Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-02-07
commsreial Aspect Of Central Afriea

An interesting lecture was delivered by the Rev.
Mr. Bowen, before the Mercantile Library Asso-
eiation on Thursday evening, upon the CONNER
eial resources of Central Africa and the praetica
bility of opening large and profitable trade be-
tween that section Of the world and the United
States. He is of opinion, from personal expert
ence, that trade, now paying to so per cent
profit, TO the amount of thirty millions per annum,
can be established with the River Niger which he
calls the Mississippi of Africa. From its delta tc
its source, we are told by Mr.. B., it is more than
three thousand miles in length. In no place is it
less than half mile in width, and throughout its
entire length would benavigabletO our Mississippi
steamboats,. Its principal tributaries are naviga-
bic for more than fifteen hundred miles. The i'm
mense district drained by the Niger and its branch
es is rich in undeyeloped resources. The palm
tree Crews in luxuriant profusion, and from its
nut OIL for the supply of the worlds trade, could
be manufactured. Cotton of long and firm staS
pie, it is believed, be easily produced, and an
immense trade in indigo African silks ivory, and
skins, could be established with facility. The
great reason why the English have not succeeded
better in their attempts to establish trade, is be-
cause they have confined their operations simply
ports along the banks Of the Niger, and left the
great interior country unexplored.
Trading ports should be established in the interi>
or in order to break up the vast traffic which finds
it's way across the deserts. Around these stations
large towns would spring up which would become
the nucleuses of civilization. Mr.. Bowen pictured
the country in glowing cOlors. No one, he said,
who ever lived there, and became acquainted with
the resources Of Africa, came away without de-
sire to return. He believed that the country
which shall send out the necessary forces, with
steamers to open the trade there, will be repaid in
a marvellous manner.
Mr.. Bowen's explorations have been confined all
most wholly to that portion of Western Africa ex>
. tandinC alon0 fha Rsvar RiOar far Eastward
as Lake Tschad. The mountains of Africa are
somewhat remarkable as to their confguration.
There are no regular ehains-they consist entire~
ly of isolated peaks, shaped Ike saddle-baeks and
usually densely covered with wood. Some are
but gigantic boulders of granite rock, rising thous>
ands of feet above the plains. Mr.. Bowen travel
ed up the st. Paul River about a hundred miles
from its mouth. At this distance, the stream was
five hundred yards in width. Almost the entire
surface of Africa presents but vast undulating
plain, which bears unmistakable evidence Of once
being cultivated, and the home of mighty popu-
lation All over the country are to be seen "trays
worn in the rocks by the process used by the ma
tives fer grinding their corn. Between Lake
Tsehad and the Niger there is an immense table
land, rising thousands of feet above the ocean.
The Great Deserts, from the time of Herodotus,
have been represented as vast desolations. Moths
ing could be more incorrect. according to Mr..
Bowen's account. 1t is everywhere inhabited, and
contains within itself two great republics, having
literature among the Oldest in existence. The
mineral wealth of the country has been but little
explored. Iron, we are told, is fOunt in every
hill. The ruins of ancient smelling furnaces are
numerous. Copper and lead are found in abun
dance. Gold, in the Ashantee county, has always
bsen found in great quantities. The gold region
extends over q thousand miles Of this district.
The seasons are characterized by temporales,
commencing in March and September The heat
is rarely above ninety degrees. The climate is ex-
ceedingly healthy in certain districts, none more
so than the country along the River Niger. Mr..
Bowen dEelt somewhat upon the capacity Of the
natives, foreseeing for the educated African an
opportunity for developing the vast resources of
the country to an almost unlimited extent.--Mer-
chants Magazine.