Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-08-22
THE CONGO FREE STATE.
Its Growing Commercial Interests
ead Projected Halfway.

asaG PROJECTED tEdIiNhys
A New York Herald special from |
WASHINGTON says: Lieutenant Emory Il.
Taunt, United States commercial agent at
Bona, Cougo free state, who haa recently
returned home Tor short vacation, which
he has beeD spending with friends in
Virgins, yesterday tiied with the depart
ment OF state on exhaustive report on the
Lower Congo basin, situated on the
southwest coast OF Africa. lie says;-
"Since my report to the honorable score
tary of the navy, 10 February, 1887 the
organization OF The Congo free state has
been perfected, and l now find we'll
equipped government, with a full corps
OF officials, courts of laws, post offices,
customs stations, standing army of
from 900 10 800 men, and currency Ct
gold, Bilvav aad copper" The European
seat Of government is at Brussels, King
Leopold, of Belgium, being sovereign Of
| the Congo free state.
Bona, settlement ninety miles from
the mouth Of the Congo River, is the
/ sen! Of government in Africa and capital
| OF the state. Banana, at the mouth Of
| the river, is the port OF entry. Vessels
| drawing q feet OF water can go up the
river as far as Matadi station, 175 miles
1
with her neighbors are satisfactory. A
dispute over the boundary Of the eastern
limits OF the state will be settled, Lieu
tenant Taunt says, at conference on
African affairs, to be held in Brussels
Italy, Belgium, Portugal and Holland are
represented OF Bona by oonBuls; the
United States by commercial agent.
Four lines OF steamers connect Banana and
Bona with Liverpool, Hamburg, Lisbon
and Hayre. Irregular communication ia
also had by means of line to Rotterdam.
Cable communication can be had at the
mouth Of the Goboon River, forty-eight
hcrrs' sail north Of Banana, and al st.
Paul de Loando, fifteen hours south. II
. Congo will guarantee certain sum the
cable company will Join the two ends Of
the cable.
The Dutch-African Trading Company
! is the oldest and most ilourishing Of tht
! trading companies on the Congo. It hal
! stations 800 miles north and south of tn;
: rivers mouth and on the river itself O!
far as Stanley Falls, l,5U0 miles inland
Ii has steamers ON the Upper and Lower
Oongos, coasting yesselR, a lire Il
Europe and hotel at Banana. Unde
inducements offered by the French gov
eminent the Dutch company is raisin,
coffee successfully. Except the prize 70
pioneer planting, other planters can pro
cure the sane fRvors from the Frencl
government enjoyed by the Dutch com
i pany. There are also operating in tn
Congo States the French company
Dumas Bereux X Go. OF Paris, ard Eut
ton & Cookson Of Liverpool ard ia
Portuguese company.
"I6e Belgian Joint Stock Company c
the Congo" is new corporation JUS
organized in Brussels with American
French and English money, which Lieu
tenant Taunt thinks will absorb th
greater part OF the trade OF the valley c
e the Congo. One OF its pIoien!a 10 th
e building Of railway from MRtGdi, u,
y head OF navigation on the lower riyst,
:, Stanley Fails, tie beginning Of nGyig.
ton On the upper Congo, $40 miles
g This, il IL claimed, will be the bsginnin
: OF the suppression Of the slave trad
The capital stock, SO, 400 900, has q
been suvscribed- $500, $50, it Il said b
= ore American capitalist. This joint stoc
a Company ~ Intimately connected vii
the government Of the Congo a'Lt
10 Lieutenant 1sunt believes thera "a Z
opening Gu or Ia the vicinity OF IL
Lower Ccrgo for an American fra
q establish itself with reasonable prcsnsc
Z Of success
N On The Upper Congo there is gre
y, demand fer cotton guNdi, canned ioul
.u cutlery, lumber mud ready mads honse
EaglGnd and France als gradually seen
ing all this trade N cd OF watch Orig
RI aeiiy came from the United States.
iamgnsa trade Will Arpbs Ia Cgnfr
u Africa VII! bsopened MP witA the a5epi!
o. the upper Q nsl, ald n4Eau' stUsz
: 81 the United states viii thcn Aase
EnsNsr The q1ertian, ''Can tGes toEp ~
gttb MArghgstasgn