COUNANI DECLARES WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11730, 21 June 1916, Page 4

COUNANI DECLARES WAR.

A GERMAN JOKE. German newspapers of recent date speak in sarcastic terms of Germany s ' terrible enemy," t-lie tiny republic of Counani, or Cuanani, as it is sometimes spelled, which lias declared war on Germany. . This mimaturo republic is near the border between Brazil and French Guiana., situated about fifteen miles from the coast. It is a, mero spot on the map, and little known to \the outside world. It received its independence from Brazil in 1886. Its president is a Frenchman named Adolph Beaufort, who has been a colonel in the French Army. When the European war began, he enlisted his sympathies at once "with France. The standing army of the Republic of Oounani then consisted of 300 men, and this little detachment _ was Eent to France to fight on the side of the Allies under their flag, consisting of a silver star on a background. Of this number about 150 have been killed. That Oounani is at war with Germany and Austria has only now been niado public, and the German newspapers are very much amused 1 over the mattcir. The Statesmen's Year Book, the Almanac do Gotha and other authorities make no mr-ntion of such a republic as Counani. Newspaper files, however, as far back as 1890 have articles and despatches treating of attempts to make this little State in Brazil a republic. The "'Herald" of May 7, 1005."printed a despatch from Madrid telling of the discovery of a plot to make the"territory of Counani an independent State and gave details of the arrest of Rarrion do llerrera, who was active in the conspiracy. Later Brazil sent a military force to Counani tn prevent the so-called' republicans from creating any insurreetio.u. Sines- then there has been no mention anywhere of Counani. and it looks ;is if the German newspapers were just having a little fun on their own acoeunt.