THE FRENCH IN MADAGASCAR.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXVI, Issue 8088, 2 April 1895, Page 1

THE FRENCH IN MADAGASCAR.

[From an Occasional Correspondent.] . Antananarivo, 14th January, 1895. Tho French liase their reason for • | bombardment of Tamatavo on necessity of occupation of town owing to alleged insufficiency of Malagasy police. As the - French commandant . j had made no complaint of such nature to the Malagasy authorities, the, pretext is not an adequate one. Moreover, there are, besides unsubstantiated rumours of incendiarism by French citizens—for the purpose > jof causing French occupation of the i town, the facts of pillage aud. threats' of violence by French soldiers. Bofore the occupation there were several acts of theft from Malagasy stalls by French soldiers. And immediately after the occupation" for-the pr'otee •. tion of life and property," the French , black soldiers 'pillaged'-many .of the ... smaller shops in Tamatave. A notable | threat of violence to American subjects was also made by French soldiers a week or so before the bombardment of Tamatave, Ex-U.S.A. Consul Waller, who is in Tamatave, is much bated by the French in consequence of his representations on the Madagascar Question to bis Government being the main cause of their withdrawing their instructions to the recently-arrived American Consul to obtain his official recognition by the Malagasy Government through the medium of the French Resident General. .Owing to that,.he has for months past been the victim of most malignant and persistent persecution. The incident, the outrage, particularly worthy of note—as it shows what all not favourable to French pretensions have to expect—is that some ten days before the French occupation of Tamatave "for the . protection of life and property," three French soldiers came into the premises of, the house of the American subject —an American " old-time " negro of sterling worth and excellent character —Mr John Dublin, by name, with whom Mr AValler is lodging, and, finding Mr Dublin absent, made violent demonstrations which so frightened the Malagasy on and around the premises that the natives fled in great fear. :Mr Waller was seated in the courtyarg, the three French soldiers then went up to him and one of them asked why he had not also taken to his heels, and if he was not afraid of French soldiers. On his replying that he was not afraid, one - of the soldiers snatched a long knife from his belt and made at Mr Waller. Mr Waller sprang to his feet, seized the chair ou which he had been sitting, and told the soldier that if further act of violence was attempted he, Mr Waller, would dash his brains out. Ihe three sol-, diers then left. Mr Waller has laid the matter before;the U.S.A. Consul, but it is a matter of international importance-for the security of life and property in Madagascar—that the incident shall have world-w.'do publicity. . How the French occupation of Tamatave has affected' life and pro- -. perty' is, further,' notably shown by tho French having drawn the Uova tiro upon Tamatava by it wanton bombardment of the Malagasy entrenched camp, at ManjaKatidrauumbaua, a position some three miles from Tamatave,-so naturally strong that to endeavour to cause its evacua« tion by an unsupported artillery tire is absurd. As The Madivjasiar Ncv:t j contains a rnliable report of tlie j shelling, it is not necessary iu this jletter to again go over the same ground. Yet j I would add a word of protest against the French having so little regard for European ' life and property,' as to compel the Ho'vas , to show that they hold Tamatave a&

• their mercy. And I would also call attention to the fact of the Hovas Laving used their power most uiorcifully, and thus ouco.moro proved 1 heir right to. have tbo Madagascar! ' -Question settled by International) , .Arbitration. By their being c ntent ■with a mere demonstration, tLo Hovas have again made evident that they are a civilize J and Christian nation, entitled not to bo bartered away in the European 'Scramble for' .Africa'.' ' j But if International Arbitration is not accorded to .Madagascar, the: _ time has como for the non-combatants to leave I amatare; for warning ' having been given them in a practicaf manner, the Hovas wil', un- '' : doubtedly, vigorouslysbell Tamatave, I should the Freuch again assault , . Manjakandrianombana. Yet a further instance of how the French occupation of Tamatave lus afteutcd' life and property' in that town is afforded by the suicide of M. | Menti, a French citizen, bocause of j the'violation < f his wife by some drunken \'(jens-d\irmes r Tbo act, it is said, was committed before his eyes, despite his desperate struggles. As thisreport is furnished by a Malagasy woman who has escapcd from I see no reason to doubt a " . Apalling atrocities in cold blood are said to have been perpetrated by . the French troops, around Diego Snnrez, North Madagascar. But beyond the shooting down of some 40 Malagasy who had taken to flight, arid some overbearing acts, I have no • reliable information. And thoallega-1 tions I speak of arc too incredible to | ;. bo stated with < positive testimony.) ;I mention them only to show the need I of the French Government instituting ] searching enquiries into how the ( campaign is being conducted by their troops, most of whom are barbarous Africans. And because I feel sure that the French Government aud . nation would be tho last to sanction excesses by even their black troops. Ano'her instance of tho magnan-, imity of tlie. Hovas .is. the succour that the Malagasy soldiers ol Antomboka, near Dcigo Suarez, have afforded to a French vessel (hat went ashore on the coast. 'JLey at the risk of their lives rescued the crew, while the French at Dcigo Suarez made no effort. Europe and the United States ' should ceftaiuly intervene and insist on the settlement of tho Madagascar' Question by International Arbitratipn. The Hovas have indisputably proved that they merit the eulogium passed on them by tbo Kfc. Hon. Sir Charles Dilke, namely, that they are; the most interesting coloured people in the world, not; excepting the/Japanese." 1