Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-02-15
Opening Up the Dark Continent.

President Arthur in his message to Con
-res- directed attention to the work which is
being done in opening up the rich and popu-
lous valley of the Congo to commerce, and
spoke OF the stations established along the
river as "the nuclei Of states" Recently the
Senate on motion of Mr. Morgan, adopted
an order Of inquiry into our relations to the
exploration OF the Congo region, and the
commercial possibilities involved in it. Yet
there are comparatively few who have any
clear idea of the work which Mr.. Stanley and
his associates, under the direction Of the In
ternational African association, are doing in
opening Central Africa to commerce and civil
lization. 1t is now nearly seven years since
Mr. Stanley, having accomplished the great
feat of crossing Africa from east to west,
emerged on the western coast, bearing with
him the discovery that the river Congo, which
he had Just descended, was the noblest water
way in Africa, draining a water shed of $780,
600 square miles, and opening highway for
commerce to the whole of equatorial Africa.
The International African association, which
had been organized the year previous with the
king of the Belgians rs its president, prompt
ly commissioned Mr.. Stanley to explore this
region n its behalf. In February, 1879, Mr..
Stanley, at the head of an expedition, was at
the mouth of the Congo, ready to commence
work station was planted at the farthest
point, up the river before the cataracts, 10
miles from the sea Behind the oataracts the
river is navigable for at least 1000 miles. Al
ready % stations Lave been planted, the far
thest of which is 700 miles from the coast.
The advance has been pushed with discretion,
and in such q manner as to conciliate the ma
tives who are eager for trade and have re-
spect for the white men with their steamers,
| guns and gunpowder. Stanley, ii is said, has
| beon given the title of Rock breaker" be-
cause of his blasting operations in building a
| 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 Sc
ries of waterfalls, and several small steamers
are navigating the river and its tributaries be-
yond.
The money for Mr.. Stanleys operations is
| understood to have been furnished by the king
of the Belgians himself; but neither King
Leopold nor the association of which he il
president has any selfish or exclusive purpose
to serve. 1t is not for money-making, or con
quest 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 anC
the valley we're to be conceded, they woulC
monopolize, or would endeavor to monopo
lizo, all the resulting advantages. But the In
ternational African seeks only, in the interest
of civilization and the Advancement of tn
commerce of the world, to throw open tn
rich but little-known regions through whicl
the Congo the Mississippi of Africa flows
The work reflects great credit upon all wit
are concerned in it, and country like ours
which has cotton and woolen goods, hardware
and many other products to market, canno
be Indifferent to the opportunities thus pre-
Bented.