New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-03
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.

A CONTINENTAL RAILROAD IN AFRICA.
rxrrNr OF TRADE AND CHARACTER OF THE CoUN-
TRY-AssIsTANCE ASKED OF CONGRESSMAN
OF TIE ROAD
70 m, Edttor Of The Tribune.
SIR: In 1853 an amendment was offered 10
anavalb in me Senate apprOpriatng $4,000 Tor inc
exploration of Africa east of Liberia to develop lraue
with the interior and to encourage colonization A'oi
fnll debate II was defeated by tie Noc' Nearly -
wears having cIapsed with all OF the conditions vastly
improyed myself together with f. s. Morris Co.,
pbu,d.l,bla and Liberia coffee merchants who made
tho oyhihitiou of African products at the Cenlenhla
md also Endorsed by the American Colonization oOce9'
have recently mcmorialzed Congress to appropii"V'
$4,000 10 make preliminary survey OF rdliroau from
Liberia eastward into the interior of SOudai uIlmdc.
70 cross the continent about the 9th parallel OF norm
latude 10 have Its end at the mouth OF inc ieu
Sea. 800
Africa from the Great Desert { the equator looo
miles WIDE and extending across the continent 4ooV
miles long or about the size OF the Unitcd SeS "cco"
ing TO numerous trustworthy Travellers has popuauoh
equal o that of this country or fully 45000o00 nearly
all negroes most of whom are at least hail clVl'Zeu
The country surprisingly rich. has an abundant ram
fall large rivers produces ali the grains with numerous
tropical plants is unsurpassed for cotton sugar anu
coffee.
II must he plain to every one that such vast country
could support at least railroad running through S
Is
mary survey from MonrOyia III Liberia, along the d.
parI pver nm tn and through the Kong MOuntains or
hills thence eastward for 1000 1000 miles INTO
the interior and report upon the country the Popua
tiOn productions prospects of trade ana the p"c'"
bty Of the road As this survey ana rcporlalo
made which will doubtless he favorable, an African con-
tinenta railroad company is to be formed with SUD
scrptons OF stock and the sale of bonds IN inc usua
manner and the road DO begun at once the com
many is TO put on Immediately line OF say four l'oVo
tons screw steamers to sail from New-forK HeiShou
with railroad implements and merchandise ior the AIT
can trade and touch Norfolk and Charleston 10 take
ON coored railroad ahorers used to such work in the
South together with cOlOred emlgrants Inc 'r'P'
would be made TO Liberia in three weeks ana the return
carcoos would be Coffee sugar peanuts, palm OH worry
gold and other African products. AS the ROAD pehe-
trated the Interior the number OF steamers Wlh sH
vessels would be increased and the emigration greatly
Increased year by year ND 10 scores OF thousands "
alv The road like all others through new countries
would obtain grants of land Of 20 miles on e9ch sue
and as the land became valuable cOnu pe So" a." hoW
in lis construction hich wonid no. GoSu "u Win Soon he
that 81 roads in ether countries. Liberia VIII soo
come coso aud sugar plantation, anu a" ;
road peneratcs the interior and furnishes m
these valuable proiucs with cotton ando'herS wonM e
cultivated for scores OF mues on tl,heI Slhc' iia
ogricnltural indictments needed i'll vast qu"nuilcS
would furnish large freight business SaIt aoc -
made on the coas by evaporation at trfns cost would
furnish the with profitable tialc NlGn VI T
would
Niger twice and when il had penetrated 1000 mles 70
the east it might I've met by the road now nelhg lap5
6u M the Nile which will he turned 10 the west anu
then with road through hbyssina to the ked "a 'he
line would bo completed across the continent IA 20 vet
A single individual has expedition III Alilca I0f
geographical discovery, which must cost iun fiuV,Voo
or fonr times The asked from our Government 10
omen M this needed enterprise OF railroad Bu as ie
appropriation asked has scarcely cnahce Oh PaSSitls
tie present session. ii is submitted that undef we
urgency of the occasion, the amount aStcd or even
greater one should be subscribed by CnanDeis o M
mrrce and Boards of Trade IN manufacturing ana com
uercia cities with subscriptions from missionary ce'
ics and numerous wealthy individuals, as Is beng dOhe
I'm EuroDe all of such subscriptions to be reimbursed by
49, or bonds in tGr railroad. AUGUSTUS WATSON.
VashinOtOn, d. e., Feb. 10, 1877.