The New York herald., 1873-07-09
Tho Wonders OF Central Africa-Si,
Samuel Bakers Latest Reported Dis.
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The special HERALD despatch from Khar-
toum, on the Upper Nile, announcing, among
other things, the discovery by Sir Samuel
Baker that the Equatorial lake Albert Nyanza
and Lake Tanganyika, lying to the southwark
of the Albert basin, ''are one and the same
sheet of water, forming q magnificent inland
sea, seven hundred miles in LENGTH" is
the most surprising news of the kind
we have had for many years. As our
correspondent says, the announcement Of this
important geographical discovery will astound
the civilized world; for, If it is true that
the Albert and Tanganyika lakes are one and
that from their outlet to the Nile
ship may sail to Ujiji, this discovery,
in scientific, commercial and political view,
is one of surprising interest and Importance.
Our correspondent assures us that his state
ment comes direct from the explorers lips,
Samuel Baker believes that the mystery of the
outlet of Tanganyika is solved, and that its
surplus waters, instead of being discharged
into the Indian Ocean, as heretofore supposed,
pass down through the Nile into the Mediter-
ranean Sea, and through thirty five, or, it may
be, forty degrees of latitude.
But, for the confirmation of this reported
discovery there are two difficulties to be over
come, two distractions to be removed, which
may here be stated They are
F'rst-The surface level of Lake Tanganyika
and that of the Albert Nyanza. Baker in the
report of his first exploration of the Albert
lake, in 1854, gives its altitude above the sea
as 2,720 feet, while Burton and Speke, from
their exploration of Tanganyika, in 1858, re-
port it at $50 feet above the sea. If these
figures on both sides are correct the Tan
ganyika, being $40 feet below the level of the
Albert lake, can have no connection with the
Nile basin.
Second-The New YORK HERALD explorer,
Mr.. Stanley, after finding DR.. Livingstone at
Ujiji, on Lake Tanganyika, made with him an
excursion by boat northward to the head of
Lake Tanganyika and there found powerful
stream, the Rusizi, flowing into it from the
north. DR.. Livingstone and Mr.. Stanley were
thus convinced that as this lake is sweet,
fresh water, it must have an outlet, and that
the outlet is at the southern end, and that
through the Zambezi River its flowing stream
is discharged into the Indian Ocean.
How, then, can Lake Tanganyika be estab-
lished in the Nile basin? First, the estimates
of Burton and Spoke of the level of the lake,
from damaged or otherwise defective instru-
ments, may be incorrect and next, Living
stone and Stanley may have supposed mere
arm or bay to be the head of the lake. No
explorer, we believe, has passed entirely
around the northern or southern end of the
lake nor are we aware that it has been estab-
lished by observation that there is an outlet at
the southern end. On o map before us a
stream enters the lake at its southern extremity.
In Bakers map of the Albert Nyanza QS64)
he gives portion Of the Tanganyika
visited by Burton and Speke QS58),
with this note from the journal of the Royal
Geographical Society: -"At Uvira (some dis
tance north of Ujiji on the same side of the
lake) Lake Tanganyika narrows 10 about
eight miles, and turns north-northwest but
its northern limits ore undetermined. Oppo-
site (that is, on the east side of the lake, the
mountains appeared to be prolonged far be-
yond il" On the same map in his remarks
of his partial exploration of the Albert lake,
Baker gives this note THE lake is reported
by the natives to be well known as far as be-
tween the first and second degree south, where
it turns to the west, its further extent being
unknown" Here, then, between these two
unknown portions of these two lakes, Baker,
from his recent explorations, reports that the
mystery is solved in the discovery that Tan
ganyika is but prolongation Of the Albert
Nyanza.
The prevailing opinion among geographers
in reference TO Livingstone's system of interior
lakes and rivers is that, through common
channel, they are discharged into the Congo,
and it is possible that, in pursuing the
stream Of the Lualuba to the end Of its course,
he will come out into the Atlantic Ocean
through the Congo The prevailing opinion
in the London Royal Geographical Society OF
Lake Tanganyika is that it u the fOuptaip-