Mr. Foster to Mr. Lincoln.
Washington, July 12, 1892.
Sir: I transmit for your information copies of two notes, respectively, addressed to the Department by Mr. Deprez and Mr. Patenôtre, the representative of France here, on November 3 and January 6 last, in regard to the protectorate announced by France over certain territory hitherto recognized as belonging to and administered by Liberia, and copy of an instruction recently sent to Mr. Coolidge directing him to acquaint the French Government with the views of this Government in regard to the menaced encroachment upon Liberian territory.
Her Majesty’s Government some months ago made verbal inquiries, through Sir Julian Pauncefote, touching the attitude of the United States in this regard. Sir Julian stated that a similar announcement of the assumption by France of a protectorate over the territory between the San Pedro and Cavally Rivers had been received by Her Majesty’s Government, which was indisposed to act upon it without first knowing whether such a protectorate would be recognized by the United States. Sir Julian was told that the position of this Government as the next friend of a republic founded in Africa by American enterprise was well known, and had on former occasions been evidenced by our frank and friendly intervention, not only with France but with Great Britain as well, to avert any diminution of such just rights to African territory as Liberia possessed, and that due representation would be made against the apprehended encroachments of France westward of the long recognized boundary of the San Pedro River.
It is proper therefore to instruct you to acquaint Lord Salisbury with the purport of the present instruction to Mr. Coolidge.
The occasion may also be availed of by you to make discreet inquiry relative to the action proposed to be taken by the Government of Her Majesty, either alone or concurrently with that of France, with respect to the country stretching inland from the coast toward the navigable water courses behind to which territory Liberia lays claim through original [Page 230] exploration and which under the “Hinterland” doctrine is the normal avenue of Liberian expansion. Advices from Monrovia indicate considerable disquietude in the mind of the Government of the Republic as to the apprehended encroachments in that quarter also even to the extent it is reported of a movement on the part of Great Britain and France to close in behind Liberia and reduce her domain to a narrow strip of territory along the coast. This Government is unwilling to share the fears of the President of Liberia that an understanding to that end may actually exist between Great Britain and France, by which Liberia may be eventually shorn of the rights of territorial expansion flowing from her long occupancy of the coast and her original foundation of the first independent government in Africa.
The information possessed by this Department in regard to any such inland movement of circumscription about Liberia is meager. The Government of Liberia has not so far furnished evidence of the existence of such an understanding.
I am, &c.,