HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
433 
Fourette, envoy extraordinary, who was instructed to urge 
the claim, on behalf of France, to a large portion of the 
eastern coast, and to make arrangements for regulating the 
future intercourse between the French and Malagasy. 
On the arrival of the embassy from the queen, hostilities 
ceased; Prince Corroller soon received a reinforcement of 
about 2000 troops; and negociations were commenced. 
The French preferred their claims to certain districts, and 
a considerable part of the eastern side of the island; pro¬ 
posing to occupy these, and enter into a treaty of commerce 
with the native government. The queen’s officers, on the 
other hand, expressed their willingness to enter into 
approved comm^cial treaties, but refused to allow any right 
of territory to the French, or their occupancy of a single 
inch of ground. Unable to proceed with the native officers, 
the French envoy refused to continue the negociation with 
any but the queen, and requested permission to proceed 
to the capital. He was allowed by Prince Corroller to ad¬ 
vance as far as the river Mangoro, the boundary of Xmerina, 
and, after considerable delay, allowed to approach within 
three miles of the capital. On one occasion, when arrange¬ 
ments were making for his visit to the capital, the officers 
sent with the escort, who were to attend him to the palace, 
inquired for his credentials from the king of France. After 
some hesitation, he replied, that he had no credentials from 
the king, but from the governor of Bourbon. The officers 
replied, that the queen could enter into no arrangement 
with the governor of Bourbon, or with any one not com¬ 
missioned directly from the French king. 
The chief part of the ensuing year was spent in fruitless 
negociations between the French agents on the coast, and 
the government at the capital. Fresh troops arrived from 
Europe, and others were expected from Bourbon, to aid the 
2 F 
ii. 
