The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-26
Livingstonc's New 'yvorld-Our Great
Map OF African Exploration ana

The great map and accompanying paper, wa
publish to-day, afford our readers the means
of judging for themselves the nature and mag
nitude of the explorations in Equatorial AZ
RIGA. Bringing before US birds EYE view of
all that is now known in the heart of the great
Southern Continent, it furnishes the solution
of what Sir Roderick Murchison well called
''The Problem Of the Ages" This problem
agitated the minds of geographers and tray-
oilers before the foundations of civilization
were fully laid. 1t was the subject of eager
inquiry by the Romans, and SO engaged their
attention that Nero despatched centurions to
settle it, and julius Caesar, amid the splendors
of his military career, was known to have ex-
pressed his Willingness to lay down the sword
if he might only reap the glory Of discovering
the fountains of the Nile.
1t is impossible to look over this vast field of
African research without, at the first moment,
being awed by the immensely of human toll
and suffering which have purchased the knowl-
edge now brought to us. The ancient myth of
Minerva springing full armed from the brain
Of Jupiter evidently has no parallel or example
in the long annals of geographic or physical
discovery. The grand idea which kindled in
the mind Of Columbus was not a solitary, indi-
genous or self-orginated thought, but it was
the collective wisdom of his own and all
previous ages Of history. Without assuming
anything for the modern explorer Of Africa, We
may justly regard his recently announced dis
covery as the combined and concatenated
result of all modern and medieval explora-
tons, as well as of those dim and ill-defned,
but almost prophetic, visions which foated
before the mind of Ptolemy at the beginning
of the Christian era.
Nor is the analogy between the magnificent
discoveries of Columbus and Livingstone ap-
propriate only in the train Of causality by
tude and significance, those Of the great Afri-
can geographer are not unworthy of compari-
son with those of the far-famed sailor Of
Genoa There can be no doubt that Living
stones work will grow in the eyes Of mankind
and become the ever-fresh theme of increasing
wonder and admiration The question is
sometimes smilingly and sceptically asked,
''What does all his work achieve, and what
benefit will accrue from it to mankind?" We
boldly answer he has made known new
world of greater extent, of vaster resources,
than that which gave the first fame and celeb
rity to Columbus. The great navigator, it
must be remembered, only brought to light the
islands which skirt the American Continent,
and it was reserved for Sebastian Cabot to find
and announce the mainland from Newfound-
land to Florida. The actual problem pro-
posed to himself by Columbus-of finding a
short way to Cathay and Xipangu-was
never solved, and in one sense his
triumph was a failure 1t was, how
ever, failure which was worth
far more than the utmost success he had ever
aspired to, even in his most sanguine moments
and when his lofty genius lowered above the
puerile and pusillanimous criticisms of the
doctors of Salamanca. The harvest, yet to be
reaped from the labors of Livingstone and the
hardy explorers of Equatorial Africa, must be
rich indeed. They have revealed continent
within continent. Built by the Almighty
high up above the sea, the vast plateaus and
tablelands of the environs of Tanganyika and
the Nyanzas present a magnificent and well
watered country, habitable for man, abound
ing in all the gifts of nature; although, within
in every respect far beyond the Andean and
Mexican plateaus of America in oil that can
minister to the wants and comforts of man.
How far the rivers which empty into the
Indian Ocean, as the Lufji and the Zambezi,
may prove navigable, and thus open gateways
for civilization to enter, is matter for further
investigations but once known, the vast
watershed countries OF the African interior
cannot long remain shut up to the tide Of COL
onization which, according TO the divine man-
date, is already rapidly overspreading the
entire known earth.
The only essential point yet to be settled is
the geography of the one hundred and eighty
miles, which a concourse of trials, privations
and perils forced Livingstone to abandon for
the time being, but which he is already on hls
way to explore.
If it be still sceptically asked of the HERALD
cup Nile Expedition in search of Sir
Samuel Baker, and of the Stanley Expedition,
Ci bono? we further reply:--Stanleys succor
and timely discovery of the exhausted Living
stone makes it possible for the latter to push
forward, and renew to completion, the labor
of his lifetime; and but for this aid the last
link in the chain of his discoveries might not
be supplied. The work of the Sup Nile
party, in relieving Baker, will enable him to
cooperate with Livingstone and unity oh
African explorations.
1t cannot now be said that the great secret
of the Nile-the magnum arcdnsns of Old
World geography-is still yelled in darkness,
and that it remains to this generation, as to its
forefathers, ''cap.a quGre MIL" to close the