The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-03-19

MI. SANKEY'S latest work over agnin;
but the results already achieved and
those which are SOW in process OF
achievement may be briefly stated in his
OWE words:
"From the mouth OF the Congo q
steamer drawing fifteen feet of water
can steam up the river 10 miles, and
opposite to this point Qhc head of the
estuary we have built stations on both
sides of the river. that on the north or
right bank q. G. VivD being the princi-
pal. Hence, in order to avoid the
Yellala Falls, we take a land journey of
so miles to point where we have built
another station. We then take boats,
and steam or row 8S miles to point
opposite which there are stations con-
structed on each side of the river. Then
comes another land journey of 90 miles
to reach our lately built town of Leo
poldsville, at the entrance of Stanley
Pool. Hence we steam up unintclTupt-
cdly distance of LOGO English miles.
With a short road past Stanley Falls we
could proceed $50 miles farther up the
river, and then portage of two miles
would give us $50 more. In addition
to these distances upon the Congo it
self, its larger affluents make up to-
tai navigable length of more than 1000
miles. Along the main stream we have
constructed thirteen stations in the most
likely places, among peaceful tribes,
with whom we are on terms of familiar
intercourse, and who have welcomed us
as brothers."
The importanoe of these measures,
which practically bridge over the gap
dividing the inland trade of the upper
Congo from the coast trade of its lower
course, can hardly be overrated. Even
in 1883 the annual value of the local
traffic was estimated at $14,000,O00; and
now that the Berlin Conference of 1884
has disposed of the absurd claims of
Portugal and established freedom of
trade throughout the entire basin of the
Congo, it may reasonably be expected
to develop apace. Bounded on the
north by the watershed of the Nile, on
the south by that of the Zambezi and
the Logo, on the east by Lake Tangan-
yika, and on the west by the Atlantic
Ocean, this vast tract comprises almost
the whole southern portion of Central
Africa, having q length of 1,400 miles
by n breadth OF 200, and an area of
1900, 900 square miles. Its population,
though mere nothing to that which it
may support with ease at no very dis
taEt date, is already very considerable.
In one section of the upper Gorge Mr..
Stanley counted fourteen tolerably
large villages within very limited
space; and the most reliable among the
many estimates of the total population
rates it us high as 40,000,000.
The lower Congo enjoys the priceless
advantage of traversing an intermediate
zone admirably fitted for cultivation,
separating two opposing tracts, in one
of which cultivation is rendered impossi-
BILE by absolute want of water, and in
the other by Il permanent excess of it.
The great mass of forest and swamp
covering the basin of the Niger and NJ
most the whole of the west coast stretch
es southwark as far rs the mouth of the
Ogoway River, about fifty miles south
of the equator. Here it gradually be-
gins to melt away, the rivers being still
thickly wooded, while the open country
assumes the form of wide green savan-
nahs, dapplcd with clumps of trees, and
representing the ''park-likc region so
often and so enthusiastically referred to
by Mr.. Johnston. This in its turn
gives place by degrees to the scantier
vegetation of the Portuguese provinces
of Bengucla and Mossamedes, growing
thinner and ever thinner us it recedes
from the limit of the oil palms ut the
tenth parallel of south latitude. till the
last trace OF vegetable life vanishcs on
the border OF the great Kalahari Desert,
which lies Immediately north Of the
Orange River and Cape Colony
1t is through the great natural park
above mentioned that the Congo flows
downward to the sea, with all the COM
mercial advantages that can be given To
it by magnificent climate and soil
Of uneXamplcd fertility. Among the
products of the Congo basin enumerated
By Mr.. Stanley are palm oil, cassava,
plaintains and other fruits, palm wine,
copper, iron, vermilion, camwood, to-
bacco, sugar-canc, beans, maize, millet,
sweet pothtoes and other Vegetables,
mats of palm fibre. nuts, fish, eggs,
pigs, goats, India rubber, and ivory.
The last article is so abundant on the
upper Congo that in one of the villages
of the savage region near the mouth of
the Aruwimi an Ivory temple is said
to exist, formed of a light roof support
ed by thirty-three entire tusks, many of
which are of enormous size. The chief
local imports are cotton, hardware,
cloth, salt, crockery, guns, and powder.
the three first-named articles being in
especial demand. and forming in some
districts the actual currency OF the
country, so far as it can be said to have
any. "At the present time" says Mr..
Stanley, 1.-THE quantity of cheap cottons
sold every year in the Congo markets
to 6,250,000 yards; and sup
posing every inhabitant of the Congo
basin to have just one Sunday dress
every new year, 320,000,000 yards
would be required. "-Dacid Her, IN
HarperS Magazine for March.