Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-14

Painting the African Map Red.


We publish some account of one of the
greatest schemes which have ever startled
the somewhat sluggish Imagination of John
Bull In the heart of Africa, along the high
central plateau, where alone Europeans can
live and thrive, there remains. after all the
cuttings and caryingSOt recent wear vast
stretch of unapprOprlate0 country. Part OF
this territory rs already colorcd red on the
maps. From the northern frontier of the Be
chuanaland prOtectOratc 10 the Lambesl all
the land has been declared to be within
the sphere of British influence. But with
IA this territory We have no authority, no
agent. no garrison, and no responsibility
All that we have done has been 10 put up
"a sign-board 10 other nations" Hands
Of" In the heart of this British sphere
sits Lobenguh. the Cetewayo OF to-day,
with 1900 fighting men, whose pastime
and occupation is war; excepting LOben-
gula and the $4,000 units of his man-slay
ing machine, there Is NO nucleus OF organ
iZed authority within the sphere. Close
20 Lobengula Tres the land OF OphT; rlch
bevoud imagination with aliuYial eold
awaiting the expected rush of my lads of
diggers, who IN few years viii make
Newfoundland q second and richer Trans
viAl. But at present, beyond the
agents of adventurous companies on lhe
outlook for concessions, The land * empty
and dcsolate, nor does the British flag wave
tllINM mere NiibAu AAn AfAiitA'Hs @NRtNA va
the Zamtesi the case Is still worse. Portu-
rtlese territory even on the most liberal
Allowance stops 40 Jumbo. We caunOttOr
"A moment recognize the shadowy claims of
our little ally 10 all the territory between
Angola and Mozambique merely because
their travellers have crossed It. A gallant
British officer recently rode from Pekin to
the Mediterranean, but we do not on that
ground set up "a claim 20 a permanent ter
ritorial right of way between, let Us say,
Hong Kong on one side aud Cyprus on the
other.
The German tcrritory--that is to say, the
thp territory marked as German on the
official Terminate at the Rovuma,
on Lake Nyassa, on the northeast, and az
The northern limit OF Damaraland on the
southwest The nearest appropriated
land Is the very shadowy dominion OF the
Congo Free State. But even IT We treat
all the shadow as substantial realities,
there still remains north OF the LamDesl
and south Of the Victoria NyanZa a great
stretch of plateau land, watered by vast
inland lakes as yet unclaimed by any
European Power. The great scheme I'M
folded this morning Is that the whole OF the
unappropriated territory, the great back
bone OF the Continent, should be CLAIMED
for Englaud-the mchts op1dnd suggested
being the formation OF colossal ooulh
African company, which under the protec-
tion Of a roval charter would take over
fhe admin stration Of al those countries
north and south Of ZambeSl where no set
tled Government exists" The region 10
be included would, we are told, lie between
the south end OF Ianganylka, the west
SHORES of Nyassa, the southern boundaries
of the Congo Free State and the western
and eastern possessions of Portugal, down
~ the frontiers of the Bechuanaland pro,
feetorafe. This includes Alatabele land
and the land Of Ophir. 1t does not
include the Scotch-ihission stations at
RIautyre. All the companies formed
M 10 ne present time Tor opening up the
;,,terior are. we understand, ready to ANAL
gamate aud offer o substantial guarantee
I'M the shape of a colossal capital; Inc
frsi ouestion that will be asked IS whether
the proposed company has got the neces-
sary funds II II has not we need not uis-
ems ANYTHING else. without money, not
even a company seven times chartered can
do ANYTHING worth speaking OF. IL the
man can be- painted red on the cheap, the
work should be done not by chartered au-
yeDturers. bat by the British Government.
But Il obviously cannot be done TOT no.
thing, and as the British Government re-
fuses 10 find the money the door is open 70
q company--if it can lay It's hands upon
The cash.
What chance is there that il can raise tne
money! First, there is the public spirit OF
patriotic miilionaires who may be READY 70
Subsidize an empire rather than TO allow
ths backbone Of Africa to slip out OF our