The Press. FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1889.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7259, 15 March 1889, Page 4

The Press. FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 1889.

Among the competitors ia what Mr. Harrison has called the exploitation of Africa, the most aspiring, we begin to think, is the little Kingdom of Portugal. It is true that Belgium ia in a sense a smaller kingdom. She is not a third of the size, and if she counts a million more in population they must be very closely packed. But Belgium went to the Congo and founded the Congo Free State with the virtual mandate of Europe. The pretensions of Portugal are far more extensive, and she relies for their enforcement, in pronounced disregard, more* over, of the common interests of Europe, upon nothing but her own energy and her own diplomatic skill. She claims, in short, to but Afrioa in two. Her north line commences apparently at the west coast, on the south bank of the Congo, skirts eastwards along the line, marking the German sphere of influence, and terminating at some point south of Zanzibar. Her south boundary commences, we suppose, at the point on the westward at which it was settled by the West African Conference of 1885, and proceeds on the east along the north bank of the Zambesi, with a hardly-withdrawn claim to levy toll on traffic along that river. It is a pretty extensive piece of territory — how many times larger than Portugal herself we would rather not attempt to define, and it seems to include at least one of the great lakes which has for some time been navigated by an English Shipping Company. Bat let that pass. If Portugal can make oat her claim to it, the use she proposes to make of it generally, and the destruction of what we imagined to be vested English interests in some portions of it will be theirs to be deplored and pu^upwith. Portugal is prepared apparently to expend some energy in the establishment of her claim. In the first instance she applied to England. As then, presented the claim extended still farther than we have just sketched it. It included the whole valley of the Zambesi, south as well as north of the

river, embracing even the country of the Matabeles, and only stopping short in its southward progress where the Limpopo forma the northern boundary of the Transvaal. The reply of the British Government was clear, but to Portugal, we fear, not satisfactory. They declined to enter into any treaty, declared the whole country south of the Zambesi to be within the sphere of British influence, and through Lord Salisbury, speaking in his place in the House of Lords, stated that England would resist any attempt to levy tolls on the Zambesi. With France and Germany, however, the little kingdom was a shade less unsuccessful. " The Government of the French Republic" —and a treaty conceived in similar terms was also signed by Germany— " recognise the right of his Most Faithful Majesty to exercise his sovereign and civilising influenoe within the territories which separate the Portuguese possessions of Angola and | Mozambique, subject always to rights already acquired by other Powers; and engage to abstain from all occupation on their own part." We understand this language to mean that Portugal is at liberty to do the best it can with such position as it may have acquired in the interior of Africa, and that so far as France and Germany are concerned they will not interfere. But England must not be interfered with. Portugal has by no means confined itself to diplomacy with other countries. She is putting forth efforts— tolerably gigantic ones—of her own. The distance from Angola to Mozambique, measuriug in a straight line from coast to coast is as near as may be about 2000 miles—not quite six times the length of Portugal from north to south. The tribes of the interior are—well, not more civilised, unless where, on the latter more especially, British influence has acquired an ascendancy, than in the interior elsewhere. Across this 2000 miles, Portugal proposes to construct a grand Trans-African railway. The project has been for some years set ou foot, and with the aid of foreign capital, what we may call the Angola section of it is already begun. The first two hundred miles are probably well within the boundaries of the Angola colony, and may be completed within the five years which we learn they are expected to take. The progress of the rest must be left to the revelations of the future. Meanwhile, it is but fair to say that Portugal has been advancing, her military posts into the interior, and her traders have pushed forward as far as the Kassai river, or about one third of the distance to Lake Nyasaa> Nor is it only by railways that it is sought to impress a Portuguese character on what we must call Mid Africa. Portugal is now about subsidising a regular line of steam ships, to be called the Royal Portuguese Mail, and intended to connect Loanda on the Angola Coast with Mozambique by way of the Cape. Not, be it observed, because of any commercial purpose this work of communication is wanted. The communication necessary to both with Lisbon and the chief mercantile ports of Europe ia supplied already. A bi-monthly servioe of steamers has connected Loanda lind other ports of Portuguese West Africa with Lisbon, London, Liverpool and Hambuitj; while on the East Coast the British India Steam Navigation Company maintains constant communication between Mozambique and Goa and the great commercial emporium of both, Bombay. Another Company also affords a choice of routes from Mozambique to Europe, via Aden or the Cape. The value of such services as these to the Portuguese settlements on both coasts of Africa goes Without saying, and for the sake of it the Portuguese Government has hitherto contributed a considerable subsidy. For the sake, apparently, of having it to say. that Angola and Mozambique are now but the outports of Portuguese dominion in Central Africa, they are to be exchanged for a service of which the only ostensible recommendation is its name. It cannot, under any conceivable circumstances, benefit Loanda and it seems to be conceded that it will really injure Mozambique. We are not, we hope, credited usually with a disposition to be cynical, and certainly if, in the preseut case, we could, trace any reasonable relation between means and ends, nothing ought to please us better than to see this little kingdom rousing itself to an object of which, if effected, the possibilities would be grand. But, unable as we are to trace any such connection, it is difficult to speak seriously of such pretensions to aggrandizement on the part of a little State—it would be unkind to speak of it as a Power—whose whole volume of trade hardly exceeds £13,000,000, whose mercantile marine about reaches 120,000 tons, which has rather an armed constabulary than an army, and which certainly could not for any offensive purpose put 100 gum afloat. How came Portugal, one can hardly help asking, to commit herself to such an enterprise? We are told, certainly, that there are two forces at work in the kingdom, to.one or other of which, or more probably to the joint action of both, her present proceedings must be credited. The one is the sohool of learned enthusiasts—or as in France one hundred years ago, they would have been called the " Doctrinaires " and the school of hard-headed very practical protectionists. The first recall the days when Portugal ruled an empire, and dream that she may rule an empire once more. Great Britain they say lost America and gained India, Portugal has lost Brazil, add why may not she also make it good in Africa ? The other school moan over the vain attempt of their Government to make Portugal, by a system of prohibitive duties, a manufacturing country. They have discovered that at best "protection can only do half its work. It may keep off outside competition; but it cannot create a market where there are no consumers. Mid-Africa, so it be only Portuguese, Ota supply fifty million consumers; and it will only be necessary, by the imposition of adequate differential dudes;, to secure ail .these to the Portuguese manufacturer, Between both it is said the new policy has had its way. Maps bs-ve been freely displayed in Lahon, exhibiting a "Greater Portugal," stretching from the Congo to the Cape Colony, and we do not hear th»t even since the | rude rebuff of the British Government this display has been materially oheoked; If Portugal, what.

ever her dreams of extended empire, had had the wisdom to acS with them the principle to whioh the European Powers generally g ave their unreserved adhesion on the banks of the Congo—that of absolute freedom of commerce—wo .should have watched with interest and sympathy her efforts to realise them. As it is, we cannot regret that, besides the Arab hostility whioh is now so troublesome L mightier Powers, there are also English interests on the Nyassa, the Shiri, and the Zambezi which mus» prove fatal to her claims.

Thb seventh annual report of th« Canterbury Frozen Meat and Dairy Produce Export Company, published elsewhere, must, in the circumstances, be highly satisfactory to shareholders! Notwithstanding the disastrous fir* which led to the partial destruction of the Company's works, the Director are able to show a balance to the credit of profit and loss sufficient ** justify them in recommending ft. payment of a divideud at the rate of 7 per cent. This has been dona after revaluing the remaining buildinw and the plaut and machinery, and making every needful allowance f<R wear and tear and depreciation. The new buildings, a description of which appeared in our columns a few days ago, are being erected with every care to provide against fire, and to confine one, should it unfortunately break out, within limited areas. The in. terferenoe with the operations of the Company caused by the fire is certainly unfortunate, and has necessarily told upon the prices realised for stock at the weekly sales. The partial interruption in freezing enables us to realise what the frozen meat trade means for the producers of the district. It is not too much to say that but for the outlet thus provided, the value not only of stock, but of agricultural and pastoral property generally, would have been far lower than it is. In these circumstances those who have energetically prosecuted the business are entitled to every credit for their publio spirit They have done their less enterprising neighbours quite as much , good as themselves. Indeed, in many cases, they have, in the past, made losses for the benefit of others. It is satisfactory, however, to learn from the report before us that "on the whole the year's export from Canterbury has left a fair average profit to shippers," and that the experience of the past year "in no way discourages the energetic and regular proseoution of a business so important to all concerned in the general prosperity of this district and of tbe colony."