The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-12-11
How STANLEY Would Dispose Of africa.

At recent meeting of the British
Association, Mr.. Johnston read portions
OF letter which he had received from
Mr., II. M. Stanley, dated Leopoldville.
Stanley Pool, July %, 1888, After
mentioning the deaths of two explorers.
a Belgian and French missionary. he
wrote: You have amused me with
your remarks upon the Portuguese. I
hope you will not be- tempted by the
self-interested hospitality of the Portu-
guese to give your vote that the CONGO
shall be given to them. If England but
waits little she will see sufficient cause
to Judge that she has as much right as
any other nation which only seeks to ex-
clude British trade from this outlet to
Central African trade. Despite every
Prognostcaf1on to the contrary, this
river will yet redeem the lost continent.
BY itself it forms sufficient prospect;
but when you consider its magnificent
tributaries, which flow Oh either side.
giving access to civilization to what
appeared hopeless1y impenetrable a few
years ago, the reality of the general
utility and benefit to these dark tribes
| and nations fills the sense with admira-
ton. Every step L make increases my
enthusiasm for my work and confirms
my first impressions. Give 1000 miles
to the main channel, 800 to the Kwanpo.
120 to Lake Mantenba, 800 to the
Mobimbru, probably 800 to the Kaissai,
800 to the Smkuru, 500 to the Aru-
wimi, and 1000 more to undiscovered
| degrees, for there is abundant space
to concede so much, and you have 1920
miles of nayigable water. Such an
ample basin, with such mileage and
navigation, with IN unmeasured re-
sources, would you bestow as a dover
upon such people as the Portuguese,
who would but seal it to the silence of
the coming centuries? Would You rob
The natural bTthright of the millions of
Engllshmen yet to issue seeking homes
| similar to those which their forefathers
built in the Americas and the Indies?
For what? Is the robust Empire called
the British in its wane that you will put a
limit to its growth? Such an idea is
simply self-murder and present confess
sion of impotence.
Follow the dictates of nature. As
in man, so with nations, nature is the
best guide. Statistics tell US that Eng
hshmen are increasing fast, that ships
are building more and more every year,
that trade is extending, that the revenue
IS augmenting, that colonies are form
ing, that wealth necessarily flows from
all lands to England, that education
creates thousands daily of men fit to
cope with life's best work, namely, to
thrive and multiply we are well
aware that the present Government is
not less able than its predecessors to
direct and maintain the force of the ma
ton. Then why lock the gates Of a
promising field against yourself? Keep
the gates open; let him who seeks to
enter do so without let or hindrance,
and leave it to time. Time will teach
the British Government where its inter-
est lies. Meantime observe your treaties
with the native chiefs of Lower Congo;
protect them as you promised to the
chiefs so far back as 1915 through your
naval officers. If you deliver these peo-
pie into the hands of the Portuguese,
the past as well as well as the present
teaches us what to expect. YoR deliver
them soul and body to hell and
slavery. So avoid the imputatioR of be-
ing false and faithless, proclaim a pro
tectorate over the Congo, and preserve
these your people from their present i'm
pending fate. The very fact that y2u
are fresh from work will give what you
say an importance. Lend one hand to
the present movement, so that neither
French nor Portuguese nor any Other
particular nation Shall defraud England
of her rights and privileges in Africa il
broad daylight. 1t was Livingstone, al
, Englishman, who discovered this river
! it was Anglo-American money which
explored It and made it known; it was
International money, part of which was
English, which began the task of max
ing it useful to the world. 1t was Eng
E fish goods, products and manufacture;
which enabled us to move en- and win
the love of the Congo Nation. VIII you
still vote that we shall sacrifice all thi.
in honor of Diego Cam, whose country
men allowed the pearl of African river
to lie idle for nearly four centuries?
[Cheers. London Times.