The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-04
The Congo Quarrel.

Inc OOQSO 0SudITSls
In order that the gravity of the inteina-
tional questions concerning the future own
ership of the vast country Watered by the
Congo may be appreciated 1t is necessary to
bear in mind few facts. The tremendous
waterway known varionsly as the Congo,
Zaire, Lualaba, and by several other names,
constitutes the only means of access to large
and densely populated regions of Equatorial
Africa. The river is navigable for fair-sized
steamers for many hundred miles of Its
course. Within a short distance of its
mouth, however, there are a succession of
cataracts which form, and probably will
form for many years to come, a bar render
ing transhipment of goods unavoidable. IN
I'll few years ago all that was known of the
river was that these bars occurred near its
mouth, and such being the case no Euro
pean Power thought it worth while to assert
its ownership. The title by right OF dscov-
cry belongs to Portugal, but that country
has exercised only the most shadowy author
ity over the river But some five years ago
Henry NJ. Stanley took charge of large
expedition equipped by society called the
International Association, which had the
King of the Belgians for its figurehead. The
object of this expedition was to explore
thoroughly the Congo and establish trading
places on its banks. Stanley took with him
small steamers built in sections, which could
be taken apart and transported around the
falls. The expedition was thoroughly sue
cessful, practicable roads were made past
the catsracts, and the steamers put on the
upper waters. But a complication arose in
consequence of the proceedings of one De
Brazza a pars..s-..--s-'ss vAsN4l, "noeohuuct-
ed another expedition to the Upper Congo,
under French auspices. The Congo, it APP
pears, at one part of its course circles round
and approaches within comparatively short
distance of the French possessions on the
West Coast Of Africa. While thus near to
the coast the distance is still many hundred
miles along the course of the stream to its
mouth. De Brazza struck across the coun-
try from the French settlements with the
object of reaching the Congo above Stanley,
and if possible, while the latter was delayed
at the mouth of the river. Both of the ex-
plorers returned home last year, and each
claims perfect success. De Brazza has, ac-
cording to his account, barred the way Of
Stanley, by planting the French flag in front
of him, and by making treaties with natives
who, he says, have recognized Wrench SOW
ereignty. Stanley, according to his account,
has taken complete possession of the Congo
and all its tributaries to the head-waters
thereof, and where De Brazza has made one
treaty Stanley has made a dozen. Both De
Brazza and Stanley are now on their way
back to the upper waters of the Congo, the
former backed by French troops, and the
latter being fully prepared to maintain by
force the rights of the society he represents.
Their quarrel, however, is not an important
enc, for those who have possession of the
mouth of the river can afford not to care
who owns the upper waters.
1t having become clear from the accounts
of these two explorers that the Congo coun-
try is really worth having, Portugal at once
revived her ancient claim by right of discov-
the effect that her present recognized posses
sions in Angola, south of the Congo, extend
northward and include the mouth of that
river. A similar claim is put in by France,
on whose behalf it is asserted that her
possessions on the GabooD, north of the
Congo, extend south to sufficient distance
to include the mouth of the latter river.
Belgium claims the country because Stan
ley's discoveries were made under the aus
pices of Belgian company, and England,
though she makes no claim to the country,
can see such vast opportunities of spreading
the blessings of civilization and textile fab
RIGS among an almost entirely unclothed
population, is determined that no European
Power which can hamper her traffic shall
possess the Congo. There is, in fact,
quadrilateral quarrel going on for the mouth
Of the Congo. The country which has the
least right in the matter, that is England,
has the greatest power in it.