It is, however, felt that trouble is pretty sure to come ere long, and
so England has been sending more soldiers to the Niger territory, and
now has a force of four thousand men there.

A commission was appointed to examine into this vexed boundary question,
and it has been sitting in Paris for many weeks.

Unfortunately, neither party seems willing to wait until the commission
has finished its work.

The French, maintaining that they have a right to seize any city or land
that is not occupied by an armed force belonging to any other nation,
have been sending out armed parties to take possession of any territory
they can get. They have already taken possession of several places that
England has long looked upon as her property.

The British are naturally not going to submit to this, and so they, in
their turn, are trying to seize land wherever possible.

It is feared that in some of their various raids the British and French
may meet, and a serious conflict ensue.

* * * * *

From India it is reported that the Ameer of Afghanistan has refused to
listen to the envoys from the Afridi tribes, and that they are about to
submit to the English rule.

They will be forced to give up the rifles and plunder they have taken,
and hostages will be demanded of them as a guarantee of further good