Don Carlos does not seem willing to give these assurances, and so the rebellion is at a standstill at present.
There was a little excitement during the past week over the announcement that the English and French armies had met in battle in West Africa.
The story was not, however, believed, because the English Government had given orders to her soldiers that they were to avoid any conflict with the French, and the same directions had been given to the French by their Government.
It is, however, felt that trouble is pretty sure to come ere long, and so England has been sending more soldiers to the Niger territory, and now has a force of four thousand men there.
A commission was appointed to examine into this vexed boundary question, and it has been sitting in Paris for many weeks.
Unfortunately, neither party seems willing to wait until the commission has finished its work.
The French, maintaining that they have a right to seize any city or land that is not occupied by an armed force belonging to any other nation, have been sending out armed parties to take possession of any territory they can get. They have already taken possession of several places that England has long looked upon as her property.
The British are naturally not going to submit to this, and so they, in their turn, are trying to seize land wherever possible.
It is feared that in some of their various raids the British and French may meet, and a serious conflict ensue.