MADAGASCAR 



operations in Madagascar. ^ In the early part 

 of the year the French maintained a blockad- 

 ing squadron on the coast and occupied Tama- 

 tave and other points. Behind the three most 

 important ports the Malagasy soldiery were 

 posted in intrenched camps beyond range of 

 the naval artillery, determined to resist any 

 movement of French troops into the interior. 

 Toward the close of 1884 M. Ferry obtained a 

 credit of IV, 000, 000 francs for operations in 

 Madagascar. After the termination of the 

 Chinese War, M. de Freycinet obtained 12,000,- 

 000 francs to cover the expenses of the occu- 

 pation. The French claimed, by virtue of 

 treaties with the Sakalavas, sovereign rights 

 over the northern third of the island, includ- 

 ing the best harbors on both coasts. The ad- 

 vent of the rainy season prevented any deci- 

 sive operations before April, 1886. 



Diplomatic Negotiations. After the close of the 

 conference between Admiral Miot and the 

 Malagasy ministers in May, 1884, no inter- 

 course took place between the two govern- 

 ments until the summer of 1885, when the 

 Italian consul, at the instance of the Hova Gov- 

 ernment, endeavored to mediate a peace on a 

 basis proposed by the Hova Prime Minister, 

 Rainilaiarivony. On June 13 he presented to 

 the French representatives the proposal of the 

 latter for an armistice, and the opening of a 

 conference that should "result in cementing 

 anew the oldest of Madagascar's alliances, that 

 with France." As preliminaries for a stable 

 treaty, he proposed that France should with- 

 draw her troops and recognize the sovereign 

 rights of the Queen over the whole island, and 

 should render military aid to the Queen, if re- 

 quested, in maintaining her dominion, in re- 

 turn for which the Malagasy Government 

 would accept the high guarantee of France and 

 would bind itself not to conclude a convention 

 with any foreign power, granting any special 

 privilege or a cession of territory. Admiral 

 Miot and the French consul Baudais answered 

 on June 25 with counter-proposals, which were 

 all accepted, except one stipulating that the 

 "protectorate" instead of the "high guaran- 

 tee " of France should be acknowledged by the 

 Hova Government. The Italian consul, M. 

 Maigrot, acted as intermediary in the negotia- 

 tions. Admiral Miot threatened that, if the 

 word "protectorate" were not accepted, he 

 would decide the matter with arms, and ex- 

 plained that a protectorate would imply the 

 presence in the capital of a French resident 

 with a guard of French troops, as in Tunis and 

 Cambodia. Rainilaiarivony offered to accept 

 .the word in the preliminaries on the condition 

 (that it should be altered in the definitive treaty. 

 The negotiations were broken off on Aug. 15. 



Military Operations. The French garrisons in 

 1 Madagascar were re-enforced by troops return- 

 ing from Tonquin, and the blockading squadron 

 was augmented in the summer. The eleven 

 French war-vessels prevented the admission of 

 supplies from without to the Hovas in the in- 



MAINE. 



565 



terior, who were threatened with famine. The 

 failure of their suit for peace spurred them to 

 more active military preparations. The army 

 was thoroughly reorganized, and all classes, 

 rich and poor, were enrolled for service. M. 

 de Freycinet, in asking for the vote of credit, 

 said that the blockade was insufficient, and 

 that it would be necessary to occupy several 

 points on the coast. The rights of France 

 over Madagascar, which M. Passy said had 

 slumbered for two hundred years, he described 

 as a national patrimony, such as all peoples 

 possess, which was kept in reserve, which 

 formed part of the past, and which opened up 

 possible fields for the future. The Hovas, he 

 said, have violated French rights of property 

 recognized by treaty, and inflicted injury and 

 cruelty on French citizens, and if the French flag 

 should retreat before the Hovas and France 

 fail to obtain the satisfaction demanded, when 

 the Hovas had used scornful and haughty lan- 

 guage, relying on their topographical situation, 

 protected by mountains and dense forests, it 

 would be a saddening spectacle. 



In the beginning of August, 600 re-enforce- 

 ments arrived at Tamatave, followed by oth- 

 ers shortly afterward. On Sept. 10 Admiral 

 Miot attempted to carry by storm an intrenched 

 position held by the Hovas at Tarafat. After 

 two hours of severe fighting the French troops 

 were compelled to fall back on Tamatave with a 

 loss .of thirty men killed and wounded. On 

 Nov. 21 the Chamber voted a fresh credit of 

 4,000,000 francs to keep up the force in Mada- 

 gascar during the first three months of 1886. 



Resumption of Peace Negotiations. After the 

 failure of the efforts of the Italian consul to 

 mediate terms of peace, M. de Freycinet sent 

 M. Patrimonio, whose ostensible mission was as 

 consul to Zanzibar, with the revised draft of a 

 treaty of peace. The treaty was agreed to, 

 with the exception of three articles. In the 

 latter part of December the French Minister 

 intimated that it was substantially accepted. 

 It was reported that the terras were that a 

 French resident should be maintained at Anta- 

 nanarivo, attended by a guard of honor, charged 

 with the duty of advising the Hova Govern- 

 ment in foreign affairs, and that the French 

 troops should remain on the island until an in- 

 demnity of 10,000,000 francs has been paid for 

 the satisfaction of claims arising from the inju- 

 ries to the property and rights of French citi- 

 zens. The Hova Queen was recognized as sov- 

 ereign over the whole island, and no direct 

 mention was made of a French protectorate. 



MAINE. State Government. The following 

 were the State officers during the year: Gov- 

 ernor, Frederick Robie, Republican ; Secretary 

 of State, Oramandel Smith ; Treasurer, Edwin 

 0. Burleigh ; Attorney- General, Orville D. Ba- 

 ker ; Superintendent of Common Schools, 1ST. A. 

 Luce ; Insurance Commissioner, J. O. Smith ; 

 Railroad Commissioners, A. "W. Wildes, John 

 F. Anderson, and D. N. Mortland. Judiciary, 

 Supreme Court: Chief-Justice, John A. Peters; 



