that stretch along the northern boundaries of India, and every now and then she snatches a hip-rag or a pair of pyjamas.  It is England’s prospective property, and Russia knows it; but Russia cares nothing for that.  In fact, in our day land-robbery, claim-jumping, is become a European governmental frenzy.  Some have been hard at it in the borders of China, in Burma, in Siam, and the islands of the sea; and all have been at it in Africa.  Africa has been as coolly divided up and portioned out among the gang as if they had bought it and paid for it.  And now straightway they are beginning the old game again —­to steal each other’s grabbings.  Germany found a vast slice of Central Africa with the English flag and the English missionary and the English trader scattered all over it, but with certain formalities neglected—­no signs up, “Keep off the grass,” “Trespassers-forbidden,” etc.—­and she stepped in with a cold calm smile and put up the signs herself, and swept those English pioneers promptly out of the country.

There is a tremendous point there.  It can be put into the form of a maxim:  Get your formalities right—­never mind about the moralities.

It was an impudent thing; but England had to put up with it.  Now, in the case of Madagascar, the formalities had originally been observed, but by neglect they had fallen into desuetude ages ago.  England should have snatched Madagascar from the French clothes-line.  Without an effort she could have saved those harmless natives from the calamity of French civilization, and she did not do it.  Now it is too late.

The signs of the times show plainly enough what is going to happen.  All the savage lands in the world are going to be brought under subjection to the Christian governments of Europe.  I am not sorry, but glad.  This coming fate might have been a calamity to those savage peoples two hundred years ago; but now it will in some cases be a benefaction.  The sooner the seizure is consummated, the better for the savages.

The dreary and dragging ages of bloodshed and disorder and oppression will give place to peace and order and the reign of law.  When one considers what India was under her Hindoo and Mohammedan rulers, and what she is now; when he remembers the miseries of her millions then and the protections and humanities which they enjoy now, he must concede that the most fortunate thing that has ever befallen that empire was the establishment of British supremacy there.  The savage lands of the world are to pass to alien possession, their peoples to the mercies of alien rulers.  Let us hope and believe that they will all benefit by the change.

April 23.  “The first year they gather shells; the second year they gather shells and drink; the third year they do not gather shells.” (Said of immigrants to Mauritius.)

Population 375,000. 120 sugar factories.