The New York herald., 1877-10-03
AFRICAN CONTINENTAL RAILROAD.
From the African REPOSITORY

From the African REPOSITORY
In 1858 an amendment was offered In the Senate to
me Naval bill 10 appropriate $l25 900 Tor the cxplora
ZION OF Africa cast OF Liberia with the view or extend
ing American trade 10 the interior of the continent
The expedition was to have been under the charge OF
Commander Lynch, OF Palestine notoroty Alter full
debate II was defeated only by single vote.
Nearly tweuty-our years having elapsed, with all
The conditions vastly improved myself, indorscd by
commercial firms and phanthropc societies, memo
rallied Congress at tho last session through the CON-
mittee on Commerce, asking an appropriation OF
$4,000 to make preliminary survey Of railroad
nom Liberia northcastward up 10 and through tho
hohg mountains or bills, and thence eastward ON tho
same parallel into tho Niger Valley two thou
sund miles into the interior OF the continent and to
report on the country It's population climate produc
Mons lions ana nractcaoty o. inc roaa. Nos sev,uoo
seas as Is now proposed 10 Congress- but TO DO
wisely expended opening up tho rich ana Dopulous
tropics oil Africa To commerce ana civilization.
REsOUKcES
Africa, from tho Desert OF sahara TO the Equator
1000 miles wide aud from tho Atlantic to the Indian
Ocean, 900 miles long, with more square miles than
the United States accUrding to the most reliable trav
population greater than own lnll b0 o00 600 Of
people, nearly all negroes. Tho country is generally
an elevated plateau surprisingly rich has an abun
dant rainia numerous rivers, aud produces all tho
grams AZ vol as all tropical products There are in
Vulnerable villages tow and many walled cities, with
from IT, 900 up 10 80 600 Inhabitants There regu
lar governments, containing millions OF people, living
under written laws with schools and standing armies
The religion IS about halt pagan, nearly hall Aoham
cdsn lew Christians aud iuli half OF the people
slaves. this great cvil ocn causing rebel
'nS Ss.s scu
cattle, hogs Sheep goats and fowls raised great
numbers. with abundance OF wild game in tbs forests
The manufactures Of Soudan arc rude, yet Mt several
towns aud cities. including Kano, the Manchester OF
Central Africa, substantial cotton and woolen cloths
colored with native indigo, are made In large duan
ties aud sold all the Interior regions; also Euro
pean and American goods ent hardware and guns
Cities where tho goods are very dear and the profits
very great But Africa could purchase ono hundred
hight hardware, guns, cutlery and simple agricultural
implements they could be got into the country and
the products TO pay ior them DO got out to the
kets OF the world where they are much needed.
RAILROAD PROSPECTS.
II IS plain that such . country could support one
railroad through its very ccntre II s therefore pro-
posed TO mako = preliminary survey aud report which
viii open up the whole subject 70 America and Europe
doubtless be favorable, an African Continental Ra il.
road Company " to be formed, with subscriptions Of
stock and sale OF bonds IN the usual manner and the
road be commenced ut once. The company is imme-
diaely to put on line OF 900 ton screw steamers
like the TWO British lines to The west coast to sail from
Boston, New York, Philadelphia, or Baltimore,
ireightci with merchandise suited to tho African
traae and railroad maerial 10 touch at Norfolk and
such work, with their families, and also migrants.
The trips would DO made IN three weeks The re-
ua uIn aIsoss w1ad So coffee sugar. cotton
pther African products. As the road penetrated the
rich interior The trade would vastly increase, with
responding increase IN steamers sailing vessels and
very greatly in emigration. grant oi from twenty
TO nrty miles vide Of land would be secured, which,
as last the road was completed would become yau
able for rent or sale ard materially aid coustruc
ton, which would not cost more than half that of
roads other countries Liberia is rapidly becoming
One vast coAec and sugar plantation, and the road
penetrates the interior those valuable products would
be cultivated for OF miics either side which,
together with the ordinary products OF the country
vastly increased, would furnish very large freight
business The single article Of salt. which is scarce
and dear over the interior, which IS made the
by evaporation at trihng cost would furnish traffic
and profit which would greatly ard in paying the cost
oi the road.
AFRICAN DEvELorxsSr
African development has taken rapid strides within
the last few years. An International Commission has
been organized IN Europe composed mainly OF
u Germany. France and England, with King Leopold
pi Belgium, as president the purpose OF this
ZION is Tor the exploration civilization OF Central
Africa, south o: the Equator Posts Tor Teliei
pl0rauon are 10 he established on numerous routes,
which are expected to grow up in.o towns and mars
Of trade In addition to this, the British Geographical
Society has recently determined TO open up seven
routes in these same regions 70 establish posts aud
snd roads and even telegraph lines and railroads
contemplated all Tor the purpose OF civilization and TO
Increase their trade Both Of these societies
wealthy. Tho British have purchased the saes
Canal, have extended their influence and trade on
eolonies have recently tho Iransyaal Repub-
nc and secured large possessions in South Africa,
where y railroad Is beng constructed to the diamond
heldS. And now Great Britain Is seriously plat
Ing the acquisition oil Egypt and thus TO extend IT'S
commerce to the heart OF the continent IRON the
North.
While European nations have pushed their cxplora-
lions control and trade in Africa, and year by year
are making Increased effort in the same directon the
Unlted States have done but tlc ana The prospect is
that we will soon be shut out IRON all OF tho hest uv-
enues Of trade Increased machinery, with Europe
with us, has oversocked the old markets Of tho
with goods and Africa is considered the best
market to revive thor depressed manufactures,
It, But with the immediate construction OF
the proposed railroad the very heart OF
the continent and with our millions OF coored civil
zed emigrants willing ANA anxious to go TO the homes
81 their ancestors in Africa, colonization which
European nations has not, We may thus a short
lime surpass all OF their efforts TO c0onlze, civIlIzo
Christianze, commcrcialze and aboonize tho entire
continent The Liberia Exodus Society, OF Charles ton
5, G., havc $4,000 emgrants ready TO start once;
The Shreveport ) Society So 600; and similar socc-
lies are rapidly being organized IN every Southern State
And, huaiy, u may be stated that Egypt is rapidly
building railroad to the Upper Nile, when may
branch westward. TO connect with the proposed line,
aud also eastward, wncn short road IRON The mouth
oil the Red Sea through Abyss MIA would complete tho
limo across the continent, whch may be done IN
twenty-five years, ana thus furnish the shortest and
best route from the Atlantic coasts oil North and
south America to and IRON the Indies, China and
Australia
single patriotic and onterprising citizcn--James
Gordon Bennett, OF the New YORK HERALD--has had
un expedition IA Africa tor geographical discovery,
which must have cost full 100000, or twice the
amount asked from government to open up this
peeued enterprise OF commercial contnen tai road
Bat as the bi TO make the appropriation which ask
may pass promptly It is Submitted that under inc
urgency of the occasion, whether tho amount asked,
or even much larger one, should not DO mado up by
iubscripl'ons by chambers ol commerce and boards
DI trade OF our large manufacturing con.
merclal cities and NJ least they can ask Con.
grcss by resolution to tho bill; also subscriptions
might be made by missionary societies amt numerous
wealthy individuals, as - beng done in Europe all OF
sucn subscriptions TO be reimbursed by stock or bonus
pi the African Continental Railroad.
our manufactures and commerce are greatly de-
pre- sed thousands Of operatives are out Of employ
nsnt aud IN want, while our commerce has been
manly driven from foreign lands, and this effort
among Others, may be the means oil putting lilo and
Expansion INTO both AUGUSTUS WATSON.