"In conclusion, M. Dussert (Engineer-in-Chief for Mines at Algiers) proposes, if the Administration should decide not to present a Bill to Parliament, a different solution from that contemplated by the Minister for Public Works. He suggests that an immense mining concession, covering the whole of Dahra, the Bel-Hacel range, and the forest of Mouley-Smaïl, should be granted to Algeria, leaving the colony, from the date of this concession, to give the oil company a three years' lease, renewable for two years, which could be made permanent as soon as the company had selected the lands which it wished to retain." There followed a report by M. Dussert upon the petition: "This petition is formulated upon entirely abnormal conditions; _the boundaries to which it would apply would enclose an area fifteen times as great as the concessions which are usually granted_." What the English desired above everything was to get a grip on these vast lands so as to keep off their American rivals, should important sources of oil be found there later on. The production of oil in Algeria is still insignificant, though it increased almost tenfold between 1914 and 1917. Henceforward, the majority of companies operating there, the _Société co-intéressée des Pétroles algériens_, the _Société algérienne des Pétroles de Tiliouanet_, the _Société d'Études, de Recherches et d'Exploitation des Pétroles en Algérie_, are invariably British. Lord Murray has even been ingenious enough to have inserted in the articles of association of the last-mentioned company a clause which nullifies all the precautions taken by the legislature: two-thirds of the directors are to be French, as the law requires; the managing director is to be French; but "the Board may in addition by special resolution confer powers upon such persons as it deems fit and for such purpose or purposes as it may determine."[55] This little paragraph alone changes the whole aspect of these articles of association, which, on the surface, appear to conform so closely with the requirements of Parliament. The company will entrust its interests to whomsoever it wishes. But Britain has not been content with seizing the deposits in Algeria.[56] She has also installed herself in Madagascar. Since June, 1921, the _Royal Dutch_ has been making a minute inspection of the fields of Sakalava.[57] And if the hope to which M. Launay gave expression at the Academy of Sciences is realized, and oil is found in Indo-China, Laos, Tonkin, and Annam, the _Royal Dutch-Shell_ will probably waste no time in gaining possession of deposits so near its base. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 53: Letter from the Minister to M. Lutaud, Governor of Algeria, January 27, 1915.] [Footnote 54: _Ibid._, June 26, 1916.] [Footnote 55: Article 27 of the articles of association of the _Société d'Études, de Recherches, et d'Exploitation des Pétroles en Algérie_, registered at Algiers, December 18, 1918.]