The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-03-27
AFRICAN COMMERCE.

Dr. Gerhard Rohlfs the celebrated African explorer
delivered lecture last night tho commerce of
Northern and Central Africa the OF the Ger
man Fortbildungs verein No 3l6 West Thirty sixth
street He began by referring to Morocco and
stated that the only OF trade left in that
try in tho leather which bears Its
name Even the art OF tanning this leather
was learned by the Moors Cordova when in possess
sion of SPAIN and carried back by them to their own
country when driven out by the spaniards. Barbary
was next noticed as being territory from which
great quantities of cattle produce exported
as far even as England Algeria next claimed alton
ton. DR.. Rohlfs said that IL was surprising that
country as large Germany. with every nat
ura advantage, should take scarcely any
part in the commerce of the world He blamed two
things for this-French want OF administrative ca
pacty and the Moslem religion. For hfty years the
Arabs had never missed single opportunity OF re-
voting against their French masters, and yet the
French were perpetuay making concessions TO them.
They should long ago have taken the advice which ho
had given them in 1864 and have driven the Arabs
into the desert, where they belonged France should
initiate the policy OF the United States In treating the In
dian With nomad tribes II Is the only sound method
Tuuis and Trpoll next received share Of attention.
the latter chiefly pointing to the absolute rof,enness
of Turkish government Once she was the granary of
Europe; to-day she is TO all ntcnts dead. Tho
lecturer next plunged into the Sahara, telling the
ladies that out OF ten OF their number eight tho
products OF the sahara the universal ostrich feather
He had bought a for twenty cents each every
one OF which would sell in Paris for hundreds of
francs. Tho date palm, with its universal uses,
duly celebrated, the Doctor surprising hts
audience by asserting that all the closely
packed heaps of dates which see In
grocery stores undoubtedly came from the of
the Sahara although he had not been able TO discover
from what point they were exported. Ivory, palm oil
an the nakita nut (Which now supplies the pure olive
oil OF France) l turn discussed
articles OF commerce. But tho most
portant traffic OF all In Central Africa was
tho slave trade. The slave in Central Africa costs but
few dollars In Egypt no is worth hundreds, and
when he has reached Constantinople his price has
risen to thousands. Dr. Rohlfs confident that,
whatever precautions might be taken, the slave trade
sell--a remote but inevitable certainty.
The lecturer next gave a brcf description OF tho
Abyssinan campaign; he having been sent with the
English army by the Emperor of Germany to look
after tho interests OF the German prisoners In Theo
dores hands. Amer tho fall of Magdala he left tho
English and visited the interior OF the province
OF Lislalaba where he several monoith churches,
that is, churches hewn out OF solid rock. These
temples equal size TO Trinity church,
and, however incredible IL might appear he could
asseverae alter the closest scrutiny that they were
really hewn out of one rock. This is certainly total
eclipse for obeskS Here the lecturer took leave Of
his audience until Tuesday evening when he lectures
on egypt. the Land OF Antiquity" DR. Rohlfs is a
man OF fine presence, n profound scholar and
accomplished orator in that terror OF exlempore
speakers-the German Lar guage.