The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-19
A Denial that Portugal Has Any Claim on
the Country, and an Assertion that Her
Influence Is Pernieious.
Gordon Will Evacuate the SOudan on
the Arrival Of Turkish Troops.
He Wants $1,5OO,OOO, and Proposes to Hold
Other People Responsible if Blood Is
She'd Miscellaneous Cable News.
THE CONGO COUNTRY.
Henry NJ. stanley's Vigorous Denunciation
of Portuguese Policy.


of Portuguese Policy.
LONDON, Sept 19.-Henry NJ. Stanley, the
African explorer, delivered an address to-day be-
fore large meeting of influential citizens at
Canal-street Hotel, upon the Congo country, its
history, development and commercial prospects
and progress. The address was received with
prolonged applause Stanley said that in 1872
he wrote letter from Fleet street to friend at
Banana Point, on the Congo, pointing out to
him the ways in which he Stanley proposed to
open up the Congo country to the world In 1874
and 1879 he explored this broad natural high
way from the west coast of Africa. He found
race of natives who were willing
to trade with merchants who dealt fairly, on the
basis of blood and brotherhood. When he re-
turned to Europe he found several schemes
under consideration for exploring the district, of
which that of the African association proved the
most useful Stanley Pool was gained by trea
ties made with the natives, who ceded to the
African association the sovereignty OF the land,
and the association thereupon entered upon it's
peaceful possession. After entering into poses
sion, the association invited the nations of the
world to come and trade, irrespective of all
notionalities. On returning to Stanley
Falls, he Stanley found that an
Angle Portuguese treaty had been
concluded The Portuguese said: No, we will
not allow this; we founded the Congo settle
ments to maintain our superiority; we must OBJ
tain lien upon all goods imported from Man
chester The goods, said Stanley, we're beads
wire, etc. To this the association replied that
they had spent nearly a 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 possesses they wished
to give away for the benefit of bona fde settlers.
citation demanded of the Portuguese that he
(Stanleyl be allowed to travel from England to
Stanley Falls without any further trouble
or expense than the regular passage money; the
association also protested against the right of
the Portuguese to levy taxes.
Stanley, continuing, sketehed the history of
the Congo river from the discovery of its m6ath
by the Portuguese navigator Diego Cam, four
hundred years ago to the time of the expulsion
of the Portuguese BY the natives, in 1850 In
1873, Lieut. Grandy. of the Livingstone search
expedition passed through San Salvador, at the
mouth of the Congo river; five years later, Stan
ley stated, he had himself arrived there. Pro-
testant missions were afterward formed, and the
English Baptist Society succeeded in establish
ing mission near the ruins of the old Catholic
mission-house. There was no historical
evidence on the banks of the Congo river
to prove that the Portuguese ever possessed
any political establishment there whatever.
Stanley said further. that there is not one
single proof that the Portuguese ever erected any
fort. government building office upon the
Congo river. Dutch, English, and French
merchants have made that river commercial
mart.
In 1877 few Portuguese travellers were there,
but merely as commissionagents for large Dutch
and English firms which held the principal trade
of the place. The imports to the Congo country
in 1882 amounted to $4,000, and the exports to
Ell. S56 400. The area of the Congo country
which supplies the exports is about 10 900 square
miles The nayigable portion of the
i
miles, and the coast 160 miles. At the head of
navigation the Congo was now obstructed, and
before navigation Of the river was again possible
it is necessary to travel 235 miles to a point
where is situated the settlement Of Leopolds-
vile, on Stanley pool For fifty miles of this
distance there exists a people ready and willing
to trade, they having something to barter which
is needed in Europe Beyond Leopoldsyille
there are 5000 miles of river, penetrating an
area of 300. 900 square miles. The 235 miles sep
arating the traders of the lower Congo is impas
sable and exploration is impracticable The King
of the Belgians had been instrumental
in promoting the expedition of 1878
by the construction of railway to unite the up
per and lower Congo. Stanley characterized
the colonial policy of the Portuguese as detri
mental and constructive. He said if the claims
Of the Portuguese government were allowed by
Europe, all enterprise in the Congo country
would be arrested. The most eager philanthro-
pists would be sickened at the idea of sending
one of their number to the Congo country
Portuguese civilization, continued Stanley lis
like withered tree, bearing fruit Com
merce could not be extended into new born re-
gion like the Congo basin unless it were
relieved of all fear of the dread
Portuguese tariff Portugal does not
understand the art colonizing.n
Stanley then described the rise and progress
of the African Association. Its constitution, he
stated, was being prepared by eminent men,
and when completed would be published as the
Constitution of the free States of the Congo
A name or title will then be given which will
replace that now known as the African Associa-
ton. The purposes of the latter are to compel
trade which will be followed eagerly by the very
inviting prospects held out before the CONNER
cial and industrial enterprises of the world
Samuel Morley NJ p. in moving vote of
thanks to Stanley, remarked that the English
Parliament before the treaty with Portugal
should be ratified