Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-08
AFRTCA'S DEADLY MALARIA.
Only an Isolated Section Els for
White HabItati0n.
NesO Yors star.

4
| nent of Africa has been sealed book TO
the world. Thousands of years after
Asia and Europe were seats of great en-
pires the vast interior of Africa had
never been explored It was only on a
narrow strip of this vast continent that
civilization obtained a fOothOld. The
northern and eastern coasts were the
homes of the civilized people from the
earliest times, but east of them. for 8. 900
miles, the country was an unknown
world, save to the native tribes who in
habited it. The main reason for this was
the fact that the deadly malaria claimed
as its victim every white man who en-
deavored to penetrate into the interior.
That certain portions of Africa are suit
able for the white man, however, has
during the present cantury been fully
demonstrated, although the general be.
lief is that all portions are alike deadly
to everybody, except the negro.
'"The popular idea," said Rev. DIR.
Strictly. of the American Mission Society
to Star reporter yesterday, ''is that the
whole continent is unhealthy. That is a
great mistake"
"What portions of Africa are suitable
for white men to dwell inS" asked the re-
porter.
"All of South Africa as far up as
Madagascar is fine country, and white
men can live there as comfortably as
anywhere else in the world. The climate
is as healthy and salubrious as that Of
America"
'Do you recall one single instance in
your experience in which a white man
has ever lived for any length of timer"
Eyes. Rev. Mr.. Tyler. missionary.
was about to go there. His wife was a
very delicate woman, and his friends
told him that he was taking her there to
die. That is twenty years ago. l saw
Mr.. Tyler year ago, when he visited
this country. His wife is strong.
healthy woman, and six healthy children
fill the house"
Rev. w. F. Poddock, of st. Andrews
Protestant Episcopal Church, Philadel-
phia, said: "What Africa needs is men
constitutionally suited to the climate,
who possess the intelligence, skill and
energy of the white man, but do not.
like him, fall easy victims to the
malarial influences and burning equa-
torial heats.
"What inducement has Africa to offer
to emigrants2"
cit has immense quantities of salt and
vast beds of coal and iron; rich mines
of copper and gold, which lsvishly re-
pay all who work them. The yield
of the South African diamond fields for
1879 aggregated $4,000, 600. Soudan
alone, which is more than ten times as
large as Great Britain, possesses soil
productive enough to supply staple arti-
cles of food for all Europe"
"Has the country any internal i'm
provementsP"
'It has six partially completed rail-
roads in South Africa, and five other
projected lines across the Sahara Desert.
Telegraphic communication is complete
from each colony to the mother country,
and there are several steamship COM
panies abroad established, with more
in prospect. Thirty English steamers
regularly trade along the western coast.
You speak of railroad across Sahara;
is not that impracticable2"
The Desert of Sahara discloses rich
oases hundreds of miles in extent, and
fertile mountain regions dotted with
towns containing from 10000 to 10000
inhabitants"
Rev. DR.. Nicholson, of the Reformed
Episcopal Church at Philadelphia, said:
ga work of civilization is waiting to lie
done for Africa, but only colored men
can do that woIk. The white man can
not live there. Roman Catholic mis-
siOnaries have tried it for two hundred
and fifty years. The Moravians tried it
for thirty-four years, making five at
tempts, commencing in 1876, and did
nothing. Englishmen tried it in 1902,
for two years, at Bulama Island, with
the loss of one hundred lives. The
London, Edingburgh and Glasgow socie-
ties tried it in 1897 but their missionaries
died. Many other attempts were made
before Liberia was settled, all of which
failed. Missions have been established
in Liberia, but at cost of many lives.
The white man cannot live and labor
there, and it is remarkable fact that
only infinitesimal portions of the mighty
continent are owned by white men"
Rev. DR.. Henry M. Scudder, of Brook
lyn, was at one time a missionary to
Africa. In alluding to the physical fea-
lures of the country he said to the re-
porter: "Africa is one of the most fer
tile, productive and beautiful countries
in the world. There are great deserts.
but there are also great lakes, mighty
rivers, fertile plains, beautiful forests
and lofty mountains. There are water
falls which, though not as great as Nj
agara, surpasses it in beauty"
"What can be produced there by the
labor of the emigrant7"
Everything that is necessary to sup
ply the wants of man. The soil can
produce wheat, rice, cotton, sugar.
coffee, tobacco, dates, yams, plums,
pomegranites, grapes and figs. 1t is an
Infinitely producing land, with great ca.
pacities and resources"
When questioned in regard to the set.
tlement of Africa by white men, Rev.
G. d. Pike, of this city, said: Tropical
Africa is a negro land, spanned with a
malaria which is deadly to the white
man. Of seventeen missionaries sent
there by Germany-to the west coast
ten died in single year Out of eleven
men taken by Lieutenant Gordon to de-
fend fort IN Liberia, eight died in four
weeks. Mungo Park took forty white
soldiers with him, but thirty persisted
before he reached the Niger"
"Can you mention particular instance
where the distinction was marked?"
"The famous Niger expedition was
fitted out with all conveniences. 1t was
manned by $50 white men and 1O8
negroes. They proceeded a few hun
dred miles up the river and selected a
beautiful site for model farm. Speed
lily all the whites were stricken with
fever, and only one was sufficiently
strong to navigate the boats to the ocean.
Nearly onethird died in two months,
while of the 108 blacks, not one suffered
from the climate"
This testimony, from persons who are
conversant with the country, makes it
evident that Africa, in the tropical por-
ton, can never fall under the sway OF
the white man, and that only the north
ern and southern portion are fitted for
his reception.
Many ingenious attempts to defraud the
German revenue have been detected at the