Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-12-06

Il 10y unSD aua oSAiHAAg4o ApACA ~ o-AeA
nous forests on the upper river, furnishing
valuable timber for building purposes. Other
travellers followed in his footsteps and
found but one sehAl forest covering feE
acres. The few trees found along the
river and its tributaries are not FIT for
building purposes, and every piece Of tim
Der has to be imported from Europe to
this paradise. There 10 not even sufficient
wood here to serve as fuel, and the natives
start occasionally on long expeditions to
End miserable branches of roots, which
they sell at enormous prices to the whites.
Stanley also speaks Of the guam
thy of stone available as
building material. Other travellers
of high reputation and well known verac-
ity, affirm that the entire country from the
coast mp to Stanley Pool, and even further,
contains no stone whatever, and the only
stones to be found are enormous boulders
ia the bed of the river. The navigation
of the Congo, except in the cataract re-
gion, has been described as presenting no
obstacles. It has been found out, how.
ever, that the great river is full Of rocks.
under currents and Whirlpools, which rem.
der navigation for steamers. and even ca
noes, very dangerous, aud in some parts
quite impossible. The feet Of the associ.
alton above Stanley Pool IL now reduced
to two small steamers.
Taken all in all, the present state of
affairs on the Congo is very discouraging
Millions Of money and the life or health of
hundreds of whites have been spent with
out sho sing any results. Eight years OF
incesssnt toll, of CONTIGUOUS battles with
the climate, the sayages, srd wild beasts,
money amounting to q, 000, coo francscon-
fereaces and endless diplomatic cores
pondenee on one side Of the ledger. And
on the othsr2 half 9 dozen frame houses
in barren country, few steamers on one
of the largest rivers Of the continent
hospital full of sick and dying, q grave
yard with white victims, but no practical
result whatsoever The only redeemiDg
feature in these efforts to organize an en-
pire in Central Africa is the energy, the
enthusiasm, and unsel6sh devotion of King
Leopold Of Belgium. He is the soul and
lie of the scheme, but even he would
probably not have gone 80 far as be has
done had the true state OF affairs not been
carefully hidden from him. Enthusiasts
and ssrvile courtisrs encouraged the noble
hearted and enlightened monarch; nothing
but the most favorable accounts Of the
fertility Of the country and Of the progress
Of his enterprise were submitted to him,
s1d it was not until this year that the
King began to recognize the impossibility
of tangible success within the present
generation.
Unfortunately for the King and for the
good cause to which be has devoted so
much capital aRd energy. the chief officers
of the Congo State in Brussels doggedly
persist in keeping the crumbGng organiza
ton together. The employees and officers
of the association are bounded bY contract
not to reveal sny Of the secrets Of the ad-
minis,ration. A system Of persecution,
reminding one Of similar procedures
in Russia, is instituted at once
against any one revealing the
true state of affairs. Newspapers
an example Prof. Peschuel-l osuhs may be
quoted; who, when attacked BY the ascot
alton for his candid opinions regarding the
unsuccessful effort of founding the Congo
State, simply published his entire cores
pondencs with the King and the big
guns" OF the association, thus fully yindl-
eating the truth Of his assertions. An
other instance Of official intrigue is the
case of the United States sgent, Mr.. W.
p. Tisdel who returned to Brussels some
time ago, after spending nearly halt year
travelling in the footsteps Of Stanley. Mr.
Tisdel, well-kuoEn gentleman OF high
standing and undoubted yerscity, coDsid.
cred il his dutv to answer csndidly the
questions the King asked him as to the
true state of affairs on the Congo. The
King seemed to be very thankful to Mr..
Tisdel for his reports, KEEP. him over an
hour and half OF his palace, and assured
him of his good grace But as sooD as
the chiefs of the Congo State learned the
uufavorabls views of the American rep
resentarive system of diplomatic boycott
tyipg was instituted against Mr.. Tisdel,
l hear from high authority that the Belgian
Minister in Washington has been instruct
ed to make official representations at the
Department of Foreign Affairs directed
against the agent Of the United States.
His presence in Brussels was ignored by
the Ministers Of the Congo State, and his
treatment at the hands Of the President Of
the Association Africsine was not very
ereditable These gentlemen would prob
ably have behaved differently, and MIR. lis.
dsl Sould have been the recipient of many
distinctions, had he made II known that
be was in possession Of autograph letters
from every employee Of the association on
the Congo, beginning With the Governor,
General, Sir Francis de Winton, himself,
confirming under their own signatures the
urf.yora5le opinion Of affairs on the Congo,
f.-med By Mr. Tisdel during bis stay there.
These letters, if published, would form
most interesting appendix to Mr.. Tisdeis
official reports to his Government, for they
contain details which clearly prove in every
irs.ance toe views Of all geographical tray
elers except Stanley.
Mr. Tisdsl has beea very reticent on the
subject during his stay ct Brussels, but the
mater will probably come TO light It Congo
matters are discussed at the forthcoming
session Of Congress in Washington.
saw today the latest issue of the Nort-
deu,sche Allgemeins Zsitung, the &C
knoaledged organ of the German Foreign
Office, and more especially Of Prince Bis
marsk Ia gu article devoted to Congo
matters this paper advises the German
public not to subscribe ans funds for the
proposed Congo Valley Railroad. Tbs
shows thai the faith Of Prince Bismarck
mast have been shaken considerably, and
tia, he begins to view matters IS others do
Who visited the Congo.
$500 nm npEr