The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-09-05
Stanley and The Congo Country:
From the Boston Traveller

1u0 luIoImAtlOu WHICH Q8S DeeQ
brought by Mr.. Henry NJ. Stanley to
England from the Congo country on
his return from his third journey in
that region is perhaps less exciting than
that brought BY him OF his. previous re-
turn from the Dark Continent, but is at
the same time of Importance. The re-
suit of his first journey was the aiscov-
cry that beyond the cataracts of the
lower Congo there was another immense
river, navigable for more thar a thou.
sand miles, and penetrating the heart
of Africa. This discovery led to lia re-
turn to the valley Of the Congo under
the commission of the king Of the Bel
gians and the president OF, the newly
formed African International Associa-
ton, for the purpose Of establish
ing series Of trading stations and
opening roads across the country
to the navigable reaches of the.
rivers. This work he successfully ac-
complished; and the great valley was
opened to European trade. Hardly
was this accomplished than the French
began to intrigue for the control of the
trade, an d an attempt was made
through an italian adventurer, DeBraz-
"a, to open q rival route from Stanley
Pool to the coast. This led to bis third
journey, the result is that the work of
establishing trading stations from the
mouth of the Congo to Stanley Pool, has
been successfully completed without
molestation or interference, and the ri
val attempts of DeBazza have ended in
ignominious failure. Mr.. Stanley now
brings more accurate information than
we have yet had respecting the extent
and the character of the country tribu-
tary to the Congo river, and the policy
which he has hitherto pursued under
the direction of the African Internation-
al Association in his dealings with the
native tribes of that region is amply
vindicated. From the mouth of the
Congo to Stanley Pool, 149o miles fur
ther inland than from New Orleans to
st. Paul, there are satisfactory facilities
for commercial exchanges in the numer-
GUS trading stations which have been
established between these two points,
and the natives on the whole are friend
ly and well disposed towards white
traders, but one tribe, the Ba Sundis,
manifesting any hostility whatever.
The recent statement made by Bracon-
nier to the effect that the river was not
navigable above Stanley Pool for steam
craft is shown to be wholly untrue, Mr..
Stanley having found mean low water
depth of IL feet for a thousand miles
above the pool. The expanse of terri
tory, and the extent of its-commercial
resources, tributary to the Congo, is so
vast that its limits are at present only
subject of conjecture, but their relative
Proportions may be to some extent in
dicated by the 1000 miles of navigable
rivers which Mr.. Stanley now tells us
are accessible from Stanley Pool, This
information which he now brings is cal
culated to awaken fresh interest in the
pending diplomatic controversy over
the control of West Africa, and to con-
firm the wisdom of the course pursued
by the administration of President Ar
thur in recognizing the sovereignty of
the International Association. The de-
velopnrent of an enormous commerce
on the Congo may be regarded as as
sured and for once the United States is
in position to be among the first Of
the nations to take advantage of such
development. The proposed treaty be-
tween Great Britain and Portugal, by
which the folmer country guarantees
the claim of the latter to control of
commerce on the lower Congo is still
pending III parliament; but Mr.. Stan
ley, than whom no one is better
qualified to judge the matter, ex-
presses the opinion that Portuguese SUI
premacy over the mouth of the river
would be decidedly lnimical to
British interests even, to say
nothing of the interests of the Interna-
tional Association. He expresses the
strongest disapproval of the treaty, and
it remains to be seen whether, in the
face of his warning, Great Britain will
ratify. it. The new information which
he brings, however, makes it the more
certain that whatever may be the fate of
the proposed treaty, the nations com
prising and recognizing the Interna-
tional Association will not permit the
absurd pretensions OF Portugal on the
one hand, or the greed of England on
the other, to deprive them of their share
af an immense commerce which is GER
tain to follow the opening up Of the
Congo r1ver.