FRENCH WEST AFRICA. A French government-general comprising the colonies of Senegal, French Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Da homey, Upper Senegal-Niger. From the Rio de Oro to English Nigeria, the West African colonies are scattered over the west coast of Africa, separated from each other by various foreign colonies. For instance, Casamanca is separated from Senegal by English Gambia, and between Casamanca and French Guinea we find Portuguese Guinea. Then there is Sierra Leone and Liberia between French Guinea and the Ivory Coast which itself is separated from Dahomey by the Gold Coast and Togo. Yet although the French colonies from the Rio de Oro to Nigeria do not form an uninterrupted territory, they none the less possess an advan tage over certain other foreign possessions which are completely enclosed, in that every one is within the loop formed by the Niger and has access to the common hinterland where all meet. It was at the commencement of the 14th century that the west coast of Africa began to be explored and colonized by the French. In 1365 some Dieppe sailors settled on the Senegal and Sierra Leone coasts; the first establish ments, founded at great expense, soon disap peared with the exception of Senegal. Riche lieu by forming colonization companies, gave a new development to these possessions and such companies administered Senegal, under different names, until 1758, when the colony fell into the hands of the English.
Retaken in 1779 by the Duke of Lauzun, Senegal was thereafter governed by agents ap pointed by the king. The capitulation of 14 July 1809 again placed the colony under English control, but it was restored to France in 1817. Up to 1855, however, France merely occupied different points on the coast. After the dis astrous Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, French public opinion was not properly in formed as to the value of French West and, consequently, was not particularly imbued with the idea of expansion in these latitudes. Colonel Faidherbe's exploits and the progress made by French domination in the Saharean Oasis regions, gave food for reflection as to the advantages to be gained, from a political and commercial aspect, by reaching the Niger, despite the bad impression caused through the unfortunate expeditions of Mungo-Park and Lander. Faidherbe, moreover, was popular on account of the services he had rendered in the country's defense and his victories in Africa. But whilst the time was ripe for French ex plorations and conquests in Africa, the 'objec tive changed on several occasions. At first, the only desire was to extend beyond the Valley of Senegal into the Valley of the Niger; then came the feverish attraction of the wonderful Sudan which, conquered during the early cam paigns in its northern part and henceforth illustrious with the names of Gallieni and Borgnis-Desbordes, excited no less public en thusiasm despite some crying disappointments.
Then the view from the valley of the Niger and the more meridional regions, better watered, better cultivated and peopled, modified first im pressions and took attention away from the tracts of land nearest to Upper Senegal. Finally the riches of Guinea, Fouta-Djallon, the Ivory Coast and Dahomey, became known, and the spirit of conquest and civilization could now speculate on these countries so varied and dif ferent in aspect.
Shortly afterward, Captain Binger showed up the empty hypotheses concerning the Kong Heights and, removing the prejudice which gave to the Ivory Coast colonies and Dahomey the petty importance of coaling stations without distant relations with the hinterland, proved in 1887-89 that there were as many "doors to the Sudan" as France possessed territory on the West African coast, from the mouths of the Senegal to those of the Niger; and the abso lute necessity of joining up the whole of the Sudan, the Senegal and the Niger, the rivers at the south and the Guinea coast became ob vious. From 1890 to 1901 (a period fertile in good results) a logical plan for colonial ex pansion was methodically carried out. In Senegal, Guinea, the Ivory Coast, and later in Dahomey, successful efforts were also made for territorial expansion, similar care being taken to draw the rich products of the hinterland toward the ports. Hereafter no doubt could remain concerning the economical future of the re cently acquired colonies. The future of the Ivory Coast hinterland was no longer timer= tain since the capture of Samory by Captain Gouraud on 29 Sept. 1898, following on the cam paigns of Colonel Archinard. Since the two expeditions resulting in the defeat of Behanzin (1892-94) and since the settlement of the latent conflict between Great Britain and France re garding the borders of Lower Nigeria and Da homey, the commercial future of the old kings dom of Dahomey could be unreservedly con sidered. The Brosselard-Faidherbe, Madrolle and Paroisse missions had proved as regards the Fouta-Djallon the importance of a com mercial route terminating at Conakry. Certain missions excellently carried out across the Sahara resulted in the linking up of extreme South Algeria with the Kongo on the one side and French Sudan on the other.