The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-02
The Heraid's African Explorer.

The lIerald's African Explorer
It unfortunate, perhaps, for Mr.. IIENRY
NJ. SrANITY's reputation rs an African
traveller that he should also be gigantic
newspaper advertisement, for we are COM
PEELED, in order that injustice may not be
done to greater travellers than he, to re-
duce his exploits to their true dimensions,
exactly in proportion rs they are exaggcr-
ated 10y those who use hun rs financial
speculation
When we are informed that this gentle
mans correspondence " contains the rec
ords of achievements without parallel in
the history of travel, we are bound 10 pro-
test against the assertion. which is rs alb
solutely false as il is lacking in good taste.
The achievements of LIVINGSTONE, Bur-
ToN, SPIKE, GRANT, ana BAKER all surpase
those of STANLEY for they not only navi-
gated lakes but discovered them. What i'll
African travel can compare with the march
OF LIVINGSTONE across the continent OF
| Africa from the mouth Of the Zambesi TO
IOando. or to the march of SPIKE and
GRANT from Zanzibar to the Mediterra-
mean? What has STANLEY done equal 10
the discovery and navigation Of Lake
Tanganyika by BURTON and SPRKE,
or 10 the discovery and navigation
y Of Lake Albert NyanZa by BAKER
lie has followed almost in the wake
of SPEKE from Zanzibar 10 the Victoria
| Nyanza striking the shores of that lake
within twenty or thirty miles OF the spot
reached by SPEKE and on the same gulf
into which the Shimeeyu empties itself;
and he has cOasied round one side OF tins
lake, the other side of which had been al
ready explored by SPEKE and GRANT. He
has discovered nothing new Of any inn
portance, for with candor which does
him credit, he remarks in regard Ia SPEKE's
delineation Of that part of the lake which
the latter did not visit " must say that
do rot think any other man could have
arrived so near the truth must confess
/ could not have done IT myself
So far the actual result Of Mr. STAN
LEY's journey, therefore, has been to verify
and correct SPEKEs discoveries wher'
, they were imperfect and 10 discover on
or two influents, none of which have NOR
claim TO being considered the source o
? the Nile than the st. Louis river whicl
emptics itself into the western end o
4 Lake Superior, has to be considered tn
a source of the ST. Lawrence. Where
. river has its origin in vast lakes such n
( the lakes OF North America, OF the Vic
f tora and Albert Nyanza of Africa, tn
: innumerable streams which feed thos
IS mighty reseI yoirs are never connecte
y with the river which for the first tim
3, issues in majestic volume from then
o What is to be the rule of selection in sue
II casel Shall il be length, or direction. {
l. volume OF water, or, as the Herald itsc
?. most ingeniously and originally suggest
2 height alonel We all know that there Is
Il fact no rule. In the case of our own Missi
Is sippi for instance, length and volume ~
n ignored in favor of direction; and hence v
IF do not look for the source among u
l. streams that dow into Lake ltasca, b,
consider Lake Itasca itself as the origin
Al the river. So the true fountain OF Il
" Nile is beyond all question Lake Victor
r Nyanza, and the mpershable honor
.y discovering it rests with the gallant m
re- modest SPEKE, who had no wealthy new
n papers pecunarly interested in trumpe
t.. ing his exploits at the expense of those
" Others and who would certainly ha
n never consented 10 be exhibited in Il
~ centre of Africa us a BARNUM's bhow TO !
i'll crease the circulation Of two daily iourna
lie We are sorry that the HcrdId has 10
IL this opportunity OF redeeming its charn
ter fol bad taste not 10 use harsher tern
lis That newspapers should send out explc
or ers il commendable. We should even "A
Il. prove Of their adopting Mr.. SrANI.EN
nj suggestion and eQuipping missionaries
m, the conversion Of the heather; but III
tai should leave il 10 others to blow the tru
op pet We should have been the first TO ri
we All credit to the Herald, as indeed we do
Ut ! NJ" SrANIEy who moor man. Is more 81