Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1884-02-27

OPENING UP THE DARK CONTINENT -
President Arthur in his message to con
gress directed attention to the work which
is being done in opening up the rich ann
populous valley of the Congo to commerce,
and spoke of the stations established along
he river as the nuclei of states
Recently the senate, on motion of Mr.
Morgan, adopted an order of inquiry into
our relations to the exp Grafton of the
Congo region, and the commercial posi-
piiities involved IN it. Yet there are
comparatlv. ly few who have a1v cleal
idea OF the work which Mr.. Stan ey and
his associates. under the olrec'iJ IN of tn
international African association, are do NJ
IN opening Central Africa to commerce
and clvliz tIion. 1t is now nearly seven
wears since Mr.. Stanley, having accom-
pished the great ieat of crossing Atricu
from east to west, emerged on the western
coast, bearing with hlm the discovery thai
The river Congo, hch he had iusr
descended, was The noblest waterway in
Africa, draining n water Shed of $50 600
square miles, and opening Il highway for
commerce to the whole of equatorial
Africa. The International African asso
citation, which had been organized the year
previous with the king of the Belglans as
its president, promptly commissioned Mr.
Stanley to explore this region in its behalf
In February, 1879, Mr. s anley, ut the
head of an expedition, was at the mou b
OF the Congo, ready to commence work
A station was planted at the fal thest point.
up the river before the cataracs, 10 miles
from the sea. Behind the cataracts the
river is navigable for at least 900 miles
Already % stations have been planted, the
farthest of which is 700 miles from the
coast. Tue advance has been pushed
with discretion, and in such manner as
to concliate the natives, who are eager
for trade and have respect for The white
men with their steamers, guns and gun.
powder. Stanley, it is said, has been
given the title of" Rock -breakel,' because
of his blasting operations in building road.
The natives encountered are not OF the
common negro type, but Of much higher
grade of intelligence, and are alert and
active. Roads have been built around one
of the series of waterfalls, and several
small steamers are navigating the river
and its tributaries beyond.
The money for Mr.. SANKEY'S operations
is understood TO have been furnished by
the king of the Begians himself; hut
neither King Leopold nor the association
of which he is president has any selfish or
exclusive purpose to serve. 1t is not for
money making, or conquest, or the
aggrandizement of any country, that the
work is carried on. The Portuguese and
French have each selfish plans TO advance
and if the claims of either to the river and
the valley were to be conceded, they
would monopolize, or would endeavor 10
monopolize, all the resulting advantages.
But the international African seeks only,
in the interests Of civilization and the
advancement Of the commerce of the
world, to throw open the rich but little
known regions through which the Congo,
the Mississippi of Africa flows. The work
reflects great credit upon all who are
concerned in it. and country like ours,
which has cotton and woolen goods,
hardware. and many other products to
market, cannot be Indifferent to the
opportunities thus presented.