CO885-8 — Page 238

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

C.O. 885

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LOND

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPH

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT}

within the arc of the circle drawn with a radius of 100 miles from Sokoto as the centre, the French Government were, in his opinion, equit- ably entitled to a revision of the arrangement, which had been arrived at in ignorance of the local conditions, and which compelled French convoys, when proceeding from the French pos- sessions on the Niger to those in the neighbour- hood of Lake Chad, to follow a circuitous and waterless route.

To this Lord Lansdowne replied that the country within the arc was now absolutely ours, and that, if we agreed to a revision of the frontier, or to the concession of a way-leave in this region, we should certainly expect in return a substantial concession somewhere else.

Although we do not desire to reopen the questions settled in 1898, yet, if they are reopened, advantage might be taken of the opportunity to get the French Government to surrender the two small pieces of land leased to them on the Niger; but this would not by itself

be sufficient compensation for the concession of

a practicable route from the Niger to Zinder and Lake Chad, to which the French evidently attach very great importance.

the

At present, however, we do not know whether it is absolutely impracticable for the French to get from the Niger to Zinder without going through British territory. We have heard quite recently from our Representatives on Boundary Commission that the French have s/established at two places (Tawa and Buza) on the road to Zinder, one of which, at least (viz., Buza), we thought was on our side of the arc, but both of which now prove to be on the

French side. Our position is, therefore, less

strong than it was. There is, however, still a very difficult section of country between the French posts on the west and the first of these wells (near Tawa), and, to avoid this, the French may possibly be willing to make substantial conces- sions.

The so-called "onclaves" are not of

very great value to the French even now, and will no longer be required when their railway from Dahomey reaches the Niger. Some little time ago, Lord Scarbrough called and said that the French had proposed to the Niger Company that the Company should take charge of the enclave at the Forcados mouth of the river for them, but

we have not heard whether this arrangement has been carried out. At the Bajibo enclave, which is more useful to them and is also less easily controlled by us, they keep a few men; but they have acquiesced in our refusal to allow these men to carry arms. The only use which they make of the enclaves is for transhipping and storing goods on the occasions, about twice a year, when they send a flotilla up the river with Government stores. They have not been used for commercial purposes at all.

Athough the questions arising in connection with the enclaves have caused us some anxiety, there has been no serious friction, as the French have always complied with our demands, probably because they are aware that the enclaves alone do not enable them to send convoys up the river, but that they must also obtain certain facilities from us as to landing at the rapids which they cannot claim as a right. At certain times of the year, when the river is at its highest, it may be possible for them to do without these facilities, but as a rule it seems as though the victualling of Zinder depends almost as much on our good graces with regard to the use of the river as it does on our allowing the convoys to

pass overland across the arc.

Sir F. Lugard has lately recommended that these facilities on the river should be regarded as something to be given by us, as a part of the negotiations connected with the arc, if required when bargaining. What we might offer, he

says, is :-

1. To make Jebba a port of entry. We would place a King's warehouse there and allow the French to bond and tranship.

2. To allow them to tranship (sealed) cases

from one boat to another en route.

3. To allow " 'portages" at special places for specified distances, make roads round these places, and help the French to get any necessary native labour.

If we gave these facilities, the French would be able to get on almost as well without the enclaves as with them; but without these facili- ties they are sure to cling to the enclaves until their railway reaches the Niger, and they could not be expected to give them up for a route across the arc, because, until the railway is com-. pleted, they want the Niger ute as well.

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