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The Anglo-French "Condominium" in Cameroon, 1914-1916: The Myth and the Reality

1985; Boston University; Volume: 18; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/218801

2326-3016

Lovett Z. Elango,

Global Maritime and Colonial Histories

quarters of the Expeditionary Force, commanded by a Pritish officer, Brigadier-General C.M. Dobell, and the seat of the Anglo-French administration of the occupied territories, also headed by Dobell. It was from Duala theft, that Dobell administered, in principle on behalf of the Allies, the regions of Kamerun jointly conquered' by the Allied troops. Unfortunately, the adoption and proclamation of the principle of joint administration of the conquered territories by the two Allies was one thing, its application another. Not surprisingly, differences soon arose between the Allies concerning its application. This study attempts to show the origins of these differences, specifically the misunderstandings, that arose when the Allies tried to establish a joint administration in the period which preceded the German surrender in Kamerun. More specifically, it tries to show that the administrative arrangement1 which has been rather grandiosely christened the Anglo-FaMich Condominium by Ndam Njoya2 and others was in fact'so heavily weighted in favour of the British that it was virtually a British administration. The study also attempts to show that another source of these misunderstandings was the prospect of extending this arrangement to regions of Kamerun jointly or separately conquered and occupied by the French and British troops, and that the failure of this attempt led, in effect, to the eventual abandonment of the would-be Condominium. Since the misunderstandings were greatly compounded by the question of the potential territorial claims - and the basis of those claims - of each of the Allies, it would be helpful to begin by indicating the territories in question and the manner of their conquest. Naturally, the first concern of the Allied troops after the capture of Duala Was the consolidation of their position.3 Vit h this object in view, during October-December 1914, they launched combined military -naval