BRITISH SUBJECTS IN MADAGASCAR.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 50, 26 January 1884, Page 3

BRITISH SUBJECTS IN MADAGASCAR.

Vine following letter was published in the I-or.don Timer of November 9th Sir,— The painful situation of British objects, merchants, traders, planters, and settlers in Madagascar calls for the tirgent and immediate solicitude of Her Majesty’s Government. The hostilities earned on by the French forces and the occupation of Tamatave have simply had for the result the stoppage of nearly the whole of the foreign trade of the eodntry, threeffourihs of which was carried on by English, American, and German subjects, with Mauritius, and the entire ruin of those who were engaged in agricultural pursuits, chiefly in sugar estates owned by British subjects, over 20 sugar properties and five British factories having been entirely ruined by these events. In fact, so little have the Hovas suffered bom the action of the French forces that it may be said without invidiousness that the sole result of the French operations in Madagascar npto the present time has been rather the destruction b! European and American trade and agriculture thah hi harm to the Hovas. - Since the occupation of Tamatave by the French in June last they have simply kept there a sufficient gameon to defend the (own, which is closely blockaded by the Hova forces, who prevent any supplies bom reaching the piece bom the interior. The few inhabitants who have remained are obliged to import bom Mauritius and Reunion the food supplies they require. If, as 1s reported, the French Government Intend to maintain the status guo, simply keeping a garrison at Tamatave. waiting the submission of the Hovas, and no active measures be decided on, it may be feared that the present state of things will last for a very long period, during which the whole of the foreign community will be kept suffering, and its ruin be completed. The wants of the Malagase are so moderate, the interior of the country furnishing in abundance all the necessary supplies of food in rice and cattle, that they will scarcely suffer bom the stoppage of trade or bom the privation of the Custom dues, a very small portion ofjthe latter ever reaching the capital The Hovas believe that their position at Antananarivo, is impregnable, and are profiting by the action of the French forces to raise and discipline all their people, hoping also that the unhealthiness of tne climate and the natural difficulties of the road will deter the French bom an attempt to march on their capital. Under these circumstances, it is to be feared

that no hope of speedy peace can be entertained. Meanwhile the ruin of British subjects is complete, and their unfortunate position calls for the care and protection of Her Majesty’s Government. The position of the sugar-planters is peculiarly painful, the occupation of Tamatave by the French forces having caused the loss of the whole of their crops and their complete tuin, reducing them all bom affluence to poverty; We have not to Criticise the action of the French Government in Madagascar, but we submit that it cannot be fab that British subjects who settled in that count)? under the guarantee of treaties passed by England and Franca in 1802 and 1868, without any reserve having been made by the latter country of rights now said to have existed ■lnce 1842, should be allowed to suffer loss and ruin from the action of the French Government in the assertion of rights of which nothing was known previous to last year. Evidently, had such rights been reserved in 1868 they must have been settled by treaty or otherwise, or no European would ever have risked life and property in Madagascar. The absence of the British Consul from Tamatave and the strict supervision exercised by the French authorities over all .correspondence bom that place make it very difficult tor British subjects to lay their case before their Government. A few planters and merchants who have sought refuge in Mauritius, have, however, appealed to Her Majesty’s Government for its protection, to obtain for them from the French Government the indemnity justly due to them for the ruin cast upon them by the action of its agents in Madagascar, and they venture to solicit the aid of 27m Timet to lay their case before the British public.—l remain, Sir, your obedient servant, Oxi or tsz SvmuM Mauritius, Oct. 8;