Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1894. MADAGASCAR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XV, Issue 3437, 15 November 1894, Page 2

Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1894. MADAGASCAR.

Fkanck evidently, means business m Madagascar. She has decided to equip and despatch a military expedition to that remote island, and now we find the French press advocating the adoption of a course calculated to place the success of the French arms beyond the possibility of doubt. A force of 150,000 men is advised to be sent—m fact an army against which it would be no disgrace for the foroes of a Western power to range themselves and take the chances of war with There can be but little doubt as to what would be the result of such an expedition. The Hoyas are not a wailike people, but like the Japs, have of recent years taken seriously to the cultivation of an army on European lines. They are fairly well drilled, having been trained by British officers, and the arms they use, although not of the very latest type, are at least as good as those upon which New Zealand depends for defence. The Hovas possess some quarter million or so of good Snider rifles. New Zealand has not nearly so many, and what she has are far more dangerous from their rickety condition to friend than to foe. The Malagasy possess two batterifcs of seven-pounder mountain guns, each battery composed of four guns, but the Government of the island was recently m treaty to have those batteries increased m strength to six guns. The means of transport used for these guns is rough and ready, but it is suitable to the ground on which they would have to be used, and is quite effective. Strong bamboo poles are made use of from which the guns are slung, and hardy natives accustomed to the hills are the carriers. In addition to these mountain guns there are two six-gun batteries of five-barrel Gardner guns, and six batteries of six-barrel Gatlings, The last mentioned have been added to ;the gun strength of the native artillery within the current year, evidently m the belief that sooner or later the island would ha:*e io contend for its independence with a French army. The climate will also favor the '■ Malagasy, It is not a kindly one to jtifcropftang, and at the het>t of times and m the t?es£> regulated military "amp*, the most pftrfecit sanitary con- ■ *re never attained, so the ditions . Widay campaign feeFrench have no *ho Hovas, fore them m attacking . "** -"* But all the same the Malagasy win %„ down m the end before the superior power of the French arms as all halfcivilised tribes go down before the forces of Western nations. Yet the advance of the French from the coast to Antananarivo will be no easy task —less easy by far than was the advance of the Germans from the Ehina to Paris. The country inland is heavily wooded, barricaded by mountain ranges and deep and steep ravines ( all densely timbered Through such ground the French would have to carry the war into their enemy's country, and the campaign would thus assume many of the difficult features that presented themselves to the European troops who were engaged m quelling the trouble with the Maoris m New Zealand. Through the dense forests the French battalions would have to thread their way, surprised at all sorts of places by well armed and equipped natives, who would harass them from the best points of advantage, to which their intimate knowledge of the country would readily point them, while the French would be at the disadvantage which their ignorance of the topography of the country would of necessity place them. AH this would make the campaign tedious, prolonged, and costly, both m men and money. Then the Malagasy cai place 300,000 men m the field—not all armed with Sniders to be sure, but all equipped with rifles more or less serviceable, and a rifle that will stand a native m good atead m bringing down large game m the forest, will tfo, troublesome work froa»

an ambuscade against even well trained men. And what claim has France on Madagascar ? Why should she find it necessary to send a military expedition to Madagascar to establish a protectorate over the island as a preliminary to annexation ? Her interests tliare are no greater than England's or those of the United States—not so great, m fact-, as either—and these were not threatened. About nine years ago she executed a treaty with the Malagasy by which slie secured the right to occupy the Bay of Diego-Suarez, but before the Queen of Madagascar and her clear-headed Prime Minister consented to sign this treaty they insisted on an explanatory appendix which explained article 15 of that treaty as follows : — «< With regard t,o the territory necessary for the establishments which the Government of the Republic will make, as it finds suitable m the bay of Diego-Suarez, we believe we can assure you that it will not pass beyond one mile and a-half along all the south of the bay, as well as along its contour from east to west, and lour miles around the north contour of the bay, departing from the northernmost point of the said bay." On June 28 last the French issued a proclamation insisting that all Malagasy living -within fifteen and a half miles of the Bay of Diego-Suarez should pay taxes to the French authorities. When the Governor of the district protested he received the rep'y :— "We take possession as we think most expedient for the protection of the Bay of Diego-Suaress m the event of a European war, and you have no right to interfere with what we are doing; and if you interfere with us we fchall attack you, for Madagascar belongs to us, and not to you Hovas." The narrative from which this reply is quoted goes on to say that early m the morning of the 2nd July, Ambibaka was attacked by the French, the Hova flag at that place was hauled down by them, and the Malagasy officers and soldiers stationed at that place were arrested and taken prisoners to Diego-Suarez. On the 4th July the French authorities informed the Malagasy soldiers at Antanamitarana, Ankazomibiiboka, and those at Ambibaka who replaced those already taken prisoners to Diego-Suarez by the French, that unless they immediately evacuated those places and hauled down the Bova flag the French would attack them, as France had annexed those towns. The real reason for French aggression m Madagascar appears to be jealousy of Britain, whose supremacy m Egypt she does not take kindly to. Britain's position m Egypt has always irritated the French temper, and this step on Madagascar is one intended to accomplish the occupation of the five splendid harbors that command the Mazambique channel and a long stretch of the East African coast line. This attained, farewell to the maritime supremacy of Britain m the East Were France able to accomplish what she apparently aims at, and to secure all these strategic points, she could snap her fingers at the British East Indian squadron and its auxiliaries. Lord Rosebery recently spoke on the Madagascar question, and from what reached ns by cable he appeared to be inclined to let France work her own sweet will on the island, but we feel confident that public feeling will arise m Britain against allowing our Gallic neighbor to carry things with a high hand m the African island republic, and do just what she chooses with British interests m the far East.