Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-01-04

WIN so'"e"na, Vi NY seel htra Africa, either fol-
uneu 10 90 anu r,fhere, at certain distance
the purpose OF seekig suitable for the establish
in the interior, free blacks, or for the purpose
ment of co!ah the unknown population of this
Oh i.ihent, commercial connexions OF which a
vas5le so enterprising as the Americans wonld
, L.How how TO avail themselves
The command of this expedition was to be con-
| fded to Commander Lynch, who has already ac-
| quired some celebrity by his exploration OF the
Red Sea. The ship war, the Constitution,
Captain Mayo, TO be placed at the disposal
of the chief of the expedition and would disem,
bark him ON such point of the African coast as he
might Judge most suitable for the accomplishment
of his mission.
One of the principal objects recommended to
the attention of Commander Lynch is the search
for the sources of the Niger, that great dcSaderd-
t'tI of the geographical science, which has alrea-
dy cost England enormous sums and-What Is
still more precous-the lives of so many enter
prising aud devoted travellers.
We are very much deceived, this important
problem of the entire and methodical reconnoas~
Sance the African continent will soon be solved
and the second half of the nineteenth century,
which is just beginning will not end without hu-
manity, having taken possession. at least by sci
en,:e, of the entire surface of the globe upon
which it has been placed.
With respect to that which concerns the Afrl-
ca continent, situated in some manner in the
midst of the living and luminous fire that sheds
Its rays simultaneously from Europe and Ameri-
Gu and which has remained up to the present
time stranger to all life and TO all light, the mos
m emit would appear to have arrived when this
solicitude and this isolation should cease. The
Nubian SphynX is about to be forced to reveal
her enigma to the Qdpus of modern science
1t will not be in vain that France on the north,
England on the south, America the west,
will have sent towards the African centre their
travellers, their earnest men, their artists, their
men of adventures and of enterprises. Soon At
RIGA will be open, and perhaps humanity will
there fad its primitive titles, of which the most
ancient known traditions would only be confused
and emblematc remembrances.
That which is certain is, that Africa has more
to teach us upon the primitive history of humani
tv than any other country OF the globe. The
Egyptians whom we find at the source of our
historic times, and whose ingenious and profound
fables have remained more advanced than we be-
Ieve-in our laws, our manners and our piloso-
phy-represented themselves only the chill
Iren and the disciples of the Nubans, of the
Abyssinians, and of the people of the interior of
Africa; they derive their knowlcdge--on which
we still partly exist-from the very countries in
which their Nile hides its source; that. in
searching again in the nineteenth century for the
mysterious sources of the great river we reason
ed at the same time to the primitive source of
our laws, of our customs, Of our dogmas and Of
our philosophers.
Under another point Of view--the commercial
one-the exploration of the interior of Africa
offers an immense interest, and which will be
more generally understood than the chronological
point of view, by the emiuently utitaran men
of our epoch. Africa has invaluable natural
wealth; she is California, placed at our gates;
and that Timbuctoo, Sakatou, and Kano, might
become markets for the precious metals and for
gold in particular, equal in Importance to the mar
ket of San Francisco, it would probably only re-
quire scntilla Of that spirit of ucre, eager and
active which has devolved as a property to the
Anelo-A american race.
But in few years since, in 1850, the Eng
lish government organized new expedition, the
sixtieth. perhaps, for the exploration of Africa.
This expedition commanded by the celebra-
ted traveller James Richardson. Two German
doctors. Barth and Overweg had received COM
mission from the Prussian government join
Richardson. for the purpose OF making, in
junction with him scientific observations The
principal object of this voyage was the survey of
Lake Schad. Richardson fell victim to mag>
uant fever before reaching the end of the voyage.
Doctor Barth arrived alone on the banks of Lake
Schad which is real inland sea- he succeeded in
launching on this lake boat built at Malta and
which he had caused to be carried on the backs
of cames drought the desert.
The traveller found this inland sea sown with
numberless islands, filled with hippopotami and
elephants and visited by hardy and fierce pirates.
The Sultan of Bomon, whose estates border Lake
Schad, showed himself very DESTROYS of forming
connexions with the Europeans and Doctor Barth
concluded treaty of commerce with him, in
the name of England. That which, above all,
astonished the Sultan, was the sight of the doc
tors European boat, and he evinced the most live
y desire of having flotila of such vessels on his
lake.
Hippopotamus teeth, ivory, gold dust, dying
plants, guta percha and vegetable fat, are, up to
the present, the natural riches which Europe
might draw from the still UNEMPLOYED centre of
Africa. What will it be when thorough ex-
ploration will have discovered the still unknown
wealth of this continent
The part which France may aud ought to take
in the discovery and working of Central Africa,
is immense. Indeed, whilst the English and the
Americans must send from distance, at great
expense, expeditions necessarily Insufficient and
deprived of that sanction of material force in
dispensable with barbarous people. France, which
is at home on the north of the African continent.
may organize at Algiers caravans, to which moth
ing will be neutrality-suspicious. the knowledge of
explorers, nor material resources, the militia
ry force which might be judged necessary to pro-
| tect the expedition.
1t Is on the SOIL OF Africa tnat GENERAL Bona
parte went to seek, in some measure, the investi.
ture of the supreme power which he was called
to exercise over France-at first with the title of
First Consul, afterwards with that of Emperor
| This family tradition will not be Abandoned; and
Africa thoroughly explored. open to European ac-
tivty, civilized much as it may be, is one of
the grandest works which the providence of ma
! tions and the genius of the French race could of
| fer to the genius of another Napoleon.
| INDOPTANr FROM MEVTCn