NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15112, 30 October 1914, Page 7

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

A message from Amsterdam announces that, according to reports, from Berlin, the Amir of Afglvanistan gave audience to an influential member of the Turkish Committee of Union and Progress who was sent on a, special mission as envoy from Constantinople. It is quite probable that this mission was sent at tho instigation of German agents in Constantinople, whore, it is reported, German naval and military officers are exhibiting considerablo activity. Tho vagaries of the Goeben and Brcslau, which, apparently, .ire

still carrying their original officers and crows, and the repeated rumours of military preparations, may bo taken as evidence of Gorman intrigue, with a view to embroiling Turkey and creating fresh trouble in the Near East. Regarding the mission to Afghanistan, it is very doubtful if tho Amir will lend an attentive ear to Tureo-Gcrman blandishments. Early in August Hie Viceroy of India received a very cordial letter from the Amir of Afghanistan, who announced his resolve to preserve tho strictest neutrality during the curroncv of tho war.

It is officially reported that Belgian forces completely defeated tho German troops on the shores of La-ke Tanganyika, in Central Africa. In all probability this decisive- action took placo at tho northern end of the great lake, which has a length of just over 400 miles, with a general breadth varying from 20 to -13 miles, and an area of about 12,700 square- miles. In the partition of Africa among the European Powers, tho shores of Tanganyika have been shared by Belgium, Great Britain, and Germany j Great Britain holding the .southern extremity in Northern Rhodesia, Germany tho eastern shore, and Belgium the west- Stations have been established on tho lake by al! three Powers, tho principal being— German: BismarCkburg, in tho south, and Ujiji in the north; British Sumbu and Knsakaliwe, on Cameron Bay: Belgian: Mtowa or AlbertviUe, in latitude Gdeg. South. A small .steamer, tho Good News, wa.s placed on tho lake by the London Missionary Society in ISS-i, but afterwards became tho property of the African Lakes Corporation ; a larger steamer, the Hedwig yon Wissmann, carrying a 'quick-firing Krupp gun. was launched in 1900 by a German expedition: and others aro owned by the Tanganyika Concessions and Katanga Companies. For its entire length of 100 miles Lake Tanganyika divides the Belgian Congo from German East Africa, but the boundary of tho two territories curves northwards for another 200 miles.

Tho Congo Independent. State wa". founded in 1882 by I/copold 11.. King of the Belgians, and tbo State was placed under bis sovereignty; but its perpetual nr-ufrality. iri accordance with the provisions of the General Act., of Berlin (1835). wa.s guaranteed. Tlie annexation of the State to Bolgium was provided for by the treaty of November 28th, 1907. 'The area of the colony is estimated at 009,05-1 square miles, with a native population of Bantu origin, officially estimated at 15 millions. Th.' European population,, which is very mixed, numbered 5405 in January. 1912. Of these, 3307 -were Belgian, 505 English, 303 Portuguese, 177 Swedish, M Norwegian. 5)1 French, 40 American. 27*$ Italian 30 Danish, 150 German, 129 Dutch '00 >wi-S 117 Russian, 19 Austrian 102 (.reeks. 29 from Luxemburg and 80 others. 'Die colony possesses a force of native troop* amounting t o 18.000 men. They are ~j. infantry." and are organised in 2<- uidenfiulein companies. The force is recruited oy conscription and volume-r-------im: the annual contingent being Siso men in 1913- The officers, numbering 18*> and 233 non-.-<>mn>i.ss!oned-omcers, are'Europeaus, and for tho most part, HelEiauh. The Cr>ngo River is navigable for nl-ou- VM miles »nd an it thero are 11 stumers on tho lower sor.tion, aud -M on the I pper Co, n^;- "" owned by tha .State. Ihe total length of railing in 1912 was 7SB mi es two -.onions of the Cape-to-Cairo Railuay

being included in the system. Lines under construction or projected total 745 miles. In 1911 a pipe-line from Alatadi, on the Congo, to Leopoldvil c, was constructed to carry oil for tho river steamers. The pipe-lino is 240 miles long, has a diameter of 4 inches and has eight pumping stations capable of delivering 60.000 tons ot oil at Leopold v tile.

One feature of the great war in EuSpe is its world-wide «£»«**■£ While millions ot men are engaged i dcadiv combat in the Eastern and Western theatres in Europe, war , s being waged in the Pacific i«. China, and in various parts ot Africa. Although the forces engaged in tho war in Europe aro many times greater trun the whole of the military forces of tho combatants in Africa, the total area ot the German colonic*, at stake in Africa is greater by 130,000 square miles than tho combined areas of Great Britain, France. Belgium. Portugal Germany and Austria-Hungary- There are many sMe-issues to tue war. Togoland •i-d "the Cameroon's have already boen occupied M.V Ang.o i'rencn lorces. and ij.-htiu'- has taken place on tbo southern .-order'of German South-West Africa and on the western and southwest boundaries of German East Africa. To-day wo arc told that German troops have invaded Angola, and that Portugal is sending warships immediTho invasion has been made from German South-West Africa, winch hi contiguous to Angola, from tlie Atlantic sea coast, for a distance of JOO miles inland. Angola has a coast-line ot over 1000 miles, its capital being S. Paulo de Loanda. The area of Angola is 481.800 square miles, and the est minted population 4.119.00 U. The military force varies between 2721 ,1970 natives) and -1731 (3G02 natives).

Although there has boon no forma! declaration of war between Portugal and Germany, the invasion of Angola is doubtless an act of retaliation by the fatter against the action of Portugal in organising an expeditionary force to assist the Allies in r.urope. l'ortugal may be relied upon to deal with the situation that has arisen in Africa. Her navy, which eomorises one very small old battleship, four cruisers, and a number of gunlxiats and destroyers, is lot a very effective weapon, measured by Euro]>ean standards, out its persontie! includes some good fighting matert ial. and there are four naval transports which can bo used to convey troons to Angola. Anart from the men availablo at home, thero are two lino regiments of infantry at the Azores, and one at Madeira. Portujruo.se, in addition to protc-tinsr Angola from the ■German forces, should be ablo to af-fo>-d very material assistance to *c British-South African troons in dealing fith German South-West Africa.