The New York herald., 1877-11-17


fathom. Half the water runs northwart into Egypt
half to the south Ethiopan Diodorus Siculus.
much later could get better information from the
learned priests at Memphis Neither Phenicians,
Greeks Romans, when the latter held sway in
Egypt know anything Of the Interior OF Africa beyond
few unreliable reports OF slaves brought from
known regions Nero sent exploring expedition up
the Nile, which got further than Khartoum. II was
not until the Arabs, and after them the Turks came on
the scene, and The Introduction tho camel enabled
the Arab traders to traverse the Great Sahara and
penetrate to the soudan with their caravans that
more positive Knowledge was obtained Some settled
on tho Niger, others wandered from kingdom to king
dom, while adventurers among them often established
their rule native tribes their chiefs. Down
the tar Zanzibar they founded royal
dynasties still extanL They no doubt penetrated TO
the very centre Africa along the two coasts, as
Jar Senegal and Gambia the west, and to Soiaa
the east, and planted colonies At homoss, Melinda
and other places II was from the ARAB sources OF IN
formation, and IRON Portuguese nj later date on
the West Coast-tess Duarte Lopezs map IN fgaeiias
'Congo'-that Europe derived All the lhiormatou
10 the interior and great inland lakes, some
OF which found place ~ lne maps
OF the eleventh and twelfth centuries; But
even this was lost IN the succeeding nses ana ~ J. was
not until great maritime discoveries OF the Portu
guese IN the fifteenth century .na' AREA ooyona ,ne
When 1t ceased to be the granary OF Italy and was
covered by the Pashalks OF Turkey IT ost It's all value
Butfhe discoveries OF the Portuguese along West
Coast under Prince Henry, nrst led 10 the importa-
sS % tho 20 % aa Ss
slave trade n scale for the labor market there
as far history goes back the curse OF Noah on Ham
and his descendants seems to have received literal
fuinlment IN tho African race. They not only have
but have ensaved each other, and become
tho "scrvants OF servants"-lor some are
Their transportation to the Western Hemisphere did
slavery in Arica but adced all he horrors
OF the "middle passagef-in which every iniquity
eliminated
For the next three centuries Africa becamo the
slave Of tho West and supplied the labor for
the American and w est Indian tropc plantations 1t
sxsarea IN .na uerod HOW any N tno
capture and with unspeakabe suierngs endured in the
middle passage who can es.pateY II Llvngslone's
experience may be trusted he beleved that ten
SLAIN died In the journey TO the coast Tor every ono
Dentary committee on the slave trade that exclusive
oil any slave trade the West Coast, 25 900
nuay shipped from the East Coast into Arabia Persia
and Central ASIA. How many in addition were trans
ported down the Nile TO Egypt and thence oTurkeyi is
therefore, that Africa. from time immemorial, has
been one OF the great labor producing countries OF
the worldn Under happier influences II might still
perform that office by the free cultivation OF the
African SOIL and supply cotton sugar, rice ana every
tropical product, much as the world could take In
the meantime there is ground Tor hope that such
consummation is neither impossible nor lar distant
The knowledge OF the ply cal geography resources
and climate OF Central Arica which has been SO
largely increased in he last twenty years. has revealed
tile capabilities both Of the SOL and the people.
All Europe IS alive 10 The possible future which is
opening Tor Africa, and every Dation is in movenent
to profit by the opportunity OF claiming It's share IN
good work and a new market for It's merchants
Great Britain alone, so long IN the foremost rank
IN all that concerned the suppression OF tho I
slave trade ana the exploration OF tho continent,
hangs back as IL Indifferent But II cannot be so Ia |
reality. Nor is IL truo In any sense OF the govern
mcDt, whatever it may be with regard TO the public
In proof OF this 1t may be mentioned that within tho
last month convention with the khedivc OF Egypt /
has been signed, Professionally de1ning tho limit OF |
Egyptian territory on the East Coast at Ras Haoun
the exclusion OF all slave trade within such ne
previous convention OF similar kind entered into
with Sultan OF Zanzibar takes the coast from the
point at which the EgyItsn border now ceases down
10 the OF the long coast line claimed,
but only partially occupied by the Portuguese We
hope that II to Portugal belongs the unenviabie
distinction or having been the hrst Of european
States commence the slave trade the West Coast
she Will all the more carefully avoid the odium OF
being the last TO abandon It. Ana in that
TIE whole line OF Africa may now be considered
closed the most desperate daring OF the slave
dealers. These results which gccgraphers and
Statesmen may alike rejoice In as their joint work and
worthy of both These conventions are the crowning
nets policy indorsed by ali the great Western
Powers the Congress OF Vienna far back us 1870
The plenipo there Ded signed the
memorable declaration that .tranlc repug
nant TO the principles OF humanity ana universal
morality" that ''lhe public voice IN all civilized
countries calls aloud for It's suppression ana that u
.the wish OF their sovcreigns 10 put an end TO
scourae which deGlates Africn degrades Europe and
anicts humanity" Great Britain at cost OF
60 700 00O paid In compensation 10 the saveowDersI
West Indies had abolished slavery IN her own DO
mInions in 1907; obtain the general sup
port and corporation OF the other great Powers
Df Europe was victory over chartered INJUSTICE ana
wrong and an imposing array OF vested interests,
olen moro difficult 10 overcome than armies iu the
Geld.
THE EARLY EXPLORERS.
1t cannot be doubted that such victory would
mover have been Won had The state Of ignorance on
all subjects connected with the geography oil tho great
continent and the condition OF It's people, wncn ex-
istod down 10 nearly the end OF the last century, con-
tlnued. To Mungo Park, Houghton, Horneman, the
Landers, and many moro oil the earlier explorers Is
tue the hrst impulse in this dirccuon. The qncer-
tanty and confusion that prevailed as to the inieror
br Africa was such that IN 1858 a few learned and
scientific men were led 10 form society, styled the
African Association, Tor promoting the exploration oil
Inner Africa. And II was unGer thcir auspicts thaL
these earlier travellers ana missionaries pros
ecuted their travels. But many failures DIS
hearteued and loss OF lives length
discouraged the association that feeling the inudequacy
OF their means Tor work 50 costly boh IN life and
money, they merged IN 1881 INTO the Geographical
socioiy. THIS body, therefore, which now numbers
between three and iour thousand mbers, and has
gathered many OF It's best laues in the held oil Alr
ban discovery, may claim 10 be the neirs OF these
barlicr patrons and promoters of geographical ex
ploralIon II Africa
Munso Park proceeded in 1895 from the Gambia
River West Coast TO The Niger, anu, after fol-
lowing tho river as lar as the town Of Sa, he ex
pored the intervening couutres and determined tue
Southern border oil The Sahara, returning 1897 In
tSO5 he started a second journey the
regions IN which he lost his lie, having been killed by
The natives somewhere beyond Iimbucioo.
IL would be foreign 10 my present purpose TO
give any recaptuation OF the numerous aad sue
the Equator and from tho East and the est
Coast toward the close Of the last and tue rst hall oi
Ihe pfese at century must sulnce say they
have Decu OF many natonatcs--P Portuguese, French,
Italian, German and Dutch, bosiaes English. some OF
these expeditions have been despatched by our own
by other governments as WIS the one sent under
the command oil captain Tucker, III lol6, 10 he River
Congo, wnIcn was al mat time supposed to be tho
lower OF the Joba Niger lnis, like the acr
one in 1884, under Captain lrotter, was disastrous
undertaklnr ana neither OF them added much 10 our
geogra phicsl knowledge Both were failures, indeed,
and attended with melancholy loss OF lie. The tor
minaton oil the Niger (oherWse JoiiDa and kawara)
aimed doubtful unui 1880 u settled by Rich
Lander and his brother, the river to It's
mouth.
rRoGREssivE
In all these progressive steps OF African OK
ploration, earnestly pursued and speedily
mad n nlgk vnil N lf.rkp nd
Ignorance that covered all the interior Of africa,
lhere have been many agcnce and several different
Influences at work. Geography and The discovery OF
regions would have little vaiue If thoy merely |
gratincd curiosity and enlarged the limits OF our
knowledge The most enthusiastic votary oil scicn-
tidc ploration and geographical information would
scarcely keep up his interest The work II he did
believe It might Dear iruit-tbat some time, far or
near, might and would DO fruitful IN good, though
~ could always clearly DO IN what way at
a.... A..aL.A a. ~ nnlI