The New York herald., 1878-02-11


improve their African possessions 30 little. did
attempt to defend the Portuguese. but all I could
say was completely crushed by the overwhelming
evidence against them. lie Said, in words some
thing like ths:-"The Portuguese do not know how
to improve their colonies. They strangle all just
and honest effort to increase business by their fool
sh and unjust protective tariffs and commercial re-
strictions and their insane custom house rules.
They know little about business themselves, and
those who do know and are willing to engage large
capital in business in Angola they simply disgust
by their arrogant and Insane talk. | cannot
have the slightest talk upon business with custom
house officials but am detained for three or four
hours about matter which, with practical
business people, might be despatched in five min
utes.,
WHAT MIGHT BE But Is NOT
Loanda is not city to he coveted. am struck
by the want oil wisdom which, the Old Portuguese
founders OF African coonies:shaSe shown, whether
on the west coast or on the east coast. The harbor
8 good enough, and they have erected some very
fine buildings In Loanda, and | suppose they have
done their best. But the influence Of Loanda, un-
less backed by the home government, has but lit
tile effect on the interior Of Africa. Let the Portu
guese Governor General be ever so clever and
energetic he can make nothing more OF it than
small city, decently Kept, II you Will. with q fine
but dependent entirely for very large number OF
years yet TO come upon the small, narrow country
that nanks the road TO Cassaye and few other
places Loanda city of ZOO Inhabitants, has
a very proud look you approach the fortified
heights and terraces from seaward, but Its pride
is beggarly Its look means nothing; 1t means
poverty, emptiness and a conceit founded upon its
traditions. 1t does not seem to evoke that pater-
nal solcitude for its welfare that strikes one
throughout English colonies The government has
erected forts, custom houses OF course; hospitals
too, as you may imagine; and, above all has sent
His Excellency the Governor with a suite ofolicers
and a lew troops but that Is all or nearly all.
THE STREETS OF LoANDA.
1t used to be a subject Of pride to Loanda tnat
some one had planted 800 fruit trees had laid out
plszas, constructed markets, had MADE macadam-
lied roads but 1t never struck that all this had
been done. These things however, may exist l
was so sorry for Lounda and its neglect for the
several inches Of sand covering her streets until
they seemed pathways In the Libyan desert so
astonished at It's want of water to drink and water
to wash so pitied the appearance OF decay in her
cathedral and churches; was so offended with the
filthy beach and the dlthier smelling pazas, and SO
surprised at the apathy ana the "who cares 9 look
Of everybody and everythng-a kind OF reck-
less, extravagant, unreasonable unthriftiness
of everybody and everything that l forgot
to ask II the 800 fruit trees prospered 1t
appeared to me that the only special object
OF care Of government Governor General and
colonsts was the cemetery. 1t was indisputably
apparent that the dead received more attention
than the living ! saw that the poor living were
starving. that their faces were rutted with hum
ger, that they were miseraby clad, even to shame,
while the cemetery, with its dismal, dolefu asso-
e.lol xxvsNl,
bordering upon fanaticism
GOVERNMENT NEGLECT OF A COLONY.
Perhaps some one will accuse me Of ingratitude
to Loanda and Its people, for he will remind me Of
princely favors bestowed on me and mine while re-
siding there. There are fools In all parts of the
world with mouths ever open to ask foolish ques-
tons The truth is / have been thinking how can
best repay all the kindness and hospital
ity l enjoyed at LOanda. 1 do not think
Serpa Pinto, Brito Capello and Lieuten-
ant Ivens my associates OF the Loanda
Geographical Society, ever intended to purchase
my silence respecting the withering contempt with
which one OF the richest gems in the crown OF
Portugal has been treated by the home govern
ment They intended, Knowing the interest felt
In the sad continent that l should speak the truth,
and endeavor to rouse the Ministers at Lisbon to
sense OF what Is due to Angola and Loanda. IL Is
OF life in it yet despite its antiquity and the nat
ural disposition Of the children Of grand old fathers
to dwell fondly over glorious traditions. The ex-
plorng expedition Of Serpa Pinto was not de-
spatchcd by an eirete government. The sentiment
that have heard eminent Portuguese deliver at
their banquets did not emanate from hopeless
hearts
WHAT MIGHT BE DONE.
What Portugal should do IS to send 5000 soldiers
to Angola to maintain the freedom and security of
her roads, to construct turnpikes to all parts OF
the colony, to define by survey clearly her terri
tory, and then to govern the country with a due
regard to Justice, suppression OF fraud, moral ele
vatlon Of the people, and to keep constant
watchful eye the officers OF justice and gov
ernment, to whom she has intrusted the welfare OF
her colony. Should Portugal be induced to do this
Angola will soon shake or the state OF depression
and dependency she Is in now and become credit
and honor to her Efforts
EMIGRASTs
While was ut Loanda $50 emigrants arrived
there with view to obtain employment. These
emigrants came from Brazil From the rich
est portion OF South America they came to
seek their fortunes in wretched and neglected
Angola. The Portuguese government IS about to
construct a railroad from LOanda to CaumbO, on
the Kwanza River. Strange to say, Valdez reports
the same thing in his "Six Years. Travels pub
lished In 1861 1t Is about to construct an aqueduct
or canal to convey fresh drinkable water IRON the
BengO River to the city. 1t Is very ancient sug-
geston, but from its conception TO the present time
1t has remained a suggestion. Many valuable
schemes Tor the Improvement OF Angola have been
discussed but the discussions unfortunately never
produced anything more than cordial understand.
ing that the schemes were valuable.
STAMPING OUT SLAVERY.
did my best to discover whether the Portuguese
at Loanda retain yet a lingering fondness for the
cruel luxury of slave buying. You Will find many
who entertain the ideas OF Sir Samuel Baker. Cap
tain Burton and M0nteiro regarding the negro,
which mean vast and immeasurable contempt for
that unfortunate beng that 1t is almost hopeless to
endcavor to better his intellectual condition; that
all he Is good for IS to be conveyed hither and
thther at the caprice of the white man, to be ex-
ported to climes where the white Ia recognized "a