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French (VISCOUNT JOHN DEN- TON)

VISCOUNT JOHN DEN- TON PINKSTONE, British general, son of a British naval officer, born at Ripple Vale, Kent, England, in 1852. He began his career in the Royal Navy as a midshipman, which he entered in 1866, but eight years later he was VISCOUNT FRENCH transferred to the Army. He saw serv ice in the Sudan with the Nineteenth Hussars, during 1884-1885. In 1889 he had reached the rank of colonel. In 1893-1894 he was Assistant Adjutant- General of Cavalry on the General Staff, and during 1895-1897 he was an assistant adjutant-general at Army Headquarters. In 1899 he became Major- General, commanding the cavalry division in Natal during the Boer War operations, and had command of operations around Colesberg, from November, 1899, to January 31, 1900. His cavalry assisted in the relief of Kimberley. In 1907, having now attained FRENCH EST. IN INDIA the full rank of General, he became Inspector-General of the Home Forces. In 1913 he was made Field Marshal, but early in 1914 he resigned, on account of friction with the Liberal Asquith Cabinet over the Government's military policy in Ireland. At the outbreak of the World War he immediately proffered his services and was placed in command of the British expeditionary forces sent to France. In the beginning of December, 1915, he was relieved of his command at his own instance and appointed to the command of the home forces. He was given a viscountcy in recognition of his long and faithful services. Nevertheless, there had been much criticism of the ability he had displayed in his command in France. In 1918 he was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. FRENCH EQUATORIAL AFRICA, or FRENCH CONGO, a French possession in west central Africa extending from the Atlantic Coast to the Congo river. The boundary prior to the World War was most irregular, being divided at two points by the German Kamerun, but by the Treaty of Versailles Germany ceded these regions to France.

A large section of the land is still unexplored and it is only possible to estimate of its area; this is about 700,000 square miles with an estimated population of approximately 11,000,000. The land is very fertile, its numerous and large river valleys being capable of supporting a vast population. The climate is, however, unhealthful for Europeans and the population consists almost entirely of negroes. In the forests the gorilla and chimpanzee are found and along the rivers crocodiles abound. The most valuable product is rubber and the costly woods that come from the tropical forests. The exports are chiefly these and coffee. The mineral resources are believed to be extensive, particularly in the mountainous southern region.

French Equatorial Africa is divided into three colonies, Gabun, Middle Congo, and Ubangi-Shari. The three are united for administrative purposes under a governor-general, who is assisted by a secretary-general and a council of government.

IN FRENCH ESTABLISHMENTS INDIA. Territories in India which still belong to France. They are very small, their total extent being but 197 square miles, with an estimated population of 270,000. They are the French colonies of Chandernagore, Pondicherry, Karikal, Mahé, and Yanaon. The imports before the World War were valued FRENCH INDO-CHINA at nearly ten million francs and their exports at over thirty-seven million francs. It was not until 1920, however, that their trade began to recover from the serious interruption of the years 1914-1918.