The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-15
The Departure Of the English Livingstone
Expedition.


Expedition.
The intelligence that the English expedition
raised to search in the interior of Africa for
DIR. Livingstone has left London, the neces-
sary funds having been subscribed to defray
It's expenses, gives us great pleasure; for this
expedition in the cause of humanity and
science Is in good season to do great things
So much for the stimulating example of the
NEW YORK HERALD, in the expedition of our
experienced, intelligent and courageous
Oriental traveller, Mr. Stanley, in search Of
the long-missing African explorer. It was
this example which spurred up the national :
and professional pride of the members of the
London Royal Geographical Society, and other
public spirited Englishmen cooperating with
this society, to the resolution of the expedition
on their part which has just sailed for Zanzi-
bar. Otherwise, we apprehend, the Royal
Geographical Society would have followed the
example of Her Majesty's government in leav-
ing DIR. Livingstone, with all the chances
against him, among the wild tribes of Africa's
equatorial lake basin to shift for himself
However, with the courteous Sancho Panza,
let us be thankful for what has been given us,
"nor look the gift horse in the mouth"
We are deeply gratified with the departure
of this English expedition, because we fear
that If Mr.. Stanley is still alive he may be
among those treacherous African savages,
entangled, as Livingstone has been, in diff
culties from which he cannot extricate him
self. We do not give him up; for we know,
from similar Arab reports in reference to both
DR.. Livingstone and Sir Samuel Baker, that
these imaginative Arabs cannot be classed
with our '1reliable contraband." If, there
fore, this English expedition, which goes
directly by steamer to Zanzibar, via the Suez
Canal, shall be in time, in leaving Zanzibar,
to cross the swampy district between the
coast and Unyanyembe before those equato-
rial spring rains come on (Which we think can
and will be done) we may expect, few
months hence, some definite information in
reference to our explorer, Mr.. Stanley, and
his followers. Thus the chances for the
recovery, if still alive, of both Stanley and
Livingstone are greatly increased; for, with
the intimate knowledge of Eastern Equatorial
Africa possessed by Dr. Kirk, and with all
the facilities which will be provided for this
London expedition by the English Consulate
at Zanzibar, we suppose it will be amply
equipped to push its way, without a serious
detention, through to UjJi, on Lake Tan
ganyika.
And then, what then? Why, then we hope
that the expedition will return, not only with
Stanley and Livingstone, but with vast
amount of most valuable and interesting in
formation from that wonderful equatorial lake
basin of Africa. 1t is settled by the actual
observations of Spoke, Grant and Burton that
the great lake Victoria Nyanza is one of the
fountain-heads of the Nile; Sir Samuel and
Lady Baker have seen for themselves that the
stream from another great lake which is their
discovery, the Albert Nyanza, is head stream
of the Nile. DR.. Livingstone supposes that
another great lake south, the Tanganyika,
flows into the Albert, which, if true, lengthens
the great river some six or seven hundred
miles. But 80 far we know very little of the
size of these lakes or of the network of the
great mountain system around them. There
may be many lakes where only two or three
are supposed to exist; and there may be, as
reported to Stanley, another great lake west
of Tanganyika. Most of these unsettled ques-
lions, we hope, will be solved with the success
of this English expedition in recovering the
lost explorers, or at least in recovering the
records of their adventures and discoveries
As for the HERALD expedition up the Nile
in search of Sir Samuel Baker, we have no
fears concerning it, as it is under the special
protection of the enlightened and liberal Khe-
dive OF Egypt.