Colonel Shervinton, who formerly commanded the Malagasy Army, in conversation
with an interviewer, strongly supports our contention that the Hovas are good fighting material. He himself has seen them attack and defeat French troops in the open, and in the last war, a Governor, his sons, and most of the garrison died in defence of Farafatra, near Tamatave. They have, moreover, conquered all the other tribes in Madagascar, and the Christians among them have endured martyrdom in heaps. Colonel Shervinton does not profess to understand why they have not fought, but thinks they will not in future. Possibly, for a nation's heart may be broken; but the best explanation we have seen of Hova cowardice does not preclude the notion of guerilla war. It is said that they had cannon and rifles, but that they,fither had no shells or cartridges, or none were forwarded to the front. That is quite possible, if the superior officers were either treacherous or corrupt, and the view is borne out by the admitted fact that the French have not lost a dozen men in the field. If there had been even an attempt to fire, they must have suffered more. We shall see if the dispersed Hovas can fight with swords, as the Cubans do with the hatchets used for cutting cane.
Previous page
