ENGLAND AND FRANCE

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 237, 4 October 1894, Page 9

ENGLAND AND FRANCE

, -n-T-SWiMOOTD meetings of the British HS^. Cabinets and the recalling from "d C "UoofSir W. Vernon Harcourt "jA.BM* Hon. Campfiell-Bflnnermou, ' for War have occasioned some SeCr6-Tin Europe, and a slight disturbdisqU" oß tock«.. The cause is eaid to »nCV':„« complication*, probably with I' 2" g l ß Sn?S.ueof W«tneßdayJ«.t.in f? Lto .nannoDneomant that unhand y*?ffi- had resolved to oppose French Bfld 1 -L in Madagascar, we referred to f TSSitanoif wder which France had tbfl • Xcoenition from Lord Salisbury of lbmiJotS over that great island. w protectorate °™r o f im undor between the Malagasy Go.Mtwßß oeiw rowera Bhonld '""Thmagh the French Consul-General, £d upon a Treaty negotiated by !* 515 th the native Government of 535-I?ta-1885. Since then, France In de^rmined to bring .them iSm bj despatch.-* an expedition of 060 teoja to subdue the Hova,, which £»Uy «°ana a inquest and annexation %Zw***t n. C essarily raised the •■•SLihow -for the Protectorate ?iidi the An,l-Pr-eb Treaty, 'S really rested upoo an assumed indeW Sof the Government of the Hovas, Suited their subjugation by military .The Right Hon. J. W. Lowther, ser Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the E«ry Administration, stated in the flSiof Commons recently that the Treaty went no further than the Treaty previously IZ by France with the Malagasy SZnmant, and, therefore, implied the independence and voluntary concurrence ot IXvasinthe arrangement. .However Aik may be, it> undoubtedly complicates latters and gives France a pretexb for Lctine to English intervention. On the therband, we have had proof enough that L bond" of friendship between England Ld France would be strained to the breaking point if England were to convert w•■ present supsrviaion over the Eevptiad Government into an annexation. The two cases are pretty well upon all f ourß Moreover, within tho lasb few month*, England, through French opposition has had to surrender an agreement B Mcli she h»d entered into with the King o! the Belgians for the occupation of a strip of territory i» the Congo Free Statg, and the Rosebery Government, who were United wifch a diplomatic defeat on that occasion, may be the more determined to checkmate France in her present move. It may, of course, be thab the complication* which bava caused th ego urgent conFoliation?, relate bo the position of affairs in China had tsbo moasUroa which it is corijidered hocaasary to adopt for the protection ol foreign subjects and interests in "Treaty .ports., ln"1860, England and France marched'as allies to tbo gates of Pekin and : extorted trading rights from the exclusive Mongolians. Their interests there now maybe noinewhaii conflicting, and it is possible that France is abetting Russia in designs upon Corea. We are inclined to think, however, pending further information, that ■the projected military expedition to Madagascar ia the rear cause of the trouble. The French press haa lately Wained a tono of bitter hostility towards England, but it is not easy to excite enthusiasm among the French people for,, a war over a distant possession like Madagascar. The Tonquin war was Wry unpopular and unprofitable. Still, we cannot close bur eyes to the remarkable activity which has "been displayed by the French Republic in its endeavours to jitablish ah Eastern empire. We feel quite lore, howover, that France would not entsr with, a light; heart upon a war with England, and we are glad to sco thab. the French newspapers, probably under official instructions, are moderating their tone. The London press aUn very-wisely urges caution on the part ofJihe Government. Although Madagascar unrionbtgdly occupies a very important position in relation to our Eastern Empire, and is' a valuable posseslion iff itself, we do not believe thab its importance ia sufficient to jaetify tho English Government in inflicting upon the nation, tho horrors of a war of inch magnijudo as that which would be involved ia a struggle between the two greatest'maritime Towers on the face of the globe.