Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-10-09
PROGRESS OF DISCOVERY IN CENTRAL AFRICA
FROM THE LONDON SPECTATOR.

PROM THE LONDON SPECTATOR.
While than State Government bundering away
at measures of proved useessness mitigate the horrors Of
barbarty the seaboard of Western Africa Lyeruool
merchant and captain have penetrated to the Interior
and have surveyed the highway not only TO that inner region
but to the civilization Of Africa. Mr. Robert Jameson of
Liverpool has collected the and planned tn. enepe
with dlslnerested perseverance and zeal for discovery far
above the mere trading spirit Of the times Mr.. Becroh has
nmortalzed himself Of the daring most discreet
and most intelligent of English discoveries In spite of the
Obstacles aggravated rather than removed by the proceedings
oil the English Goyernmen-n spite of the disastrous
mlschancesr Becro has succeeded in establishing the
TACT that the interior accessible for navigation and trade He
has thrown light the interior navigation up to Timbuctoo
nsomuch that only forty miles of the river remains be
poed-the part between Lever his highest point Bous
sah Park lowest the great way being the kew TO
several regions Of beautiful and fertile country peopled by
divers races, and aordng opportunities for legitimate COM
merce Of indefinite extension. The lower Niger and its
branches penetrate immense delta containing thousands
miles Of richly fertile and wooded country The unhealthy
climate extends only for limited space inwards and YOU
ascend the river the heahness becomes equal TO that Of the
tropics generally This region is inhabited by negro races
warke rude yet destitute of civilization and eager for
trade On the middle Niger above Iddah the nhabtan.
assume more OF the Arab aspect civilized conVre
gate IN towns so large that mentioned which compu
Ted 10 contain twenty thousand inhabitants but the people are
less eager for trade They preudced against strangers
ron The west by the Arab Dealers who them in car
a'ans across the connen and strive exclude rivals from the
market This prejudice, however, does be very
powerful and the trade which repay the tosome transit
across the continent by land remunerae traders who
come by the comparatively short and easy path Of the ve
he requisites for successful trade with the inhabitants Of
me Niger are well asceraned by the experience Of Mr.
becro and his clowvoyagersin the Ehiope steamer First
you want iron steamers of less draugh and greater engine
power Tor by such vessels not only the Niger bu, ahad
Dab branch might be navgated at almost all Of the
year You want officers like Mr. Becro Of hardy constitu-
tlons Injured TO the climate, OF brave spirit discreet and
shre"d lou want trading managers capable Of accommo-
dang their manners to the hayward dealings Of rude peo
pie aud able to estimate the value Of produce little known
You want crews mostly Of African blood and all events
OF sufficient stamina to bear the climate II is obvious that
efficiency Of navigation, the power to rapidly and tact
IN dealing with the natives requisites far important
than mere armed forces Ivory vegetable ialow peppers
indigo, cotton WOOL palm OIL caavances or harcot
beans, dye-woods timber woods SKINS and great variety of
produce that is bu, slightly known, invite the trader Tbe
sole deslderatum is thorough efficiency in the means Of nay
eating the river and is evident that commerce Of neine
extension will repay any laid in thoroughly esa
fishing that efficiency Of navigation OF the free blacks
educated in the West Indian trade will become use
IN penetrating the native land Of their race We must de-
pend, at least for generations come on the ba roc 10
supply the bulk Of the crew.