The True Story of the French Dispute in Madagascar. With a map

Front matter

•Stan/bT&a Scoff1 Æstai* London T. Fisher l.nwin, 26, Paternoster Square. THE TRUE STORY OF THE FRENCH DISPUTE IN MADAGASCAR WITH A MAP BY CAPTAIN S. PASFIELD OLIVER, F.S.A., F.R.G.S etc., late royal artiiIlery " Vere scire est per causas scire " Hon&ott T. FISHER UNWIN 26 PATERNOSTER SQUARE NOTE. The unhappy differences between France and Madagascar naturally excite the anxiety and regret of all who, like our selves, have watched with sympathy the steady progress of the Malagasy in the arts of civilization and in the know ledge and practice of Christianity. It is a great misfortune that the passions and calamities of war should have inter posed to arrest the advance of a people who seemed destined soon to enter the comity of nations, and to play a useful part in the regeneration of Africa.

This view is deepened by the conviction that the pro ceedings of the French Government in Madagascar are largely due to a total misconception of the acts of England and of Englishmen in the island. The people of this country have no desire to secure any exclusive rights or privileges in Madagascar. Their earnest wish is that the Malagasy shall fulfil every Treaty obligation into which they have entered, but that, at the same time, they shall be at liberty to work out their destiny without any other foreign interference than that involved in the peaceful establishment among them of well - ordered religious, educational, and commercial instrumentalities. NOTE. The following work has been written by Captain Oliver, not only to furnish the public with a complete narrative of those events in the history of Madagascar which have culminated in the existing hostilities with France, but also to promote the peaceful settlement of the difficulty.

This twofold object meets with our hearty approval ; and we earnestly hope that Captain Oliver's laudable attempt to enlighten the public mind will be attended with that full measure of success which it deserves. Shaftesbury. J. W. Pease, M.P. William McArthur, M.P. R. N. Fowler, M.P. James Cropper, M.P. Alexander McArthur, M.P. J. G. Alexander.

Preface

. In the autumn of last year, 1884, two remarkable "Red books " were circulated in Europe by the Government of Ranavalona III., Queen of Madagascar, causing consider able curiosity in diplomatic circles and amongst those interested in the welfare of the great African island. These publications, written in Malagasy and in French, are in excellent form, and indeed they can vie in their general get-up with the famous " White-books " of Imperial Germany and the "Yellow-books" of the French Re public ; whilst they are far handsomer in their appearance, at all events, than our own ugly parliamentary " Blue books." They afford conclusive disproof of any charges of barbarism which may be brought against the Government of Madagascar, and give evidence that the Ministers of Ranavalona III. are well skilled in the methods of civilized diplomacy.

But few copies of these books were distributed in England, and of these a single copy of each volume was forwarded to the Hon. Secretary of the Madagascar Com mittee. These copies were placed in the hands of the author of the following pages, in order that an abstract might be made of their contents, and a short explanatory

PREFACE.

. IV narrative drawn up, to afford the necessary information to those who, whilst interested in the subject, have been unable to follow up closely the intricacies of the Mada gascar question. It will be seen that I have by no means limited my plan to this object, but have given a careful historical view of the relations of France with Madagascar from the beginning. It is undoubtedly a fact that, up to the present time, very few people, whether officials or laymen, have been well acquainted with the true bearings of the Franco- Malagasy complication ; but the publication of the correspondence in these " Red-books " has thrown a flood of light on several points hitherto obscure. This enlighten ment has had its due effect across the Channel, as is clear from a work by M. Ruben Saillens, recently published in Paris, to which M. Frederic Passy, deputy for the department of the Seine, and a well-known publicist and economist, has written a striking preface, and advance proofs of which the present writer has, by courtesy of the author, had the advantage of perusing.

It would thus appear that a section, at least, of the French public has at last awakened to a sense of the unjust and unscru pulous conduct towards an inoffensive and weaker race exhibited by their unworthy agents, the consular and colonial officials at Antananarivo, on the coast of Mada gascar, and last but not least at Reunion. Mr. Chesson, who, as representing the Madagascar Com mittee, was brought into close relations with the Envoys during their residence in England, has contributed a supplementary chapter on the Malagasy mission to Europe. S. PASFIELD OLIVER. Anglesey, Gosport, February II, 1S85. TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Chapter I

A Firebrand. Introductory — M. Baudais appointed Commissioner by M. Gambetta — Policy of colonial enterprise initiated by M. Gambetta — Instructions to the Consul by M. de Freycinet — The disputes pending between France and Madagascar — M. Baudais accuses the Malagasy Government of ill-will and bad faith — The French grievances formulated — The Laborde inheritance — The Toale affair— The French Protectorate — Retrospective sketch of M. Laborde's connection with the Malagasy Government — His shipwreck and early career — He is engaged in the service of Ranavalona I. — Manufactures war materiel for the Queen — His intrigues against his Royal Mistress — The Lambert and Laborde conspiracy — M. Lambert seeks assistance from the French and English Governments — His ambitious schemes receive no countenance— The Jesuit plot and attempted coup d'etat — Signal failure — The banishment of the conspirators — Engagement between the Prince Rakoto and Lambert — Death of Ranavalona — Accession of Radama II. — Chart of Concession to the Lambert Company — Treaty between France and Madagascar — The revolution and revoking both the Chart and Treaty — An indemnity paid by the Government of Madagascar — Second Treaty concluded between France and Madagascar — Death of Laborde — The claims of property made by his heirs — -The forged deeds — Repudiation by the Madagascar Government — M. Cassas leaves the capital — Captain Vallon's peaceable declaration — M. Meyer attempts to compromise the claims — Promulgation of the law 85 — Arrival of M. Baudais. pp. 1-50

Chapter II

Materials for Incendiarism. The second question in dispute — The affair of the smuggler dhow, Toale — Arrival of the gunboat Decidee at Mojanga — Reported outrage at Marambitsy — Letter of Lieutenant Buisson to the Hova Governor — Captain Vallon's inquiry — Demand for reparation by M. Meyer — Reply of the Malagasy Government — State of the dispute on arrival of M. Baudais — The sequel of the affair — The third section of the Madagascar Question — The claims of sovereignty or Protectorate over the north-west coast by France — The treaties of 1S40-41 with the Sakalava chiefs — Insurrection at Nossi-Be in 1849 — Night attack on Tafondro in 1851 — Death of Tsimandroho — Treaties of friendship made by Admiral Fleuriot de Langle CONTENTS. VI — The village of Mahagolo in Baly Bay burnt by the French in 1859 — Punishment of the Sakalava by the French man-of-war Labourdonnais — The Sakalava acknowledge Radama II. as sovereign — Radama acknowledged sovereign of Madagascar by French Treaty in 1S62 — Treaty con cluded by M. Gamier acknowledges Ranavalona II. as sovereign of Madagascar in 1868 — French claims dormant until the arrival of M. Baudais — M. Baudais reports to his Government the infringement of French rights in north-west Madagascar PP- 5I_77

Chapter III

Conflagration. M. Baudais is authorized by his Government to concert defensive measures with the governor of Nossi-Be — Arrival of the Forfait in Malagasy waters — Wrangling correspondence and stormy interviews — The meeting at the palace of Tsiazompaniry — Demand made for the removal of the national flag from the west-coast — Formal protest of the Malagasy — M. Baudais leaves the capital — Commotion at Antananarivo — Threats against the French — The tricolor hauled down, and retirement of M. Campan — Captain Le Timbre seizes the flags in Passandava Bay — An embargo placed on the Antananarivo, and on the Stilman — Landing of arms and ammunition — Gravity of the situation — Change of government in France — An embassy to Europe determined upon — Objections of M. Baudais — Squabble about the Madagascar Times — The Hova envoys reach Paris — The negotiations — Rupture of the conferences — Departure of the ambassadors from France pp. 78-101

Chapter IV. Tormentum Belli

Arrival of the Malagasy ambassadors in London — The Madagascar committee — Deputation to Lord Granville — Reception of the envoys — Difference between the French and Malagasy accounts of the causes which led to the rupture of the conferences — Offers of mediation by Her Majesty's* Government — Rejection of the good offices proffered by England — Resignation of M. Duclerc — M. Fallieres becomes President of Council — The policy at the Quai d'Orsay towards Madagascar unchanged — Admiral Pierre dispatched to Madagascar — Another change of government at Paris — M. Jules Ferry becomes Premier — Aggressive policy in regard to Madagascar maintained — Instructions to the Admiral — Operations in Passandava Bay — Bombardment of Mojanga — Expulsion of French residents from Antananarivo and the interior — The ultimatum — Alarming reports at Tamatave — Captain Johnstone of the Dryad — His prudent conduct — A committee of defence formed — An armed party landed for the protection of the consulate — Lieutenant Knowles, R.N., assistant to Mr. Pakenham — Illness of the British consul — Flight of the native inhabitants — The ultimatum rejected, and bombardment of Tamatave — The Pierre-Johnstone correspondence — The French flag hoisted on the fort — Shelling of Hivondro, Fenoarivo and Foule-point — Foreign consuls ordered to haul down their flags — The Shaw incident — Arrest and close confinement of Mr. Shaw — The Taymouth Castle — The British consul and staff ordered CONTENTS.

VII to quit Tamatave — Death of Mr. Pakenham — Captain Johnstone's conduct upheld by the British Government — Regret expressed by the French Minister — Captain Johnstone promoted for his services on this occasion. pp. 102-130

Chapter V

Neutral Sentiments. Arrival of the French subjects expelled from the interior at the coast — Repulse of night attacks on the French outposts — Grave announcement by Mr. Gladstone in the House of Commons — Statement by M. Challemel- Lacour in the Chamber of Deputies — Modified instructions to M. Baudais — Admiral Pierre's ill health and retirement— Mr. Gladstone's reassuring speech at the Mansion House — Death of Admiral Pierre — Sequel of the Shaw affair — Meeting at Exeter Hall — Spontaneous offer of indemnity accepted by the British Government — Return of the Malagasy ambassadors to their country — What they had accomplished — Reception by Her Majesty — Revision of the treaty of 1865 — Restriction of the liquor traffic — Speech of Ravoninahitriniarivo — The United Kingdom Alliance — The embassy in America — The ratification of a treaty with the United States — Short treaties of amity and peace with Germany and Italy — The envoys reach Antananarivo pp. 131-150

Chapter VI

Regina Dei Gratia. The death of Queen Ranavalona II. — Her successor — Brief retrospect of the late sovereign's reign — The plot of Rasata frustrated by Rainilaiarivony — Change of policy — Reforms initiated — The destruction of the idols — Charity of the Queen — Political, educational, and social improvements — Governmental departments instituted — The ministers — Administration of justice — Reorganization of the army — The codification of the laws — Emancipation of the Mozambique slaves — Accession of Ranavalona III. — The speech from the throne at Mahamasina — Notice of the Prime Minister — His character, services to his country, and the results of his policy — The return of the envoys — The natural allies of the Hovas — Address by Ravoninahitriniarivo — The correspondence between the Government of Madagascar and the French Commissioners published — Effect of the Malagasy Red-books in Europe pp. 151-168

Chapter VII

Operations Civil and Military. Tour of H. M.S. Dryad along the east coast— The. British flag unknown — The Dryad supposed to be a French ship in disguise — The export of all food supplies forbidden — Protest of Captain Johnstone, R.N. — The Prime Minister complies with Captain Johnstone's demands — Annoyances to neutrals — Unfortunate state of affairs, owing to the French occupation — Admiral Galiber takes command — Proposal to reopen negotiations — Bombardment of Vohem'af without notice — The other parts on the east coast shelled and burnt — Negotiations resumed — Fruitless results of the conferences at Ambodimanga — Mr. Graves, the new. British consul, and Mr. Pickersgill, the vice-consul, reach their posts at Tamatave and CONTENTS. VIII Antananarivo — H. M.S. Tourmaline relieves H. M.S. Dryad— Boat voyage of Lieutenant Hayes — French reconnaissance towards Man jakandrianombana — M. Campan visits the Hova retrenchments — Pour parlers — The fifth conference — Departure of Admiral Galiber — The inter pellation by M. Lanessan in the Chamber of Deputies— Interesting debate — Speeches by M. Jules Ferry and others— The Chamber resolves to maintain all the rights of France — Special committee appointed to examine the credits asked by the government — Depositions by the witnesses — Conflict ing evidence — M. Lanessan's report — Recommendations of the committee — The President of Council — The bill passed by a large majority in the Chamber, and subsequently in the Senate pp. 169-202

Chapter VIII

Blockade. Admiral Miot sent from France to relieve Admiral Galiber — Cordial relations between the ships of the two European powers — British property destroyed at Andevoranto— Mr. Graves proceeds to Mojanga — Blockade of the river leading to Mahabo — Registry of British Indian subjects — Francisation of Arabs and Indians — Black labour — Admiral Miot assumes command — Blockade of Mahanoro and Fenoarivo notified — The Orenoque and Capricome — Renewalof negotiations — The Malagasy Government willing to do everything to satisfy France except the sacrifice of the independence of their territory — Admiral Miot proclaims his instructions— The conference — The bases insisted on by France — Mr. Pickersgill's report — Kabary at Andohalo — Patriotic sentiments evoked at the assembly — All able-bodied men ordered to prepare for service — Proclamation by the Queen Ranavalona III. in the gazette — Visit of the British Consul to Antananarivo — — Address to the Queen — The grand Kabary — The Queen's speech — Reply of the Prime Minister — Review of the troops amidst great enthusiasm — Reconnaissance by the French — Mahanoro shelled by the Allier — Certain points in Passandava Bay occupied by the French — Members of the " Friends' Foreign Mission Association " treated cordially by Admiral Miot — Capture of Vohemar, and successful assault on Ambaniou — Captain de Vogue arrives in Madagascar — Admiral Peyron informs the Chamber that 12,000,000 francs have been spent on the Madagascar expedition. pp. 203-245 Postscript p. 245 SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER. The Malagasy Mission 248

Appendix

. Soatsimanampiovana 265 Ultimatum of 1st June, 1883 26S Index 273 Map of Madagascar.

Chapter I

A FIREBRAND. It was in August, 1881, that M. A. Baudais, the newly appointed French Consul for Madagascar, and Commis sioner of the French Government, left Paris to take over the duties of his post at the court of Antananarivo. He had just received his commission at the hands of M. Gambetta, who then directed the foreign relations of the Republic, and he was armed with special instructions to carry out vigorously an active policy in accordance with that spirit of colonial enterprise J which the then French 1 In a recent number of the Edinburgh Review (No. 323, July, 1SS3), in reference to the action of France in distant expeditions, it is pointed out that the spirit of colonial enterprise in remote parts of the globe which has recently been manifested by the present French Government appears to the writer to be entirely fictitious; "it has no real root," he states, "in the country ; and it has been prompted partly as a compensation for their diminished influence in Europe, and partly as a mode of exciting patriotic enthusiasm for the purposes usually described as ' political capital.' Not one Frenchman in ten thousand cares a rush for the great names of Dupleix, La Bourdonnaye, or Montcalm, or even knows that Napoleon sold to the United States not only Louisiana, but the finest part of the North American continent.

The passion which sounds colonial empires has no place in the French heart. The idea of expatriation, which is attractive to numbers of our own country men, is on the contrary painful and repulsive to the great majority of th; French. The amour du clocher, as they term it, is one of the strongest and most universal sentiments of the French people. Hence, of all the states of Europe, at the present time, France is least given to foreign emigration and A NEW COMMISSIONER. 2 Minister seems to have initiated during his tenure of power, so soon to terminate for ever. With the arrival of the new French Commissioner at Antananarivo, where M. Baudais succeeded M. T. Meyer, an altogether different aspect with regard to the pending diplomatic discussions between the two governments appears to have been inaugurated; and from this period, therefore, it will be convenient to commence our account of the causes which ultimately led to the present hostilities between France and Madagascar.

At this date the political situation was not unclouded, but tact and conciliatory measures could undoubtedly have brought about a modus vivendi between the weak native and the strong European power ; whilst the haughty and overbearing tactics and demeanour of the Commissioner of the Republic designedly brought about a threatening atmosphere charged with explosive materials to which it was M. Baudais' mission afterwards to apply the spark. " Confound the peace establish' d, and prepare Their souls to hatred, and their hands to war. " Acting in accordance with the instructions confided to colonial enterprise. The stress produced by the excessive pressure of popula tion in these islands and in some parts of the continent is unfelt in France. She has at her gates a vast territory in Northern Africa to which the migration of the French in fifty years has been extremely small.

In point of fact, the impulse which has conducted the French within the last few years to Mexico, to Tunis, to Congo, to Madagascar, and to Tonquin, can be shown to take its rise in the speculations of a few adventurous individuals, who have succeeded in implicating the Government in their private affairs, and have sought to retrieve a personal disaster by a national intervention." PRETEXTS FOR INDICTMENT. 3 him by the chief of his department, the French Consul, on reaching the capital of the Hovas, found ready to his hand several comparatively minor disputes left unsettled by his predecessors, which, however, were speedily nursed into serious grievances of grave import, and only required additional stirring to furnish pretexts for exacting reparation under menace of force of arms. Before M. Baudais had been three months in Madagascar the Ministry of M. Gambetta was defeated in the Chamber and resigned ; but M. de Freycinet on his accession to office lost no time in confirming his predecessor's instructions to M. Baudais,1 to insist on the full acknowledgment of French interests and French rights in Madagascar.

Accordingly, in a somewhat roughly worded despatch addressed to the Prime Minister, Rainilaiarivony, dated 29th April, 1882, the French Commissioner expressed him self to the following effect. He stated that the French Government saw with regret that the Treaty of 1868 was unceasingly trampled on in practice, notwithstanding the protestations and pompous phrases of the Hova Govern ment. He complained that none of the French grievances had met with any redress during the previous five years ;: 1 " Our intentions," wrote M. de Freycinet, "remain still the same ; we are not less solicitous to-day than we were last year to avoid, in our relations with the Government of Antananarivo, anything which could awaken in it that distrust which, however little justified, it has lately manifested : our only preoccupation is to ensure the safety of our interests and our rights, which have nothing incompatible with the independence of the Hova nation.

A WOLF'S COMPLAINT TO A LAMB. 4 for instance, the liquidation of the Laborde inheritance had been treated in a spirit of bad faith by the Malagasy officials ; the affair of the Toale dhow had not been satisfactorily settled, and, in short, the treaty impugned in many important points. Again, not content with indirectly breaking their treaty engagements with the French, the Ministers of Ranavalona II. had not hesitated to make an open breach of the treaty by the promulgation of a law relating to property, known as Law 85 ; whilst last, but not least, M. Baudais drew the attention of the Prime Minister to a fact yet more serious than the preceding ones — the assumption of authority by the Hovas over the north-west provinces, which had been secured to France by treaties many years previously.

Rainilaiarivony was informed that the presence of a French squadron off those coasts indicated the importance France attached to her rights of protectorate, and finally the Malagasy Govern ment was solemnly warned that France had decided to exact all her rights and enforce them with the utmost rigour. All the grievances of France against Madagascar were thus recapitulated at length in this despatch, which formed, in fact, a species of indictment against the Government of Ranavalona 11. ; and we are thus enabled to formulate the French claims at this period, and investigate the founda tions on which they were based. RIGHTS AND WRONGS. 5 They may be conveniently reduced under three heads, which can best be explained separately, viz., I. The liquidation of the Laborde inheritance, and the rights of French subjects in regard to landed property in Madagascar.

II. The affair of the smuggling dhow, the Toale. III. The rights of French sovereigns)' or protectorate over the north-west coast of Madagascar. I. The Liquidation of the Laborde Inheritance. In order to fully understand this subject, a retrospective view must be taken of circumstances which occurred a good many years ago, and for this purpose a brief sketch of the early French trading establishments on the east coast of Madagascar may serve in some degree to explain the extraordinary position occupied by the late M. Laborde for nearly half a century in Mada gascar. The disputes which arose after his death as to the ownership of the premises occupied by him for many years during his lifetime are important because they gave rise to serious alleged grievances, by which the French consular authorities sought to fasten upon the Hova Government accusations of ill - will, bad faith, obstruction, and open violation of the treaty concluded between France and Madagascar in 1868.

When Radama I. came down from his capital in the A RETROSPECT. highlands to the east coast in 1817, with a large following and an escort of some twenty-five thousand soldiers, to exercise his powers of suzerainty over the Betanimena and Betsimisaraka chiefs, he visited Tamatave, where he con cluded an amicable arrangement with Jean Rene and Fiche, the two half-caste chiefs who ruled on the banks of the Hivondro. Whilst at Tamatave, Radama received cordially the congratulations of the French traders resident in that port, and at the head of them was M. Arnoux, who represented the commercial interests of the French community. M. Arnoux was the agent of the Colonial firm " Ron taunay," of Reunion, and he formed an important sugar plantation and factory at Mahela, on the coast south of Tamatave.

This establishment seems to have flourished until after the death of Radama in 1828, when, disquieted by the reports from Imerina, M. Arnoux proceeded to Antananarivo, to invoke the protection of the new Queen Ranavalona I., who received him graciously in March, 1829. On his return journey, M. Arnoux died, and he was succeeded in the management of his business by M. de Lastelle. Shortly after this the expedition under Commodore Gourbeyre bombarded Tamatave, and the situation of M. de Lastelle was precarious. He was engaged in putting up some water-mills which he had just received, when he was summoned to the capital by the Hova AN ADVENTURER. 7 Government ; and on his attending the Court he was fortunate in securing the favour of the Queen and Andrian Mihaza, her minister. He obtained permission to erect a distillery, and besides was authorized to farm the custom house duties at Fenoarivo, Mahanoro, and Mananzary, besides being invested with other commercial privileges.

By favour of the Queen, M. de Lastelle was commissioned to proceed to Europe and purchase various goods for the court of Antananarivo, and about this time it appears that he was joined by his compatriot Laborde. The early history of M. Laborde is somewhat wrapped up in obscurity, but according to M. Francis Riaux (Secretary to the Madagascar Company), and to M. d'Escamps, it is recorded that Jean Laborde was born at Auch on the 16th October, 1805, and was the son of Jeanne Baron and Jean Laborde, the latter being master wheelwright, blacksmith, and saddle and harness maker [Archives mitnicipales de la Ville d'Aitch). Madame Pfeiffer states in her last book of travel that M. Laborde served several years in a cavalry regiment, but, desirous of seeing the world, he purchased a substitute after the death of his father and embarked for the East Indies.

He established at Bombay several shops for the repair of steam-engines and arms, saddlery, &c, and seems to have made a small fortune. His restless spirit, however, did not allow him to remain long in one spot. He disposed of his workshops to a ADVISER TO A QUEEN. friend, and started in 1831 for the Indian (Mascarene ?) archipelago. The vessel, which was commanded by a M. Savoie, was wrecked near Fort Dauphin, and, like the semi-mythical Robert Drury, M. Laborde not only lost his worldly goods but his liberty; "for" adds Madame Pfciffer sarcastically, " in this hospitable country all ship wrecked sailors become slaves." From this point the accounts differ somewhat. Madame Ida Pfeiffer, who professes to have taken her romance from the lips of M. Laborde himself, says, that he (Laborde), with several of his companions, was conducted to Antananarivo to be there sold ; but happily for him the Queen, hearing that he could manufacture muskets, gave him his liberty, and engaged him to serve her faithfully for five years.1 M. Laborde accepted the offer, and established a workshop, where he manufactured all kinds of arms, even small pieces of ordnance, powder, and other articles.

In spite of her hatred towards the Europeans, the Queen ended by taking him into her confidence, and at the same time constituted him her principal adviser in her important and serious undertakings. In fact, according to the narrative of Madame Pfeiffer, M. Laborde played the same part of confidential adviser to the Queen Ranavalona I. as the French Commissioner accused Mr. Parrett of acting o 1 Voyage it Madagascar par Mdme. Ida Pfeiffer. Traduit de l'Allemand. Paris : Hachette, 1SS1, p. 150. A MODERN MESSALINA. 9 towards Queen Ranavalona II. There is only this difference, that during the former period M. Laborde was acting as intimate adviser to the sovereign who, like Catherine II. of Russia, has been styled by French authors " the modern Messalina," 1 whose name has been univer sally detested for the cruelties perpetrated under her rule, and by whom all foreigners were excluded from her dominions, for a period of a quarter of a century (twenty six years, from 1831 to 1857), during a reign of des potic terrorism.

On the other hand, Mr. Parrett's only claim to the keen dislike and jealousy on the part of the French consuls and commissioners appears to be that he has been the intimate friend of Rainilaiarivony, the minister of the late Ranavalona II., during whose reign and ministry Madagascar has been raised from the depths of idolatry and superstitious influences to a certain standard of civilization, which can be judged of by the wonderful progress of Christianity and education, morality and humanity throughout the island, within the last fifteen years. Admitting that both these individuals have been, as it has always been alleged, the intimate advisers of their respective sovereigns, the results of their counsels arc hardly in favour of the late French consul. According to M. d'Escamps (p. 183), Messrs. Savoie and 1 M. d'Escamps gives her the title of the " Female Caligula," p. 124.

M. Jules Ferry spoke of her in the Chamber of Deputies in March, 1884, as " l'horrible Ranavalona " (fourual Ojfficiel, Mars 28, 1S84). SCIENTIFIC MANUALS. 10 Laborde, after their shipwreck, were received by M. de Lastelle, and M. Savoie married a Malagasy woman, sister of the so-called Princess Juliette Fiche, alias Fisatra, of the Betanimcna tribe (who are blacks, and not of the lighter coloured tribes of the interior). Through the friendship of M. de Lastelle, and on his recommendation to the Queen, M. Laborde proceeded to the capital (not to be sold as a slave), as a skilled mechanician and artisan, who could instruct the Hovas in the arts of manufacturing firearms and gunpowder, &c, and, with the help of a small collection of art and science manuals (Mam/els Encyclo pcdiques Rorcf), M. Laborde established factories of different descriptions in the vicinity of the capital.