THE ECONOMIC CONQUEST OF AFRICA BY THE 

 RAILROADS." 



By A. FocK. 



The division of Africa among the European powers throufrh the 

 definition of spheres of influence is to-day an accomplished fact. 

 Nevertheless, the lines so arbitrarily traced on the map will never 

 constitute a barrier against any economic advances. There will be 

 always an industrial and connnercial warfare, which will allot to 

 each Eurojjean nation its field of action and its lines of advance into 

 the interior of the Dark Continent. 



For. until economic supremacy is assured in a colony, ])olitical 

 domination is little more than a name.'' The attainment of the 

 former should be the sole aim of the latter; Avithout it a government 

 will, so to speak, snatch the chestnuts out of the fire for the benefit of 

 its competitors. 



The first step after the military occupation is the organization of 

 the civil and administrative branches; then the duty of the power is 

 but begun. lUit, above all other things, it must immediately open 

 up some means of communication at once sure, rapid, and economical. 



The African problem at this time, therefore, resolves itself into a 

 question of the construction of a system of railroads. Since the con- 

 tinent is too compact to be opened through waterways, the only prac- 

 tical means of reaching the interior is by recourse to the locomotive. 



Everything considered, the railroad is the peaceable but none the 

 less decisive force which, ably directed, will determine the industrial 

 and commercial supremacy in Africa. Some European countries, 

 more inspired that their rivals, realized this fact long ago. Taking 

 the lead, they have unrolled ribbons of steel toward distant inland 



a Translated and abridged, by permission, from tlie Revue Ueneralo des Sci- 

 ences I'ures et Ai)i)liquees. I'aris. Mar. ir», i;X)4. 



6 "Where economic supremacy subsists political rivalry is not dangerous; 

 where political supremacy subsists economic rivalry can undermine it: where 

 neither subsist economic invasion prevents political invasion by a rival." Alex- 

 ander T'lar : England, Russia, and Thibet. (The Contemporary Review, Decem- 

 ber, 1902.) 



SM 1904 46 "-^ 



