Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-12-25
miscellaneous.
Mr.. SANKEY'S Discoveries

A correspondent of the London Globe
who has interviewed Mr.. H. M. Stanley,
saws that gentleman has had practically
unlimited means at his command, through
the generosity of the king of the Belgians,
who, moreover, has been the main sup
porter Of several OF the so-called Inter-
national African expeditions; as Mr..
Stanley puts it, he has been in position
to nav for every cubic inch of air he and
his men breathed, and every square foot
thew trod upon The object of the king
OF the Belgians appears to have been en-
tirely disintcrested-simply 70 do what he
could to render accessible to commerce
and civilization, and thereby develop the
resources of the great interior Of Africa
For this purpose the Congo formed
splendid channel Of communication. only
unfortunately its lower course for many
miles is INSTRUCTED by impossible cata-
racts. To surmount this obstruction has
been the object of Mr.. SANKEY'S work
He states that already he has carried
well-made road, Is feet wide on an aver
age, from below the caEaracts, 20 miles
along the north bank of the river, far be-
yond Stanley pool, and, therefore, well
into the navigable upper waters. To as
sist him in this undertaking he has not only
had native workers, but relays of young
Europeans as superintendent; and for
this work he finds Englishmen better than
anv others, and would be glad TO have
fresh supply to send out. 50 substantial
ly has this road been constructed, that 1t
has stood the deluges Of rain that break
down upon il from the mountain sides,
and has born the heavy traffic which the
transport of engineering plant to the
upper reaches has been rendered neces-
sary. Causeways have been laid where
necessary, and bridges built, and the road
has by means observations, establishments
Of store, and layers of earth, been carried
right round the face of tue mountain which
comes sheer down to the river at one place.
On rounding the mountain, Mr. Stanley
states that the road enters an avenue OF
exquisite beauty and GOODNESS which has
been cleared through the forest. SO
thickly timbered is the country in some
parts that thousands of trees have had to
be felled, and their roots either grubbed-
up or leveled. At intervals along the
road, stations have been planted, and al
ready there is regular service of couriers
between the stations, and by them grow
ing trade is being established. As to
what are the possibilities OF commerce
along the route, he states that during the
progress of his work n million yards Of
Manchester goods have been distributed
through the country in payment for labor,
and ether services performed by the natives.
One OF the articles of transport along the
new road was a fine steam launch, with
which Mr. Stanley had done some good
exploring work some 400 miles above
II nj. fla
mouth Of the river. When he feels ut
liberty to publish an account of his work
Cat present his first duty is to his employer
the king of the Belgians.) it will be to
show. the correspondent believes. that
some first rate exploring work has been
done The launch, for example, was
taken up new river. opening through
the south bank of the Congo. some dis
lance above the Stanley pool, and which,
it was found, led into fine lake. The
lake wac covered with iishermen's canoes,
whose occupants looked aghast at the
snorting monster pulling out steam, and
fled in dismay. One, however, was
caught and after being soothed down and
kindly treated, was sent off loaded with
presents to his wondering fellows peering
from among the bushes on the shore. In
Mr.. Stanley's opinion, the soil is capable
of unlimited development for crops of
all kinds. and by judicious use, the supply
of caoutchouc in the forests is inexhausti
BILE. The great difficulty to the utiliza-
ton of the river throughout it navigable
length is the almost untamable cannbal
tribes who inhabit the upper reaches be-
tween SANKEY'S iarthest point and the
noighborhood of Nyangine.