and now used
as Way-station for American planes
being flown across the Atlantic for
British use, is a mere tongue of land
hemmed in by French territory on
both sides. Completely indefensible.
it could be taken by the French at
any time.
Another factor in this tangled pic
ture is the block of French territory
in Central Africa held by the Free
/ French" forces of General de Gaulle.
Protected by the baStion of British
Nigeria from effective contact with
ViChy-held West Africa. and supple
| mented by the resources of Belgian
Congo. Free French Africa is a par
| tial offset to the potential menace of
Vichy-Axis activity. Recently, it was
reported that General de Gaulle had
offered the use of several good bases
in his territory to the United States.
and, of course, he is already fully
associated with Britain. Since the
British Navy controls the seas in this
entire region, with the exception of
submarine raiders, the situation,
while potentially serious, is by no
| means critical. Reinforcements could
be thrown into Britain's West African
colonies in case of need Still, the
possibilities are grave and need care
full watching. The sea lanes around
the Cape of Good Hope and across
the Atlantic from South America to
Europe both pass along those threat
ened coasts of West Africa, and must
at all costs be Safeguarded.