Borgus being an especially fierce and warlike tribe who refused to be
conciliated.

After a while the British succeeded in settling their differences with
the King of Gando, but Borgu was still in doubt.

In 1894 it came to the knowledge of the English that a French expedition
had been sent out to make treaties with the Borgus.

Immediately the news reached them the Niger Company sent out an English
expedition to Nikki, the capital of Borgu, to try and get the treaty
ahead of France.

Fortune favored the English. Their party arrived three weeks ahead of
the French, and the treaty had been made and all the arrangements
concluded before the French expedition made its appearance.

The French were of course angry that they had been outwitted, and have
ever since declared that the treaties made by the English were of no
value whatever, and that France would not respect them until they had
been sent by the British Government to the French for approval.

Bad feeling has existed on this point ever since, and it now seems about
to break out into an open quarrel.

The French complain that the British Niger Company, which rules over the
affairs of this colony, is sending officers over into the Borgu
territory to incite the natives to rebellion.

This land France declares to be under her protectorate, because she