New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-05-03
THE DISCOVERY OF LIVINGSTONE.


of DR.. Livingstone came back to Zanzibar and
announced his murder to hide their own
treachery and desertion, the most definite IN
formation in regard to the heroic explorer is
that which we publish this morning Dis
patches were received in London from Bonn
bay on Wednesday announcing the arrival OF
vessel from Zanzibar which brought the
intelligence that The Herald correspondent had
met with DR.. Livingstone in the interior, ana
that both were safe. If this news is confirmed,
it will be a subject of profound congratulatlon
throughout the civilized world. No private
person in modern times has so powerfully en-
listed the sympathies of all people of intelli-
gence as this lion-hearted missionary, whose
fanatical devotion to science has led him for
so many years through life of exile and
privatiOns, in the effort to widen the sphere
of human knowledge and the area of civillza-
ton. The doubt which has rested upon his
fate, the thought of unknown dangers which,
if alive, he was daily confronting, the uncer-
tainty whether the world was ever to profit
by the rich accumulation of all these days
of mysterious activity, all tended during
the first years after his disappearance to
surround his name with an interest in
which anxiety and affection were equally
mingled. Occasionally report OF his
| death would excite nine days rumor
| of sorrow and sympathy, or some hint OF MS
presence in the interior would raise new hopes
| of his return. But the good and the bad news
| seemed alike untrustworthy, and the story OF
Livingstone seemed passing into a tradition,
and the interest in him was unquestionably
i ;,tn ali Disturbed
by the vehement protestations of his fast
friend. Sir Roderick MurchisOn. whose strong
faith that he would one day greet him in
London never wavered until death removed
him from the prospect.
The Government of England treated the
whole matter with singular languor. 1t would
seem that the nation which would send great
army into the heart of Abyssinia to rescue a
few adventures and obscure men, might have
been expected to use q ship and few of its
soldiers to transport to the coast and send
! into the interior party in search of this val
| liable and popular explorer. But it is possible
| that the considerations which prevented any
| energetic efforts to find him were, that if he
we're dead it would be almost impossible ever
to ascertain the truth about his death, and if
nc WCIt dllft ~ wac III tiV HNO' w CIV 'ii'
probable that he was detained by anything
except his own vOlition. 1t was not likely
that he was a prisoner anywhere. Therefore,
if be were living, there was every prospect
of his returning when he was ready.
These considerations might be satisfactory
to Cabinet Ministers, but there certainly
was large proportion Of the reading and
thinking people of the world who wanted
to know where DR.. Livingstone was, and what
he was doing. 1t is most creditabe to Ameri-
can lberaity and enterprise that the Editor
of The Ne,c- York Herald resolved, from his
own ample resources, to attempt the solution
of this question. A correspondent already
somewhat familiar with African travel was
selected for this important and arduous SER
vice, and an expedition was fitted out upon a
generous SCALE which started from Zanzibar
year ago. and, if the present good news should
prove to be true, has at last accomplished
perfect and signal success.
The world of science will wait with impa-
thence for the enormous contribution to geo.
graphical knowledge which DR.. Livingstone will
bring back with him, and the press of America
and of Europe will offer it's cordial congratu-
lations to The Ne,C- York Herald upon this most
brilliant achievement-the merited reward Of
its energy and enterprise.