THE FRENCH IN MADAGASCAR.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1163, 20 October 1883, Page 1

THE FRENCH IN MADAGASCAR.

(From the special correspondent of the Melbourne Ar^us.) (Continued.) Commander Crawford left at once with the Stella with instructions to bring British subjects, not only from Tamatave, but if possible also from Mahanarn, Mahalar, and Mah'HuanHari,. but, as will be hereafter explained, was not able to visit these ' ports. The Stella arrived in due course at Taraatave, and notice was given through the French admiral that the vessel would bring back British subject to Mauritius free of charge. The following; are the admiral's replies to Governor Hennessy's two despatches : 'Maval Division of the Indian Seas. ' Rear-Admiral Commandant-in- Chief, ' Tamatave, July 8.

'M, le Gouverneur,— -Sinco the ar-, rival of the steamer Stella I have publicly anncunc-d by means of the mayor of Tamatave the offer of a refuge in Mauritius, and of means of reaching there, made by your Excellency' to the inhabitants ot Mauritius and other subjects of Her Britannic Majesty desirous of quitting Madagascar; and who may be unable to do do so for want of funds or other reasons.' Ninety-one persons have responded to your generous appeal, and I have lost no time in transmitting the list of them to Commander Crawfurd, who thought at first that he would not admit more than fifty, but a sentiment of humanity has induced him to receive the whole of them. They are embarking at this moment, and the Stella will be able to sail this evening lac'cprding to the wish of her commander. There still remains at Tamatave a good number of the subjects of Her Britannic Majesty, as well as natives of ber Indian possessions, who are anxious to withdraw from the risks of war, and who could not find room this tim« in the Stella. I regret that I have not had the pleasure of seeing Commander Crawfurd, on account of the quarantine regulations, but I have been happy to render him all the assistance in my power for the accomplishment of the mission with which your Excellency has entrusted him, and to exhibit thereby, M. le Gouverneur, my desire to be useful to all the subjects of Her Brithnnic Majesty, as well as my particular anxiety to be agreeable to you under every circumstance.

' I beg of your Excellency to accept the assurance of my high consideration, and of my most devoted sentiments. (Signed) ' Pierre, ' Rear-Admiral, Commandant-in-Chief to the Naval Division of the Indian Seas. ' His Excellency Sir John Pope Hennessy, Governor of the Island of Mauritius.' "Tamatave, July 8, 1883. "M. le Gouverneur, —

"I have received the letter which your Excellency has done me,the honor to write to me on the subject of the Rev Mr George Andrew Shaw, who has been arrested at Tamatave under a serious charge. I must not conceal from you that I have had to impose silence on the arrogant pretensions put forward by Commodore Johnstone of H.M. corvette Dryad, to interfere in this affair. But, out of courtesy to the questions dictated to your Excellency by the interest you manifest in Mrs Shaw—whose condition is truly worthy of commiseration—l am happy to b,e able to reply by furnishing you with confidential details, which I may reveal without interfering' with the course of justice. At the time of the occupation of Tairiatave by the French, Mr Shaw in r habited, as tenants house which it. was proposed by the landlord, Mr Aitken, should reeeive a picket of soldiers. When theyicame to establish themselves there, they found in the garden, some bottles of wine, evidently placed there t» tempt them. Those who tasted them suddenly fell into a drunken lethargy. Their officers at once caused the bottles to be broken, and thpir contents to be poured away, retaining a sample of them which is at this moment at Reunion, for the/purpose cf undergoing chemical analysis, and of which I am auaiting an darly return. Both landlord and tenant were promptly placed under arrest., Mr Aitken was set at liberty next morning, in the absence of sufficient evidence, and Mr Shaw was retainpd in custody. In jthe meantime judicial investigations are being pursued, and Mr Shaw will not i be tried until the matter has been probed to the bottom. The arrival of Mrs Shaw at Tamutav?, while her husband is- -'in' confinement upon so grave an accusation, lends a dramatic interest to the situation. That poor lady has implored me to release her husband ; but in spite of the profound compassion with which she inspired me, I have had i to harden my heart against her grief,.in. obedience to the voice of duty, which commands me to allow justice to tate its'course. I observe with pleasure that you do not doubt th«i' interest With which the distress of Mrs Shaw has inspired me, nor the kindly corisidera[tion; which every'accused subject pf Sen

Britannic Mnjesty is sure of meeting with before a French tribunal, whatso> ever it may be. Your Excellency and Mrs Shavr herself may have full confidence as well in the generosity of the judges as in their equity, You may be equally certain that if the innocence of the Rev Mr Shaw is Established, I shall not delay for an instant his reunion with his family.

" I beg of tour likeelleHcy,-etc., '■ (Signed) '"Pierrb, of the'Naval Division of the Indian " His Excellency Sir John Pope flennessy, Governor of the; Island of Mauritius." ' . /-"j Most polite anil diplomatic documents !... Observe., French touch concerning the Vdr atria tie interest' of Mrs Shaw's return to find her husband a prisoner.; Note also the change of front as regards the charge against Mr Shaw—a charge to'be once moro varied before the close of this small drama. ' ' •';. •• , j-j s - But |o resume the narrative of events, The little Stella was placed in quarantine on her arrival, but was not debarred from; taking passengers on board. Wishing to proceed to the other port 9, or at any rate to Mahanaru, the commander at first limited the number of passengers from.Tamatave to .fifty, but the heavy weather coming on, he was advised that it would be quite impossible to communicate with the shore through the surf at Mahanaru, and hence decided to ship the whole ninetytwo, who were anxious to be taken on to Mauritius ; and this was effected without clelay, the most necessitous being first attended ,to, Just after comp.l.e.tin* the embarkation, the cable parted, and the Stella had to put to sea i minus her port anchor. Every endeavour was made to provide room for all, the officers' quarters being given up to the women and child r|nt, v but the accommodation,(was extremely scanty, and the boisterous stale of, the weather added in no small degree to the discomforts of the passage. Steaming in the teeth of a strong'' south-east monsoon, with &■ rough sea, ithe Stella was continually under water, and washed down fore'-and-iiftj l ' while the entire crew unaccustomed to anything beyond harbor work, were sea sick, and unable either to attend to the passengers or help themselves. However, the little vessel weathered the gale, and arrived Louis on the 11th Jujy. ; ,: The < warship Nievre left Tamatave for iß'e'umon about the same time with* 250» passengers. The night before the'Stella sailed from Tamatave, 1 the Hoovas made a descent into the town, firing'Vin all directions, and adiiing, considerably to the anxiety of the British subjects to be taken off without 1 furfcher delayl, ■,'. '■ From this point Mr Shaw's case was referred to'AdmiralSir William Hewett, who had—now arrived at Port Louis. Another matter referred >to Admiral Hewett requires passing mention. It seems that sifter the death of Consul Pakenham, ! 'certain letters arrived at Tamatave addressed to''Her Majesty'? Consul, and as "Captain Johnstone contended,should have been handed to him by the French authorities. But Admiral Pierre, chose to shmk otherwise, As maintained * that Captain Johnstone had not ! been! officially appointed acting-consulyi and'hence he—the Admiral—had the forwarded on'to Governor Henhessy,. J who in his turn .seDt them unpponed'' to Admiral Hewett. Governor Hennessy considered that as Captain Johnstone had duly and officially informed him that he had assumed the duties of acting-consul, he wasintitled to open and deal with tjie letters. This,view was upheld by Admiral Hewett, 'who at once warded the letters, to Captain a very proper red-tape snub, me thinks, for the autocratic iEreneh admiral, .~' ,' (To he Continued.)