The urgency of the question of Portuguese as against British supremacy in Equatorial Africa must not blind us, however, to another and scarcely less important point--the general European, and especially the recent German, invasion of Africa. The Germans are good, though impecunious colonists, but it cannot be said that they or any of the other European nations are as alive to the moral responsibilities of administration among native tribes as England would desire. And though they are all freely entitled to whatever lands in Africa they may legitimately secure, it is advisable for all concerned that these acquisitions should be clearly defined and established in international law, in order that the various Powers, the various trading-companies, and the various missions, may know exactly where they stand. The almost hopeless entanglement of the Foreign Powers in Africa at present may be seen from the following political "section," which represents the order of occupation along the Atlantic seaboard from opposite Gibraltar to the Cape:-- POLITICAL "SECTION" OF WESTERN AFRICA. Spain . . . Morocco. France . . . " Spain . . . Opposite the Canaries. France . . . French Senegambia. Britain . . . British Senegambia France . . . French " Britain . . . British " Portugal . . . Portuguese " France . . . Britain . . . Sierra Leone. Liberia . . . Republic of Liberia. France . . . Gold Coast. England . . . Gold Coast. France . . . Dahomey. Unappropriated . . . " England . . . Niger. Germany . . . Cameroons. French . . . French Congo. Portuguese . . . Portuguese Congo. International . . Congo. Portuguese . . . Angola. Portuguese . . . Benguela. Germany . . . Angra Pequena. England . . . Walvisch Bay. Germany . . . Orange River. England . . . Cape of Good Hope. These several possessions on the western coast have at least the advantage of being to some extent defined, but those on the east, and especially as regards their inland limits, are in a complete state of chaos. It seems hopeless to propose it, but what is really required is an International Conference to overhaul title-deeds, adjust boundary-lines, delimit territories, mark off states, protectorates, lands held by companies, and spheres of influence. England's interest in this must be largely a moral one. Her ambitions in the matter of new territories are long ago satisfied. But there will be certain conflict some day if the portioning of Africa is not more closely watched than it is at present.