The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-14
IN AFRICA'S HEART.
The Great Resources of the Dark
Continent.
RICH IN NATURAL RESOURCES.
why stanIey's Explorations WIN Be OF
Great Commercial Advantage to
All European Nations.

Toronto Empire.
1t is no idle ambition. but sound COM
mereial reasons, which chiefly impel Ea-
ropean nations 10 the very active interest
taken by them OF late years in the opening
Of Central Africa. The whole country
from the Zanzibar coast in the east 10 the
Gulf OF GaiEea in the west is rich in natural
resources. well wateFed. and generally
more adapted 70 European colonization and
enterprise than most parts of The tropics.
Above the steaming and unhealthy coasts
rises the great plateau Of Central Africa, so
elevated IS 10 compensate in a large meas
ure for its situation under an equatorial
sun. and IN the midst OF a continent so vast
and compact that were the interior as low
ying as the plains OF America the heat
would be unsupportable 20 Europeans.
The upper Nile IS from three 10 four tho0s-
and feet above the sea. and a large part
of the country is even higher, without
being, except on s few isolated moan
tains, too high for rich and abundant
vegetation. This elevation permits
of the cultivation of almost all the products
OF the torrid and suh-tropieal zones, and,
as around the great central lakes, renders
the climate pleasant aud invigorating.
Rain is abundant everywhere. and drouth
infrequent. And under the favorable con-
ditions of soil and climate, population,
except where the Arab slave traders have
devastated large districts. is comparatively
dense. The great upland basin of the
Congo, covering the western two-thirds OF
the equtoTial region and trayersed by its
! mighty river with its many tributaries,
lends itself admirably 20 purposes OF trade
and civilization. Then eastward TO within
a few hundred miles OF the Indian ocean
stretches the region of the great African
lakes--a country especially favored in
mildness OF climate. and reaching from
north TO south over Q distance as great as
the breadth OF the United States OF Amer
lea This great series of lakes promises 10
play very important part in the develop.
ment of Africa. Their ameiorat;ng intiu-
enee on the climate OF the interior must be
great and they offer splendid means Of
building up safely lake shipping which
will tend to shorten the period OF
transition from savagery TO ciyiiiza-
ton. These lakes form the head
waters OF the Nile. the Congo and yari-
GUS other great rivers leading TO the
ocean, and every item OF geographical in
formation which points to the possibility
il to the world Lake Tanganyika, mar
row lake. reaching north AMI south over
500 miles. is connected with the Congo.
Northeast of this lake lies Victoria Nyanza.
out of which in large volumes pours the
Nile. The intervening country is COM
parativeiy fat, and is trayersed by streams
which may be made serviceabls in the con-
struction and maintenance of canals. We
have now the important information from
Stanley that reaching southwest from this
lake is a bay, one-third as large as Lake
Ontario. which brings the shores of the
great lake. of the Nile 10 within i55 miles
of Lake Tanganyika. Further explora-
ton may show that with very moderate
expense in constructing a short connecting
channel or canal and short canals around
the Nile caGaraets, steam communication
may be made continuous from the mouth
of the Nile through the very richest part OF
Africa down 70 where the Congo tumbles
into the narrow plain which borders the
Gulf OF Guinea.
The discovery OF the extension OF Vic
toria Nyanza makes the known area OF that
lake 800 square miles. II thus ranks as
the third fresh water lake in the world,
beng exceeded only by superior. - coo.
and the double lake OF Michigan and
Huron, As. 800 square miles in extent
Germany. in acquiring the Iargs.territory
between the Central African lake country
and the Indian ocean, has exhibited keen
appreciation of the brilliant commercial
future that lies in equatorial Africa Great
Britain is also on the spot TO share in the
profits Of the great boom to the worlds
commerce which the opening OF this eoun-
try must bring. And in the vast Congo
Free State is a spectacle of international
cooperation of a commercial character
such as has no parallel in the annals of
trade.
Ii is matter for reioining that the new
trade enterprise OF Afries Is likely To lend
itself wonderfully 10 the Outstanding and
civilization OF the dark continent. IL WAGES
war against slavery. The earlier European
enterprises on the African coast, on the
contrary. flourished on the slave trasie, so
much SO that we can be thankful that
cataracts too great fer anything short OF
nineteenth century engineering Interposed
an insuperable obstacle 20 carrying this
trade into The interior. Central Africa il
opening TO the world, it may be hoped, Just
a. Il