No news of the fall of Antananarivo had been received
in London up to Friday afternoon. According to the Times' correspondent there, writing as late as August 23rd, no de- fence against the French is possible, the Hovas being cowardly fools who throw up earthworks but never defend them, and their governors idiots who have no fear, or traitors who sympathise with the French. On the other hand, a Mr. Archibald Anson, who has just returned from Madagascar, tells a reporter of the Standard that the Hovaa have still a hun- dred thousand troops, that the flying column has probably been defeated, and that the work will have to be done over again. The conflict of opinion is most curious, but the positive evidence as yet is that the Hovas will not fight. The unexplained puzzle of the situation is that though General Dachesne was by his last report within twenty-five miles of the capital, Paris has had to wait ten days at least, for news of his entrance. Is he perhaps expecting a revolt of the Franciaing party within the walls
