We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 February 2009
The last decade of the nineteenth century brought to a climax Anglo-French tensions on many colonial issues. Generally overlooked in the roll-call of disputes which centred upon Egypt but extended to Newfoundland fisheries, Siam, and West Africa as well, is the position of Madagascar between the two powers at the commencement of the difficult decade. Madagascar warrants greater attention than it has received, for, with Egypt and Newfoundland, it became in 1891 and 1892 the central problem in colonial discussions between the two governments. On the side of France the issue left feelings of bad faith and broken promises which contributed to the strained tone of relations with Great Britain during the decade. This was all the more unfortunate since Madagascar was an issue apparently settled by the colonial arrangement of 5 August 1890 between the two powers. But the instrument which might have been expected to improve relations became instead another source of discord. Madagascar, at the heart of the agreement for France, presents therefore a striking and significant example of lost opportunity in colonial diplomacy. For the diplomatic failure led inevitably to a military solution to the problems confronting France on the Grand Isle.
1 Kanya-Forstner, A. S., ‘French African Policy and the Anglo-French Agreement of 5 August 1890’, The Historical Journal, XII (12. 1969), 630–4.Google Scholar
2 Ribot to Waddington, 28 June 1890, personal letter, France, Archives du Ministère des affaires étrangères (hereafter cited as AMAE), Ribot Papers, III, fos. 212–15.
3 Kanya-Forstner, pp. 634–6; Ribot to Mme Ribot, 5 July 1890, personal letter, Ribot Family Archives, Paris. I am most grateful to Mme Alexandre Ribot for permission to use the papers of the French statesman.
4 Ribot to Waddington, 28 June 1890, personal letter, AMAE, Ribot Papers, III, fos. 212–15.
5 Grandidier, G., Le Myre de Vilers, Duchesne, Gallieni (Paris, 1923), pp. 27–30;Google ScholarMartineau, A., Madagascar en 1894 (Paris, 1894), pp. 71–4.Google Scholar The treaty of 1885, signed following a punitive military expedition, ostensibly conferred upon France the right to conduct all foreign relations of the Hovas while excluding French interference in domestic affairs. However, the Hovas interpreted their text of the treaty as preserving their right to conduct relations with all foreign powers resident on the island. In addition, a following ‘explanatory letter’, signed by the French negotiators but never recognized by the French Government, further restricted French powers on the island. The treaty was filled with ambiguities and did not represent the wishes of either party (Grandidier, ibid.).
The difficulties were illustrated in 1887 when the Hova Government granted the exequatur directly to the British consul, while refusing to grant the exequatur to the American consul through the intermediary of the French resident-general. These incidents pointed up the divergence of interpretation regarding the treaty (Note for the minister, 23 June 1890, AMAE, Mämoires et documents [hereafter cited as AMAE, MD], Afrique, Madagascar, CXLIII, fos. 180–5).
6 Ribot to Waddington, 24 July 1890, T. 99, France, , Ministère des affaires étrangères, Documents diplomatiques français, 1871–1914 (hereafter cited as DDF), 1st ser., VIII (Paris, 1938), 180–1.Google Scholar
7 ‘The Government of Her Britannic Majesty recognizes the Protectorate of France over the Island of Madagascar, with its consequences, especially as regards the exequaturs of British Consuls and Agents, which must be applied for through the intermediary of the French Resident-General.
'In Madagascar the missionaries of both countries shall enjoy complete protection. Religious toleration, and liberty for all forms of worship and religious teaching, shall be guaranteed.
'It is understood that the establishment of this Protectorate will not affect any rights or immunities enjoyed by British subjects in that island’ (Declarations between Great Britain and France … 5 Aug. 1890, Britain, Great, British and Foreign State Papers, 1889–1890 (London, n.d.), LXXXII, 90).Google Scholar
8 Francis Charmes to Ribot, La Bourboule, 25 Aug. 1890, personal letter, Ribot Family Archives, Paris; same to same, La Bourboule, 26 Aug. 1890, personal letter, ibid.
9 Ribot to Waddington, 30 July 1890, T. 108, very confidential, AMAE, Correspondance politique (hereafter cited as AMAE, CP), Angleterre, DCCCLI, fo. 337; Waddington to Ribot, London, 30 July 1890, T. 78, very confidential, ibid., f0. number lacking.
10 Hanotaux to Bompard, 31 July 1891, personal letter, AMAE, MD, Afrique, Madagascar, CXLIII, fo. 193.
11 On the development of the ‘colonial party’, see Brunschwig, Henri, Mythes et rédités de l'impérialisme colonial français, 1871–1914 (Paris, 1960),Google Scholar and Andrew, C. M. and Kanya-Forstner, A. S., ‘The French “Colonial Party”: Its Composition, Aims and Influence, 1885–1914’, The Historical Journal, XIV (03. 1971), 99–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12 Andrew and Kanya-Forstner, p. 105.
13 Great Britain, Hansard, 3rd ser. House of Commons, 4 Aug. 1890, CCCXLVII, 1728–9; House of Lords, 11 Aug. 1890, CCCXLVIII, 451.
14 Goodall, Norman, A History of the London Missionary Society, 1895–1945 (London, Oxford University Press, 1954), pp. 303–4.Google Scholar
15 Bompard to Ribot, 20 Sept. 1890, personal letter, AMAE, Ribot Papers, IV, fos. 38–9.
16 Waddington to Ribot, 17 Nov. 1890, T. 104, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLV, fos. 134–5; Salisbury to Lytton, 17 Nov. 1890, D. 214, Africa, Public Record Office, London, MSS, Foreign Office (hereafter cited as P.R.O., F.O.), 146/3196; Ribot to Waddington, 20 Nov. 1890, T. 147, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLV, fo. 171.
17 France, , Annales de la chambre des députés. Documents parlementaires, XXXIII, 21 02. 1891, Annex No. 1224, p. 455;Google ScholarFrance, , Journal officiel de la République française, 8 Apr. 1891 (law of 2 Apr.), p. 1569.Google Scholar
18 Waddington to Ribot, 21 Mar. 1891, T. 29, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLIX, fo. 262; Constant to Ribot, 20 Apr. 1891, D. 122, Protectorates, ibid., DCCCLX, fos. 293–4.
19 Ribot to Waddington, 8 June 1891, D. 115, confidential, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLXH, fo. 136.
20 Note by Ribot, Aug. 1891, AMAE, MD, Afrique, Madagascar, CXLIH, fos. 187–90; Nisard to Ribot, personal letter, 21 Aug. 1891, AMAE, Ribot Papers, 1, fos. 110–11.
21 Bompard to Ribot, 30 Sept. 1891, personal letter, AMAE, Ribot Papers, IV, fos. 51–2; Bompard to Le Myre de Vilers, 30 Sept. 1891, cited in d'Anthouard, A., ‘La conquête diplomatique de Madagascar’, Revue d'histoire diplomatique, LIV (1940), 22–3.Google Scholar
22 Note by Ribot, 29 Sept. 1891, AMAE, MD, Afrique, Madagascar, CXLIII, fo. 200.
23 Constant to Ribot, 16 Oct. 1891, D. XIX, confidential, DDF, 1st ser., IX (1939), 57–8; Ribot to Waddington, 2 Nov. 1891, D. 225, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCXXVII, fos. 9–10.
24 Waddington to Ribot, 6 Nov. 1891, T. 80, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 91–2.
25 Constant to Ribot, 16 Oct. 1891, D. XIX, confidential, ibid. 57–60.
26 Waddington to Ribot, 10 Nov. 1891, D. 331, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLXVII, fos. 86–92.
27 Egerton to Salisbury, 25 Nov. 1891, D. 185, Africa, confidential, P.R.O., F.O. 146/3275.
28 Waddington to Ribot, 27 Nov. 1891, T. 87, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 122.
29 Ribot to Waddington, 27 Nov. 1891, D. 258, ibid. 123; same to same, 27 Nov. 1891, personal letter, AMAE, Waddington Papers, 5 bis, fos. 71–2.
30 Waddington to Ribot, 8 Dec. 1891, T. 90, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 151.
31 Egerton to Salisbury, 6 Jan. 1892, personal letter, Library of Christ Church, Oxford, MSS, Papers of the third marquess of Salisbury, vol. LIX, no. 33. I am grateful to the marquess of Salisbury for permission to use these papers.
32 Waddington to Ribot, 22 Jan. 1892, personal letter, AMAE, Ribot Papers, III, fos. 129–30.
33 Ribot to Waddington, 28 Mar. 1892, D. 73, confidential, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 366–70.
34 Ibid.
35 Salisbury to Dufferin, 29 Mar. 1892, D. 62, P.R.O., F.O. 403/170 (Confidential Prints: Africa), no. 5; Waddington to Ribot, 30 Mar. 1892, D. 106, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLXXI, fos. 271–6.
36 Ribot to Waddington, 4 May 1892, D. 99, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 428–30.
37 France, , Annales de la chambre des députés. Débats parlementaires, XXXVI (1892), pt. I, 526–7.Google Scholar
38 Salisbury to Dufferin, 7 May 1892, D. 95, P.R.O., F.O. 403/170, no. 6; Waddington to Ribot, 8 May 1892, T. 31, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 436–7.
39 Waddington to Ribot, 18 May 1892, D. 180, urgent, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 446, with annex: Salisbury to Waddington, 16 May 1892, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLXXIII, fos. 172–5.
40 Salisbury to Dufferin, 28 May 1892, D. 119, Africa, P.R.O., F.O. 403/170, no. 10.
41 Ribot to Waddington, 19 May 1892, T. 44, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLXXIII, fo. 181.
42 Waddington to Ribot, 20 May 1892, T. 35, DDF, 1st ser., ix, 449–50; Salisbury to Dufferin, 20 May 1892, D. 112, Africa, P.R.O., F.O. 403/170, no. 8; Waddington to Ribot, 21 May 1892, personal letter, AMAE, Ribot Papers, III, fos. 150–1.
43 Ribot to Waddington, 28 May 1892, personal letter, Ribot Papers, III, fo. 152.
44 Note by Ribot, 1 June 1892, AMAE, MD, Afrique, Madagascar, CXLV, fo. 277.
45 Dufferin to Salisbury, 8 June 1892, personal letter, Salisbury Papers, vol. LIX, no. 49.
46 Ribot to Waddington, 7 June 1892, T. 47, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLXXIV, fo. 60; same to same, 8 June 1892, D. 135 (remise à Jusserand), ibid. fos. 82–6.
47 Il [Jusserand] m'a mis complètement au courant de l'état des esprits à la Chambre et des difficulties que vous éprouviez; il m'a initié à votre pensée et m'a averti que vous pourriez être amené à une rupture diplomatique avec l'Angleterre (Waddington to Ribot, 12 June 1892, personal letter, very confidential, AMAE, Ribot Papers, III, fos. 153–4).
48 Jusserand to Ribot, 12 June 1892, personal letter, ibid, IV, fos. 74–7.
49 Salisbury to Dufferin, 14 June 1892, personal letter, Salisbury Papers, vol. LIX, no. 106.
50 Waddington to Ribot, 12 June 1892, T. 39, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 486–8; same to same, 11 June 1892, D. 216 and annex: Waddington to Salisbury, 10 June 1892, ibid. 484–6.
51 Ribot to Waddington, 12 June 1892, personal letter, AMAE, Waddington Papers, 5 bis, f0. 82.
52 Ribot to Waddington, 21 June 1892, D. 145, DDF, 1st ser., ix, 514–15; same to same, 21 June 1892, private letter, AMAE, Waddington Papers, 5 bis, fos. 83–5; Waddington to Ribot, 28 June 1892, T. 45, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 539–41; Ribot to Waddington, 30 June 1892, T. 56, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLXXIV, fo. 354; Waddington to Ribot, 2 July 1892, D. 252, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 554–9.
53 Ribot to Waddington, 30 June 1892, T. 56, AMAE, CP, Angleterre, DCCCLXXIV, fo. 354; same to same, 4 July 1892, personal letter, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 566–9.
54 Salisbury to Waddington, 20 July 1892, P.R.O., F.O. 403/170, no. 14; Waddington to Ribot, 22 July 1892, D. 268, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 607.
55 Ribot to Waddington, 5 Aug. 1892, T. number lacking, DDF, 1st ser., IX, 632.
56 Waddington to Ribot, 8 Aug. 1892, D. 280, ibid. 635–6.
57 Ribot to Waddington, 16 Aug. 1892, personal letter, AMAE, Waddington Papers, 5 bis, fos. 90–5.
58 Ribot to Waddington, 21 Aug. 1892, personal letter, ibid. fos. 96–7.
59 Rosebery to Dufferin, 31 Aug. 1892, D. 205A, Africa, P.R.O., F.O. 403/170, no. 16; Waddington to Ribot, 1 Sept. 1892, D. 304, DDF, 1st ser., x (Paris, 1945), 18–19.
80 Journal officiel, 7 Sept. 1892, pp. 4465–6.Google Scholar
61 See, for example, the chamber debates of 2 Apr. 1892 previously mentioned, n. 37, p. 724.
62 Bulletin du Comité de l'Afrique Française (hereafter cited as B.C.Af.F.), Aug. 1893, p. 4.Google Scholar
63 Sieberg, Herward, Eugène Etienne und die französische Kolonialpolitik, 1887–1904 (Cologne, Westdeutscher Verlag, 1968), p. 103.Google Scholar
64 Session of 16 May 1893, Annales de la chambre des députés. Débats parlementaires, session ordinaire de 1893, II, 280–5.Google Scholar
65 B.C.Af.F., June 1893, p. 16.
66 Andrew and Kanya-Forstner, p. 107.
67 Sieberg, p. 104 and n. 71, p. 181.
68 Note by Direction politique, Protectorates, to Casimir-Perier, 16 Dec. 1893, confidential AMAE, MD, Afrique, Madagascar, CXLIII, fos. 175–7.
69 Decrais to Casimir-Perier, London, 30 Dec. 1893, D. 388, DDF, 1st ser., x, 704–5.
70 Session of 13 Nov. 1894, Annales de la chambre des députés. Débats parlementaires, session extraordinaire de 1894, pp. 246–8.Google Scholar
71 Andrew and Kanya-Forstner, pp. 108–9. The commission established to consider the request for credits was dominated by members of the chamber colonial group.
72 Cited in Goodall, p. 305.
73 Courcel to Hanotaux, London, 12 Feb. 1895, T. 9, DDF, 1st ser., XI (Paris, 1947), 573.
74 Goodall, pp. 305–6; London Times, 4 Apr. 1895, p. 6, col. 6.
75 The crisis led to the formation of another element in the ‘colonial party’, the Comié de Madagascar, which held its first meeting in the spring of 1895 under the presidency of the distinguished naturalist, Alfred Grandidier.
