St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-09-18
Henry M. Stanley Delivers a Lee
ture Upon the Congo Coun-
try, Its History and Com
mercial Prospects.
The LabOrs of the African Association
in that Country to Make it Com
mercial Point Free Of Dnty.
The Daily Calendar Of Happenings in Differ
ent Parts of the Old World and
Comments Thereon.
THE UNITED KINGDOM.

LONDON, Sept. 18.-Henry NJ. Stanley, the
African explorer, delivered an address to-
day before large meeting of influential cit
liens at Cannon street hotel, upon the
Congo country, its history, development and
commercial prospects. The address was re-
ceived with prolonged applause.
Stanley said in 1879 he wrote letter from
Fleet street to friend at Banana,
point on the Congo, pointing
out to him that there was
wide field for commerce in the basin of
the Congo, which he STANLEY proposed to
open up to the world He also indicated to
his friend the region which he proposed to
develop, namely, between Mboma and
Stanley Pool In 1874 and 1879, he explored
the broad, natural highway from the west
coast of Africa. He found a race of natives
who were willing to trade with merchants
who dealt fairly on the basis of blood and
brotherhood. When he returned to Europe
he found several schemes had been under
consideration for exploring the district of
which that of the African association proved
to be most useful. Stanley Pool was gained
by treaties made with the natives who ceded
to the African association sovereignty land,
and the association thereupon entered upon
peaceful possession. After entering into
possession the association invited the nations
of the world to come and trade, irrespective
of all nationalities. On returning to Stanley
Falls, he STANLEY found the Anglo-Portu-
guese treaty had been concluded. The
Portuguese said: ''No, we will not allow
this. We founded Congo to maintain
our superiority. We must obtain lien upon
oil 1e iror tod
goods (said Stanley were beads, wire, etc
To this the association replied they had spent
nearly half million pounds sterling upon
the basin of the Congo, and wished to extend
further their communications along the
basin. Whatever concessions, privileges, or
immunities the association possessed they
wished to give away for the benefit of bona
fide travellers, the missionary and agrlcultur-
ist. The association demanded Of the Portu-
guese that he Stanley be allowed to travel
from England to Stanley Falls without any
further trouble or expense than the payment
of regular passage money. The association
also protested against the right of the Portu
guese to tax.
The Portuguese tax them for giving away
money freely to philanthropic work, whereof
no one connected with this association ever
expected to receive one penny in interest
Stanley sketched the history of the Congo
river from the discovery of its mouth by the
Portuguese navigator, Diego Cam, 400 years
ago, to the time of the expulsion of the Port
uguese by the natives in 1880. In 1873
Lieut. Grandv, of the Livingston search
expedition, passed through San Salvador, at
the mouth of the Congo river. Five years
later Stanley himself arrived here The
Protestant missions afterwards formed an
CDpiptv cd u,
tablishing q mission near the ruins of the
old Catholic mission houses. There was no
historical evidences on the banks of the
| Congo river to prove the Portuguese ever
possessed any political establishment there
whatever.
Stanley said, further, there is not one sin
| gle proof that the Portuguese ever erected
any fort, government building or Office upon
the banks of the Congo. The Dutch, Eng
fish and French merchants made that river
a commercial mart. few Portuguese
traders in 1877 were there, but merely as
commission agents for large Dutch and Eng
lish firms which held the principal trade of
the place. The imports to the Congo coun-
! try in 1882 amounted to eSS4. 600, and the
exports to 81, S55, 400 sterling The area of
the Congo country which supplies the exports
is about $4,000 square miles. The navigable
| portion Ofthe river is only 40 miles, and
| the coast line 100 miles. At the head of
navigation the Congo was now INSTRUCTED,
and before navigation OF the river would be
| again possible for commerce, it will be nee
essary to travel 535 miles, where is situated
! the settlement of Leopoldsyille, on Hanley
pool. For fifty miles of this distance there
exists people ready and willing to trade, they
having something to barter which is needed
in Europe. Beyond Leopoldsville there has
| been 5000 miles of river, penetrating an
| area of 100000 square miles. But the 235
miles separating the traders of the lower
| Congo is impossible, and exploration i'm
| practicable.
The king of the Belgians has been instru-
mental in promoting the expedition of 1873,
with the object of removing that obstacle to
commerce by the construction of a railway
to unite the upper and lower Congo
Stanley characterized the colonial policy
of'the Portuguese as detrimental and con
strictive. He said IL the claims of the Portu-
guese government were allowed by Europe,
all enterprise in the Congo win be arrested.
The most eager philanthropist will be sick
ened Of the idea of bending one thought tC
the civilization of the Congo country. The
Portuguese civilization, continued Stanley,
| is like a withered tree, bearing no fruit
/ commerce COulu not De extended 1ntO q lew
born region like the Congo basin unless II
was relieved of all fear Of that dread, Portu-
| gucse tariff Portugal does not understand
the art of colonizing. Stanley then described
the rise and progress Of the African associ
alton. Its constitution. he stated, being
prepared by eminent men and when com
pleted would be published as the "coDstitu
ton OF the free states of Congo" The name
or title will then be given which will replace
that now known as the African association
The purposes later are TO compel trade
which will be followed eagerly by the verl
inviting prospects held out before the com
mercial and industrial enterprises Of tbs
world.
Samuel Morley, member Of parliament in
moving vote Of thanks to Stanley, re
marked the English government was dis
tinctly pledged to consult parliament before
the treaty with Portugal should be ratified.
LIVERPOOL, Sept. 1S.-Henry Irving ant
Ellen Terry sailed for Montreal to-day in thu
Partisan. The general public and theatrica
profession assem- bled IN force to see then
off. As the special tender left the docl
bearing the distinguished actors to- thei
steamers, the crowd raised an enthusiastic
cheer Irving and Miss Terry continued t,
bow and waive an adieu to their friends a.
long as they remained in sight.
, FRANCE AND CHINA.
|
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