Intervention And Colonization in Africa

nd. And in Germany, where Bismarck had successfully introduced a policy of protection, because " under free trade we were gradually bleeding to death," colonization was determined upon definitely in 1884, as necessary to insure the economic independence and future of the Empire. The African possessions of European states in 1870 were neither extensive nor particularly valuable. For the most part they -were confined to seaport towns and the adjacent territory, which were being used as ports of call and trading centers, rather than as bases for colonial expansion. There had been no attempt to mark definitely the boundaries of any of these colonies or to stake out special claims. The different nations had merely built forts and trading factories at certain favorable points and permitted their influence to extend gradually into the interior without any definite purpose or plan of expansion. An exception was made in Algeria and Cape Colony; but, before 1870, none of the European powers had seriously considered the founding of great colonial states in Africa. The French possessed a strong hold on Algeria at the north and had established along the west side three small colonies, on the Senegal River, at Mellicouri, and on the Ivory Coast. In addition they had begun explorations on the Gaboon River and started a settlement at Obock on the East Coast. The British controlled a struggling colony at the Cape of Good Hope, had secured substantial holdings and openings for trad...