The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-12-02
Disputed Possession of an African "Em
pire."

Some months ago it was reported that Henry
Al. Stanley, the African explorer, had been dis
appointed IN an attempt to acquire a rich extent
OF territory in Interior Africa in the name of the
King OF the Belgians. That enterprising sover-
elgn had furnished him with an expensive and
suitable outfit, and the adventurous explorer
started of with the most glowing anticipations.
Several years previously he had discovered the
opuient region. 1t was a well-watered and
denSely-populated district in the immediate Vi
einity of the Congo, about one-third the size of
France, with a good climate. and containing re-
sources which rendered its acquisition by any
European power exceedingly desirable. Strongly
impressed with the Importance of his discovery,
he enlisted the assistance of the Belgian mon
arch IN an undertaking that promised most fruit
fuI results \ company called the Interna-
tlonal African Association " WIS formed, 4 num-
Der OF Belgian officers were placed at Mr.. STAN
iey's disposal, and 4 credit of several million
francs was raised for the purpose of the expedi-
ton. After many days and many hardships,
Stanley reached his alluring Ell Dorado, but to
find It IN possession of another adventurous ex-
plorer. The French flag hoated over the coveted
district. NJ DE Brazza, an italian by birth and
n trenchman by naturalization, having heard of
Stanley's discovery. had induced the French
Government to furnish him with the equipments
o. an expedition. Instead OF taking Stanley
published route, he took Il short cut, which
also proved to be the better route of the two. and
reached Stanley Pool " III advance of its orig
inal white discoverer. t. the Infinite disap-
Z %ntm-n! Il Stanley at his arrival. De BrazZa
has. i :.c.;ised n treaty with the local King, bv
virtue Of which II portion of the territory was
coded to the French protectorate. Mr.. Stanley
vainly enlcavored TO overawe the natives by u
military demonstration. They remained firm,
displayed the tri-colOred flag, and ordered him
away from the country.
NJ. De BraZZa returned to France to secure a
ratification of the treaty with the King of the
Batekes. He arrived at Paris in June of the
present year, and is urging the Duclerc Cabinet
to take action in the matter without delay. But
the Government h~esitates, while there appears
Paris, a Gambettist organ, setting forth the pre-
ponderance which France would thereby gain in
the future of the African continent, saws
She already holds the keys of Africa, but they
are being disputed. Wishing to characterize our
propaganda in Africa, we opposed Savornan De
Brazza-to Stanley. Now Stanley has just passed
through Paris on his way to Brussels, in order
to endeavor to appropriate an important con-
quest made by NJ. De Brazza on behalf of France.
The question now is whether we shall once again
allow a territory, or rather a vast empire, which
has freely yielded itself to us, to pass into the
hands of our rivals.
And again 1.-The key of the Congo and of
all the wealth of Equatorial Africa is in our
hands. NJ. De Brazza gives it to us. If we al
low it to escape. Mr.. Stanley will seize it and
make it over to Others"
1t is a strange affair all around the most sin
gular part of it being that the monarch of q far
distant country should, without the slightest
struggle, surrender his possession of enormous
wealth to- handful of adventures whom he could
probably have destroyed with the utterance of a
single sentences. F. Bulletin.