New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-15
ANTI-SLAVERY CONGRESS.
CONFERENCE OF THE NATIONS Al
BRUSSELS.
s1xrEEN COUNTRIES REPRESENTED - oPhNiN0
COMMUNICATIVE WORK TO BE DONE.
copyriont. 1889 b. ne hp"o'' 90


Powers OF Europe began Its SESSIONS ~ 'e S,.,o"r
Ca. ~ ,bs R,lpian Government Sixteen
Nations were represented Germany Aus','-
Yyunearv Belgium. Denmark. Spain, the lnde
,,.rden, State of Congo, the United STATES oi
America France. Great Britain, Italy, hoh"hu'
prsib. Portugal Russia. Sweden and Norway
and Turkey.
The Conference was called TO order by Prnce
dc Chimay. Minister of Foreign Affairs OF inc
B,lrien Government. who welcomed the plehi-
po,entiaries and delegates in the name oil ,he
King OF the Bclcians. His speech was responded
10 by the Minister of the Netherlands, bafoh
Gericke de lerwynen. the doycn' lor DEAN Of
the Diplomatic Corps at Brussels lie con-
rratulsttd the hing Of the Belsians upon the
wisdom and humanity he had displayed IN IN
itiating n movement for the destruction OF slavery
and the slavc-trade upon the African Contlhen MT
All the DELEGATES are now present with the
exception Of those representing 'hc sultan OF
Zanzibar: and il seems that these gentlemen were
so shocked by the variety of European weathe r
they encountered in England, Germany and
France that they beat ignominious retreat ~
,opspeed ana are now enjoying the salubrious
climate Of the East African Coast.
Baron dc IAmbcrmont. the Belgian Minister
of STAFF. was unanimously selected the perma-
neut president of the Conference He is without
doubt the foremost diplomat in Belgium; eX-
perienced wise discreet and afiablc. lie rem
dcrrd most distinguished services in the Berlin
Conference of lSS4-'SJ, and is destined to exert
a wise and benciicent influence in the present
Conference The election Of secre tareS resulted
as follows: NJ Arendt. a Belgian delegate. as
chef secretary, supported by Mr. GosSelin. of the
British Legation, and NJ Vanderstraeten, of the
Foreign Office.
The largest delegation 10 the Conference is the
French, numbering sX as follows: NM Bouree'
Cocordsn and Lacan. French Consul at Zanzi-
bar. for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Rear
Admiral Human, for the Marine; NM Ballay,
formerly Lcutenant-Governor of GaboOn and the
French Congo and Deloncle, for the Colonial
Department.
The United States have one plenipOtentary and
no delegate.
Great Britain is represented by two plcnipo-
tcntiaricS. Ills Excellency Lord Vivian, the
BRUSH Minister and Sir John Kirk; and the
delegates are Sir Arthur E. llavclock, Captain
Arthur Moore and Mr.. L. w. Wyde. Lord
Vivian has had experience in Egypt, where he
gave u brilliant administration 10 British AFFAIRS
end where he also bad abundant opportunity OF
studying the slavery question.
Sir John Kirk was the medical officer and com
panion Of the late DR.. David Livingstone. lie
has been the British Consul-Gencral at Zanzibar
and is IN every way qualified to render important
service 10 his Government in the present Con
ference
A. the head of the list Of delegates stands a
name Synonymous with integrity honor and duty
Sir Arthur T. Iavelock is the nephew of Sir
Henry llavclock of Indian mntiny fame. or
Arthur has been Governor Of Natal, ConSulGenetat
OF Sierra Leone and aforementioned Of the
colony of Sierra Leone, and was at one time
Zulu Commi sioncr. lie has he'd great deal OF
experience among native African tribes; and
speaks 20 me in complimentary terms OF DE-
Uyden and Barrister Lewis as TWO of the most
splendid specimens of the African race he has
ever met Captain Moore. of the Royal Navy,
hss had considerable experience in cruising against
slave-dhows on the East African Coast: he Is "A
gentleman of culture and great humanity. Mr..
f. w Wyld, of the London Foreign Office, is
provinc himself "a valuable delegate. His veneer
able father. now eighty-one years old, Was in the
Foreign Office for a quarter of century. Young
Mr. Wylde is worthy of his fathers reputation,
although he need not plead the doctrine of i'm
putcd righteousness, being quite able on his own
account TO discharge the grave and delicate duties
of his Office.
Next in order OF Importance stands the Portn-
cuesc delegation, with three delegates and one
plenipotentiary His EXccency Senior lIenrlque
de Maccdo the Portuguese Minister here. Capt.
tainc Hermengildo Augusta Capeilo represents the
Portuguese Navy: and although ne may never
have frightened slave-lcalelS he has had an OPP
portunty of making many cruises along the Airi-
can scaboards Ills colleague, Capitaine Augusta
de Castillo, also Of the Royal Portuguese Navy,
was at one time G0vernOr-General OF Mozambique.
The third delegate, Senior Jayne Batalha Refs,
is at present the Portuguese Consul-Gcneral at
Newcastle.
The position that Portugal may assume occa-
sions Il good deal Of anxiety among other mem
beers of the Conference II is confidently believed
that the Portuguese are the only white people
in the world who are engaged ut the present
time in the slave-tradc; and L have been crcdby
informed that the proofs of their guilt are TO
he laid before the Conference at some stage Of
its proceedings. If this should come to pass. !!
have not The least doubt that the Portuguese
Foreign OGicc would instruct its delegates to
vote for the most stringent anti-savery measures.
This would be the only means OF publicly atom
ing for IA crime 80 hPnOuS and revolving 10 the
nineteenth century sense Of honor and standard
Of Christian civilization.
The most interesting delegation in the Confer
encc. however. is that of the Independent State
OF Congo, headed by the plenipotentiarcs; and
up To- the present time il has occupied most
important and decisive position. The plenipoten-
tiarics NJ Prince. Minister of State. PreS-
dent Of the Superior Council Of the Independent
State OF Congo, and NJ. Van Ectveldc, Admins
trator-General OF the Department OF Foreign Al
fairs. Both Of these gentlemen have had au-
able experience and training ia the Belgian For
eiGn Office. and have carried to the discharge Of
their duties IN The new State of Congo talents of
the highest order. Capitanc Coqulhat a dele
gate. has had startling experience on the Upper
Congo. which he has done us the service OF en-
bodying in a graphically written book, Sur lc
Haut Congo and he is also the Minister of the
Interior Department of the Congo State