Written at the height of the scramble for Africa, this influential book argues that the Niger River is the key to France's imperial aspirations on the continent. Drawing on his own experiences as a colonial administrator and explorer, Eugène Armand Lenfant makes a compelling case for the strategic importance of West Africa and the crucial role that French influence can play in shaping its future. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.