West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-09-04
KEEP AWAY FROM CONGO.
This Is the Advice of Special United state
Comrnissioncr Tlsdci.

The following are some of the most
striking passages of MIR Tisders report
to the State Department:
Il recommend most earnestly that
Americans who contemplate establish
ing themselves on the Lower Congo. or
anywhere on the west coast OF Africa.
should not 10 so unless supplied with
large capital which will enable them 60
compete with the long established
Dutch, English and German houses.
which control almost the entire trade Of
the west coast American houses cs-
tahl'~hing here must first bc assured
that they have transportation for their
manufactured goods outward and for
the products OF the country homcward.
This is OF vital Importance They must
locate factories or stations i'm different
parts, engage help acclimatCd and ia
millar with the country and the natives.
and with "a knowledge of both the Portu-
gucsc and Fiotc languages. make pres
ents 10 chiefs OF tribes, and i'm this man
ner induce the natives TO come into tho
ewly-established factories. An this
takes time and money. and little or no
return can DC expected for at least "A
year IL is IA mistake to suppose That
all OF the products which are reported
to come from tho Congo are grown
there, or do actually come from there
Not one-tcnth is harvested there
"lt Is my belief that i'm all the world
there is not a richer territory than that
which borders the sea, commencing at
the Sinegal River in latitude l6 de
grces north aud extending TO latitude
Is degrees 30 seconds, and inland an
average distance Of ono hundred miles
The country is dcnscly populated, vet
1t Is next Co impossible 10 induce the
nations to pluck the valuable products
which nature produces. With the ex-
ception of the Loango and Kabinda
tribes they are u wild savage and cruel
people. They do not like the white
man, and, while they are glad to have
his cloth and gin, they would much
prefer never to sec u white man within
their domain. Tho question of labor
will have much to do with the future of
this country. II is remarkable fact
that Zanzibar man or Houssa
man from the Niger can travel
anywhere in the country unmo-
Tested, even among the most saw
age tribes This fact clearly proves TO
me that an industrious black man With "A
knowledge of the Fote language will
be enabled to exercise n greater and
bettcr influence over these people than
1t can be possible for the white man
ever TO do. The question of climate is
serious one. IL is humid and ener-
waiting TO the whites of Europe and
America, and much sickness is the re-
suit. Very much procaution must be
exercised during the first years stay
~ the country in order that the system
may be kept free from the poisonous
influences of the malaria which over
hangs Inc entire country. Along the
entire coast the products arc not at all
unlike the exports. consisting princi-
pally oil rubber, ground-nuts. palm oil,
palm nuts, colo nuts and gum copal
Some ivory is also exported, but i'm
small quantities, the principal coast
markets for ivory being at different
points in Angola. Common cotton and
woolen goods, rum, gin, glass beads.
guns, powder, tobacco and common
cutlery make up the principal imports
and with these articles the traders bar
tor for the products of the country. II
Is the only currency known
"Fifty per cent Of all the goods
which 60 to the coast including pro.
visions. are purchased in ENGLAND
The gin comes from Holland and Is
manufactured expressly for the trade.
the quantity being forty per cent of ali
imports. A few bottles Of gin will 90
much further i'm trade with the natives
than ten times It's value in cloth. and
often IT happens that traders are com
p'llod 20 return TO the coast
without having accomplished q
trade, the natives insisting upon
having gin, whilc tho trader was
supplied with cloth alone. The
most valuable productions Of the coun
try. and for which there Is AN ever
increasing demand, are rubber. palm
kernels and palm oil, gum copnl
ground-nuts and wax The rubber and
palm trees are Of spontaneous growth
and To- be- found everywhere i'm the low
lands The supply is not equal 10 the
demand yet there is no limit 10 the
quantity of these rich products which
might bc taken from the country II the
native could b. induced to work Here
again rise ihc question Of labor and 10
me 90 s.ons feasible 20 create want
amongst ho tribes Of the low and coast
lands. which viii after "a time induce
them 10 gather and bring 30 The raiders
bro .argc quantities the products which
tncY 90 READILY exchange for anything
which they may require There are
other and valuable products. but tho
staple commodities aro those numcr-
atcd
On no sense Of the word can This be-
called au agricultural country Nothing
D. cultivated except tro grOund-uut ami
q icw tropical vegetables which how
ever ore found only tn small patches
near Che villages"