The New York herald., 1877-10-22


ana It's productions. HIS first reports from the ATTAIN
tic coast, which merely hints OF what Is coming
lead us these conclusions-that neither the warke
and cannibai savages the river banks nor tho ma
turai productions Of the river valley offer any induce
ments the white man IN tho way OF trade; that the
lowlands bordering tho upper river, in terror
submerged most OF the year. and that the lower
rver in its passage through the range noun
tains nothing is 10 be seen but roaring cataracts dan
geroas rocks In the stream, towering cliffs on one side
botn sides, and impene'rable forests OF tropical
trees and jungle
IAKEs, RIVERS AND MARSHES
In the great central plateau In which have been
found The sources Of The Zambesi and the Congo,
well as the drainage OF Lake 1anganyika there Ii q
depression in tho general table lana of the continent
which may DO kened 10 a shallow basin over break
out, the at nrst northward and the other south
ward This basin, OF an area OF half million square
miles, or less, 10 mostly region lakes slug
gish aud grassy rivers anu extensive Marshes 10 his
vain efforts TO explore this watery region on loot
wading It's marshes for many days IN SUCCESSION
often IN water up TO his waist Livingstone perished
He appeared resolved, at all hazards begin again
his unfinished work Ia that basin, al the beginning
and he died nt the threshold OF his TASK.
DISTRACTIONS NAVIGATION
The heads OF those three great rivers being from
uree 10 iour thousand feet above the sea- their nav
CATION is interrupted by many rapids and catarac,s
Those OF the Congo, through the range the Coast
Mountains arrest the ingoing navigator at pont II
We are not mistaken, within hity miles Of tho sea.
board. The Zambcsi's navigation, as we have said
ends at point 400 miles, more or less from the sea-
beyond which its deep basallc chasms, falls and rap
Ids no more be impro owed than the Plutonian
IONS OF the Colorado
OF these three great African rivers which, by lateral
canals like those surmounting the RAPIDS OF the ST.
Lawrence), can be made navigabe from the sea into
the heart OF Africa. Tho project OF overcoming
cataracts OF the Congo by canals by rail need
only be mentioned 10 bc pronounced impracticablc
Nor, while the country at the mouth OF the Congo,
and the region within and around tho delta oil the
Zambes in the possession OF The Portuguese Is IL
likely that any attempts Will DO the improve
ment OF the navigation OF either these rivers or Tor
the development OF their trade for benefit
of mankind Portugal II she can prevent IT, will not
iIv u,iaF neF I'M adn .,f
either OF those rivers, incluaing her dividends
IN the slave traiic On the west coast embracing
the Portuguese country OF the Congo, tho slave
trude was ended with the ending OF the shipments OF
slaves from Africa TO Cuba and Brazil. But on the
East African coast, down 10 the Zambesi Valley,
cordug to Livingstone, the Portuguese government is
tho backcr OF tho Arab slave hunter and friend
of BRUSH missionaries or Of any such inleropers
from any quarter
THE VALUE OF srANLEYs WORK,
in his decisive exploration oi the course OF the Lua-
Lba tho lies these facts-that IN this heroic
expedition he has settled the question that the Lua
aba IS the Congo; that Tor hundreds OF miles in the
heart of Africa 1t broad, navigabo river and that
the future trade OF this section OF tho river NAV at
comparatively small cost be diverted by roll to the
Nile. We have no doubt upon this pont for 1t ap-
pears from Staniey's preliminary report from the
Congo that IN It's northery course the Luaaba the
river parallel for considerable distance
with Lake Albert the head Of the navigation OF the
Nile Aud II s universal source gratlhcation that
to Stanley, the finder OF Livingstone, was reserved
he has finished from the pom. where HIS friend and
colaborer and faithful old servant OF the Cross
compelled to abandon Ito the point where his
great Ia discharged into the Thus united
IN their lives Livingstone and Stanley by death will
not be divided. BY a pre-emption right to Stanley
belonged the task of completing Liv!ngstone's unln
ished work, and the world rejoices that he has
bIaveIy completed IT, 1t right, aud the world would
not have II otherwise.
But Invaluable TO the scientific world as are these
discoveries in this great central plateau OF Al
rica, with the enormous drainage OF its three splendid
A COMMERCIAL POINT OF VIEW.
Like the rich valley OF the Amazon, that king OF all
the rivers oi the earth the whoe basin o the Congo
anu the head waters oil the Zambes aud the Nile lying
within the heart oil the rainy belt OF the Equator
united Tor occupation by the white man. Nor
tue natural productions OF this watery region kind
quantity such as Will pay for their transportation
to the coast The rich ana populous countries
around the Victoria Niyanza may be Immediately
made valuable contributors TO the trade oil tho Nile.
Stil BETTER as the elevated basin that great lake
lies from 1000 900 feet above the sea- and nearly
thousand feet above the neghb0ring twin lake,
Albert II IS, doubtless, comparatively salubrious
region, aud adaptei to colonization by white men,
though right under the Equator. with its heavy aud
long-contnued rainfall. so tar, however, as the
United states commercially are directly concerned.
WE HAVE IN LIBERIA,
that prosperous little colony OF emancpated Southern
TOR the development Of large and profitable trade
than OBTAIN IN any savage district offered in
any other part Of the continent though they are all
open 10 our traders. As the head oil the American
Colonization Society oil his time, It the Of
Henry Clay that Africa would be ultimately Chris
ized and that her savage Kingdoms would ad-
vanccd the sstcrnood Of civilized States through
the civilized blacks OF this country, restored 70 the
land OF their fathers and that as
OF this work, tho United states would be amply
indemnihcd In their profitable trade with the 10
dustrlous producers Of tne enlightened black re-
ships Of the United States Navy were employed with
u considerable feet from England in the pdilan-
slave ships from the shamblos of tho Congo and
other slave depots OF the West African coast. The
world moves. and II we have not kept pace with
the progress OF events In Africa 1t is because the
negro at homo has too much occupied our attention
through the last thirty odd years. But II the time
has come when an American newspaper correspond
ent, in his letters from the African interior, can
thrill the hearts OF ali Christendom and awaken the
sleopiest governments OF Europe to practical moas
ures in reference 10 African affairs, surely the tme
has come for the government at Washington to give
active helping hand TO the American black Re-
pubic OF Liberia, Il only as base OF operations Tor
trade.
RsGLASD's OPPORTUNITY
In the diplomatic controversy which resulted In the
war OF the Crimea the Emperor Nicholas, IN conver-
sation with the British Minister ~ ST. Petersburg sug
gcsted division Of the estates Of 'The Sick Man" Of
Turkey IN which, as an equivalent for the transfer Of
Constantinople TO the Car England offered Egypt
with all the African annexatons she could make
from this advantageous possession. Al present what
shape this Turco-Russian war may eventually assume
even tho Car cannot tell; but 1t may result in
an English protectorate over Egypt In any
event the opportunity Is offered England,
through her friendly Offices with the Khedive,
Tor the absolute extinction of the East African slave
trade and Tor the opening OF the navigation OF the
Nie by means OF canals surmounting Its caaracts TO
the spacious equatorial hnrbor oi Lake Albert Baker
mas submitted the plan Oh locks and dams at tho cata
racts SLACK water navigatiopj whereby tho rapids
be changed to smooth water, while from the dams
the dry thousands OF Of lands lying waste
may be made productive by irrigation But this
scheme would require such heavy expenditure of
money that II may be pronounced visionary. The
khedive Is trying the expedent OF railways, and they
will serve as temporary cxpedient for the passage of
tho caaracts and tor tapping the trade OF the equa
torial lakes.
THE NEW WORLD OF SOUTH AFRICA.
In the description of Africa Of Coiton's General
Atlas published In 1855, nnd this notable pro-
ccy:-"rhe interior tabielAnds of South Africa
form the most extensive plateau In the world. In
this region dwell innumeraUo tribes OF negroes, pro-
ductWe and consuming, aud moro or loss civilized.
These time and opportunity VIII Introduce into the
family OF nations and give to commerce now world
whose raw productions OF the ngnest value, and
whose wants vii demand in return the various
staples which the more civilized nations have con-
verted TO general usefulness In their manufactures
This propnecy Is now In active course OF lment In
the southern border countries OF the contnent not
however IN the Introduction OF those savage tribes
into the family OF nations, but in suppanting them
by white settlements. Ten years hence the trade Of
those settlements may be enlarged 10 the magnitude
oil the present commerce OF Australia and there will
still remain productive OF South Africa equal to
that Of the United States available Tor the white man.
and TO the advantage OF the black from the