The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-16
Important and Highly Interesting Expedi-
tion 20 Africa.

tion 70 Africa.
We are in receipt Of private utelli gence derived
from the most authentic sources, 20 the effect tha.
our government at Washington has completed ar !
engagements for despatchiog scientific and explor-
ing expedition 20 Central Africa. with view of
finding healthy posi- ion some distance inland
fitted for the purpose Of colonization. The CON-
mand and entire management of the expedition is
entrusted to Commander Lynch Of the navy, whose
Dead Sea explorations have rendered his name cele
brated, and point him out as eminsntly f.ted to
undertake this mission, and carry it out to sac
cessfal issue. If the results Of Commander Lynch's
nvestigations be favorable to the objects had in
view by government, his report will be sub
mitted to Congress /; but, on the contrary event,
nothing will DO officially said about the matter, and
the project win be abandoned The Secretary Of
the Navy will not at present permit the letter Of
instructions to Commander Lynch to be made
public, nor was II desired by him that any notice
Of the expedition should get abroad; but we have
been enabled to get at its leading features, and
knowing no reason why the people Of the United
States should be kept ignorant Of a matter promis.
ing to be of go much magnitude and Importance in
our present and future history, will endeavor to
cast much Gght upon the matter our informa-
ton enables us to do
The U. S. ship Constitution, under the command
Of Capt. Mays, has been detailed for the service,
and is to land Commander Lynch and his party on
any part Of the African coast he may select Com
mander Lynch himself sailed for England, few
days snce in the steamer Arctic, and has probably
made arrangements as to the time and place Of his
joining the Constitution. Besides his instructions
to seeking for district suitable in all respects
for colonization, search for the sources of the Nj
ger will form part Of his duties in Africa; AMI
other views important to the com mercel interests
Of this country, and from which great results may
be destined to flow, win not fail to attract his very
particular attention.
In conjunction with the vast movements nov ia
king place in Australia, this expedition to Africa
must be regarded great and important feature
Of the present age. The interior Of that vast con
tinent, containing a surface of more than twelve
million square miles, is entirely unknown, ex-
cept through the very partial and mengre accounts
given of some portions Of it by the missionaries,
ard occasionally by slave dealer traveller.
Its inhabitants are supposed to number some hum
dred ard twenty millions, who, with the exception
Of the semi civilized Arabs scattered over the north
western part Of it. exist in the most debased cond
ton Of savage life, and who have supplied the
slave markets Of South America and the West India
nishing, within that space Of time, it is computed
forty millions of adult male slaves.
The Sahara, or Great Desert, has hitherto offered
an insurmountable obstacle to the colonization or
even exploration of Central Africa, although en-
terprisng travellers have occasionally penetrated is
Throughout its vast extent it is uninhabtabs, ex-
oept by the nomadic tribes who infest its borders
and live by plumber. OF late years, however, great
horo ha1~ oosc L. L.
lish and French governments to colombo the 90 IN.
try and civilze both races who dwell in 1.-THE Esh
opean aborgines and the fierce and enlightened
Aahometans who occupy its northern and western
boundaries On the side of the North, the
French subjugatiOn Of Algeria, and the encourages
ment given by their government to the emigration
of the agricultural and mechanical classes Of the
French population is destined to form a very
powerful machine in tho work Of unsovering this
terra imcog to the eyes Of civilized nations and
drawing its inhabitants into commercial relation
ship with them. Then, on the South, like opening
has been made by Great Britain, in colonzing the
Cape Of Good Hope, where she claims district of
quarter million Of square miles, and in bring
ing the Cafres Of that region into degree Of en-
lightenment romewhat more elevated than that
which prevails in the interior. But with the ex-
ception of those two colonies, and some trading
establishments along the Guinea Coast, belonging
to several of the European governments, and the
little colony of Liberia, formed for the negro emf
grants from these States, the whole of the vast
continent of Africa is an unknown, unexplored
region, and little information exists with re-.
ference to its climate, soil, natural products, or
population, beyond what is CLEANED from the des-
criptions occasionally given by some snterprsing
voyager, who generally forfeits his life to his
temerity, either by the savage violence of the
natives, or the nalarious influence Of the climate
One Of the latest expeditions to Central Africa |
was that sent out by the British government in
1850, under Mr.. James Richardson, the celebrated
traveller, who had previously distinguished him
self by his travels through the Great Desert in 1915
and 1916. He was directed to proceed first to Tri-
poll, and thence across the Sahara to the Bad 81 |
Sudan, or Negro land, as far as lahe Chad, in the
fifteenth degree of north latitude for the purpose of
concluding commercial relations with the chiefs Of
the countries. Mr. Richardson was accompanied by
two German doctors--Barth and Overweg--com mis-
stoned by the Prussian government to make scienti
fc observations. Their communicni lions to the Ge-
ographical Society of London have been extreme
ly interesting. They started from Trpol in March,
1850, with = small caravan Of forty eamels and,
with great fatigue, suffering and danger traversed
the interior far the capital of the Air or Asben
country, in the seventeenth degree Of north latitude
which they reached about October. They remain
ed here for q couple Of months, and resumed their
travels in December. They then took different
routes to lake Chad or Tssd, Overweg making
q geological excursion, Barth proceeding south to
explore the country Of an unknown tribe and Rich
ardsoD making for Kdka, the capital Of the Empe-
ror Of ornou, which is situated on the borders Of
the lake. This great traveller, however, was at
tackled with illness on his way, and died on the
fourth Of March, 1851, victim to the malaria Of
that country which he had such passion for ex-
plorpg. DIR. Barth succeeded in reaching lake |
Tad and in launchipu Il HAL u