Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-08
GERMANY A MEDDLER
Even in Parkway Zanzibar, Accord
ing to a Most Credible Writer.
LETTERS FROM BISHOP COURMONT
To Rev. Father McDermott, of the Holy
Ghost College, Pittsburg.
CATHOLIC MISSIONS AIDING NATIVES.

In a conversation which reporter of
THE DISPATCH had yesterday with the
Rev. Father MeDermott, of the Holy Ghost
College, the latter furnished some very in
teresting details respecting the recent
troubles in Zanzibar, on the Eastern coast
of Africa. He prefaced his remarks by
stating that the Order of the Holy Ghost is
entrusted with extensive missions on the
entire stcoast, ,embracinga an extent of s, 900
miles along the coast and LOO miles into
the interior, including Senegambia, Liberia,
Senegal, Congo, the Guinea coast; reaching
on the south to the Orange river, and on
the northeast as far as the famous Tim
buctoO AMI the borders of the Sahara
Desert.
On the east the Fathers of the Holy Ghost
have had charge for the past 80 years of the
entire district Of the zanguebar. They were
the first pioneers of these vast regions, and
paved the way for the missionaries Of Car
dinal Lavigerie, who are now stationed
along the Great Lakes of Tanganika and
Victoria Nyanza. The establishmentsin in the
island of Zanzibar is the starting point and
rendezvous of all the great modern explorers
of the Dark Continent. 1t is here that
Stanley and Brazza and host Of others re-
ceived cordial hospitality, valuable assist
ance and abundant information before start
ing on their long expeditions to the interior.
In a word, their missions comprise blsh-
oprics, apostolic prefectures, and include
over 200 missionaries.
After giving these details the Reverend
Father showed some letterc which had been
Just received from Bishop de Courmont, of
the HOLY Ghost Order at Zanzibar, and
translated the following extracts, which
throw considerable light upon tie origin
and extent of the recent troubles. 1t will be
seen, from these authentic sources, to which
European power must be ascrlbed the re-
sponsibility of exciting among the native
tribes hostility which is liable to
WEAKEN ALL EUROPEAN INFLUENCE
on the coast and to retard the progress of
religion and civilization. 1t must be re-
membered, by the way, that Zanzibar is a
small island within sight of the coast-just
large enough TO contain town with popu-
lation OF about $4,000 or $4,000, embracing
natives Arabs Europeans and coolies (or
immigrants from East India). Bagamoyo
is big village on the coast just opposite
Zanzibar. 1t is here that the Fathers have
their principal establishment, where over
400 children are instructed and trained in
all the industrial arts.
tExtract from the letter Of September "a 1882
On the 10th of August the agents of the Ger
man Company of Colonization received the
order to take possession of the custom houses
along the coast. The discomfort of the popula-
tion excited against them on every side strong
which eliminated almost
sides in a state of actual warfare.
At BaCamoyo two German vessels of war
have been obliged to land some companies of
sailors and thus force the natives into accept
ing and recognizing the new order OF things,
which, for the moment, appeared to be settled,
until after brief calm the revolt broke out
again.
This time it was at Tonga, where two German
sailors were severely wounded, and the popu-
lace, exasperated by the bombarding of the
village, obstinately refused to receive the en-
ployes of the customs. The latter were there
fore obliged to retire in spite of the presence
of the German Admiral and six vessels of war.
A similar resistance was offered at Pangani,
where three Germans were captured and re-
tanned in prison for two days without food,
AT Bagamoyo, there reigns great feverish
excitement among the natives who are anxious
TO shake of the German yoke. They speak of
nothing but of the bombarding on the one
hand, and of open fighting on the other. But
it is impossible for me to arrive at the exact
truth in the midst of so many contradictory ru-
lnors, However, I have been lust now in
formed by the French Consul that the Baron
Gravenreuth, German Governor of Bagamoyo,
has been attacked by the natives But the
German admiral leaving Zanzibar, and landing
his sailors and some soldiers of the Sultan's
army, drove BACK the natives, who lost, it is
said, over loo killed and wounded. The Ger
mans lost none, but six soldiers of the Sultan
were wounded.
For the moment we have, apparently moth
ing to fear at the Mission, for the natives in
whose midst we have lived aud labored so long,
are entirely in sympathy with us. But the fu-
ture preoccupies us extremely for if this affair
of the custom houses is sustained by force of
arms, and if massacres continue to be perpe-
trated at other points, it will no doubt exas-
perate the entire population to such a degree
that all the whites along the coast will be
seriously exposed.