Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-01-16
The New Africa,

vast domain, consisting OF 700, OOO square
miles of country, perhaps the most fertile in
the world, has within a few years been open.
ed to commerce. Lying in the very heart of
Africa, the whole of this country is now for
the first time reached by steamboats, plying
on the upper Congo and its tributaries. In
this inland empire there is native popula-
ton estimated by NJ. de Brazza at eighty mill
ion souls. A few years ago these people were
all but unknown; now they are brought into
direct contact with the great trade centres Of
Europe. All the commercial nations are en-
gagged in the struggle to secure share Of
their trade and portion of their territory
The following brief outline of what has been
accomplished up to the recent conference in
Berlin is condensed from an article in the Ed
inburgh Review.
The mouth of the Congo was discovered in
1884 by the Portuguese navigator, Diego Cam.
In the amount of water which it discharges
into the sea it is second only to the Amazon.
The volume of water borne by it is estimated
at 3, 800, 600 cubic feet per second, or more
than twice the volume of the Mississippi at
the height of its March food The source of
this mighty river, however, remained till re-
Gently as much of a mystery as that of the
Nile. On March 31st, 1871, DIR. Livingstone,
in search of the head waters Of the Nile, came
upon the Lualaba, large river flowing
through the heart of Africa to the north, and
the great explorer died in the belief that in
this stream he had found one of the affluents
of the Nile. 1t was left for Henry NJ. Stan
ley, by his memorable journey in 1877, to
demonstrate that the Lualaba found its way,
not into the Mediterranean, but into the At
lantic-that it was in fact, no other than the
upper Congo
While Stanley was still in the centre of AZ
RIGA and his discovery was yet unknown, the
International African association, destined to
play so important part in the affairs OF the
Dark Continent, was formed. The object of
the association was to open up the interior Of
Africa to the civilizing influences of the world.
The attempt was made to appease national
rivalry and to secure universal cooperation.
The King of the Belgans accepted the presi
dency. A chain of posts, forming so many
Gases of civilization, was to be drawn across
the equatorial region. Before the association
had put its plans into practical shape, Stanley
had returned in triumph from his adventurous
enterprise
The International association was prompt
to seize upon the results of his discovery
Stanley was commissioned to return to Africa,
and, ascending the Congo, to establish line
of communication with the interior. The
work was one that tried all the resources of
the explorer. For thirty miles from the sea
the river is navigable for ocean vessels and
for thirty miles farther for vessels OF lighter
draught then the trouble begins. For two
hundred miles there is succession of cata-
racts and rapids. The Congo is the only river
which breaks through the range of low noun
tains that separates the interior table.land
from the coast region, aud it reaches the sea
only after tumultuous battle with the obsta-
cles in its path. At the end of this long
stretch of angry water is Stanley Pool, where
the river wideus into a lake twenty three
miles in diameter. "Hther the native trade
routes converge; from hence upwards the
great river can be navigated for close on
thousand miles with steamers equal to the
largest of those that ply upon the Mississippi;
from hence, too, its tributaries, in comparison
with which the Thames at London bridge is
an insignificant stream, offer 4, 500 miles of
open water. The climate is all that
could be desired. During the hottest season
the thermometer seldom rises above so in
the shade and with due precaution there is
little to fear from malaria" On this table
land 1.-THE generous yield of all the character
isf; riobao 80 ha u
no conditions excluding the cultivation of the
choicest delicacies of the temperate zone"
To open line of communication between
this inland region and the sea. and to launch
the sectional steamboats, which he carried
upon these placid waters, was the work which
Stanley began in August, 1879. At the end
of May, 1881, his pioneering force had reach
ed station only ninety five miles from Stan
ley Pool Confident of success the explorer
pushed on, and by the end of July he reached
the long-sought goal. What was his NORTH
cation to find on his arrival that he had been
anticipated. Tho French flag Haunted in his
face, and the foundations of the future French
city of Brazzaville were being laid upon the
quiet shores of Stanley Pool.
While Stanley had been toilsomely ascend
ing the Congo, Count de Brazza had landed
on the coast several hundred miles to the
north, and, striking boldly across the coun-
try, had reached one of the tributaries of the
Congo and followed it down till he reached
Stanley Pool, where he established himself
in the name Of the French government. The
local chiefs had already placed themselves I'M
der French protection. Nothing daunted,
however, Stanley completed his road found
ed Leopoldville as "the future great city" of
Africa, on the shore opposite Brazzaville and
on December 3, 1884, launched the first
steamer upon the waters of the upper Congo.
In the autumn of 1882 both leaders repaired
to Europe to report progress and to recruit
health.
Now began second stage in the race for
the possession of the trade of Central Africa
De Brazza sought for shorter route than
that which he had already used. large
river the Kuila, enters the Atlantic about a
hundred miles north of the mouth of the Con-
Co. By using this waterway, Brazzayille
would be brought within $50 miles of the sea.
whereas its former line of Communication in
'NA'NN - JSuthoJ VI puO lulleb. AFTER
much discussion, De Brazza induced the
French Chamber to equip an expedition to
take possession of the Kuila valley. 1t was
now Stanley's time to play the forestaller
While the French were talking he had secret.
ly fastened to Africa, and when De Brazza
reached the coast he saw the flag of the In
ternational association floating at the mouth
of the coveted river
From that time the progress of the ascot
alton has been rapid. ''The blue flag with
golden star, chosen to symbolic the anoma-
lous though imposing authority, is displayed
at thirty odd stations close on two thousand
people are in the employment of its agents J.;
the territory ceded to it is measured by de-
grees of latitude fotilla of thirteen vessels
Keeps up communication along the moving
highway of the great river For two thous.
and miles and upwards from its mouth the
population on its shores have been startled
with the portent of steam navigation, and
their opposition 10 the white mans progress
Is at least temporarily oowed"
The future development of this vast re.
glon, the effect of the contact of white trad
ers and officials with the native races and
the complications which may arise from the
rivalry for trade and political ascendancy
AmOnq Eurnnaan uoma.,