The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-15

prove valuable customers for the nation
which shall sell them goods.
Mr.. BRADSHAW drew glowing picture OF
the natural wealth Of Africa, descanting on
its gold precious stones, copper, iron. and
coal, besides its agricultural products OF
cotton. rice, millet, wheat, peas and coffee.
He also called attention to its valuable
gums, OIL india rubber, ivory horns, hides,
furs, and spices, aud claimed that 1t pre-
scented the first great essential OF market
capable OF the richest development In its
ability TO make full exchange for the largest
supplies 1t might demand The consump-
tion OF calicoes in India. the product OF
native and English hand looms, he esti-
mated at 2,IoO,OOO,OOO yards annually, and
he saw no reason why England should not
in time send at least an equal number OF
yards To Africa far richer country. IF
that time shall come, employment will be
afforded for 100000 Lancashire operatives
mechanics, and others, and besides, ire
mendous impetus will be given 10 the trades
of Sheffield, Birmingham, and Yorkshire"
The great question is how 10 utilize this
vast continent for the purposes of trade;
how to bring it into easy and profitable
communication with the rest Of the world.
Mr. BRADsHAw's idea is TO develop the lake
regions, approaching them from the east
coast. Assuming they had got to the Lake
Nyanza district, they would have the key
of the country. BY means Of a railroad, the
other lakes would be linked with that lake.
railroad from the coast, according to Mr..
STANLEY, could be easily made. as the foun-
datiOns are good the whole way. The cost
would bc about S5,eo0,Oo0, or $4,000 n mile.
"Thcrc Is plenty OF timber on the way, and
no engineering difficulties: we can get 10000
men TO work for their mere keep, and could
get our railway TO the lake, where we have
a population OF 100000, who for all the
good they have been 20 us up TO the present,
might as well have been living in the
moon Fancy continued the speaker,
what n difference It would make on the
Manchester Change II we could have
100000 additional customers with plenty
to give us in return for our calcocsw
Atrcaty would have to be made with the
Sultan of Zanzibar for a lease of land at
suitable place on the coast, which would be
the point Of departure Of the railway, and
the monarch should be required TO protect
the pioneers of the scheme by promising not
TO allow any other railway to bc constructed
for, say, fifty years. To do all this would
require n capital of at least S51,0O0,0O0; but
that sum, great n 1t Is. is, in Mr.. BRAD
SHAW 5 opinion, small in comparison with the
valuable results which would bc rcaped for
English trade. The railway would cost five
millions OF dollars and the remainder would
be consumed in the building Of wharves and
warehouses at both ends. with five large
steamers on the lake and quite a fleet OF
small steamers for navigating the rivers"
and in providing capital for the carrying on
Of the operations Of the company with the
natives Of the country. He proposed TO put
the shares at the low price OF five dollars
each, So that all classes in England, from
the workngmcn up, could take risk in the
grand enterprise.
1t will be- seen that this is a pretty big
scheme. suggesting the ventures with which
john LAW crazsd France "a hundred and
fifty years ago; but 1t seems to have been
Gravely received by the Manchester meeting,
though Mr.. BRADSHAW said he had been
working In vain 10 stir up interest in IL for
four or five years, and only within the last
few months since the lamcntable deprcs-
sion, had been able to get hearing Tor his
rather cxtraNagant ideas. Resolutions were
adopted appointing n committee to call at
an early date "A conference OF the leading
men Of the country, to which Mr.. STANLEY
should be invited. L. promote tho formation
OF a trading corporation (which would
adopt most cifcctual means for opening out
the interior of Africa 10 trade" II Is in
structivc 30 observe that the resolutions
joined philanthropy to selfish interest.
They expressed the opinion that the open
ing Of the interior of Africa. by means %;
cheap English capital. would bc the most
efIcctual means OF putting an end tu the
iniquitou- slave traffic
Though the London Iron speaks Of the
idea Of opening Central Africa to trade ~
having been heartily welcomed" in Man
chester, Mr. STANLEY. who appears to I've n
hard man Ia please has written Mr. BRAD
SHAW letter in which he complains bitterly
OF the lukewarmncss displayed 10y the pco-
Pile of that city regarding the grand COM
pany. attributmg their lack OF zeal to an
Americans connection with il, and their
jealousy OF the United States. But we fancy
he il offended without reason. Whatever
merits there may be in the scheme 1t WAS
not cxpounded by Nj BRADSHAW in way
to convince the judgment of cool-hcadcd
men of affairs, aud we should not blame
anybody for hesitating To give his unre-
served approval 10 a vast enterprise OF
which BRADSHAW and STANLEY were the
chief promoters.