General Digby Willoughby, " Ambassador " from the Queen of
Madagascar, publishes a series of letters in the papers which show that war between Madagascar and France is very near. The Treaty of December 17th, 1885, was, when signed, accom- panied by an explanatory letter from the French representatives which whittled down the French claim to a Protectorate till it covered nothing but a general supervision of political arrangements between Madagascar and foreign States. This letter the Malagasy Premier insisted should become part of the Treaty, and the French Plenipotentiaries at last agreed to the arrangement. They have, however, since declared that the letter was not binding, and have in- sisted on their right to forbid the Queen from 'contracting a loan without their consent, or leasing out the customs. General Willoughby was accordingly sent to Europe to obtain redress ; and failing to obtain it from M. de Freycinet, he pub- lishes the documents, with an expression of his own opinion that the Malagasy will fight, and that they are much better prepared than they were in 1885. The whole correspondence leaves on our minds the impression that the Government of Madagascar is resolved, and that France must either retire or conquer the island.
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