The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-01-15
rrr coscursr or AYnscA.

rnE CONQUEST or AFRICA.
qhe dIspute hetween Great Britain and
pe.tn~sI. occasioned By the operations OF
1rssor Pinto, once more calls the attention
s. tbs world 10 the events that are taking
rlece ID Central Africa. A grand rush for
ferr1fory Il going on In the ons-tinas Dask
Sscsfinrut which reminds one Of the rush
i ~ ierritory which took place In America
4 ;e..ua three centuries ago. although the
uro.esst movement i much more system
efzo ana ordsriy aisd on much grsndes
] oe&Io thsn ihst which brought the western
s.ernI>ubere under European control.
This. howeysr, il due 20 steam and cleo
f.1cifg. 10 improved methods OF warfare
and improved means Of communication.
Every despotic government that has
over exisfed.-ons might simost say every
eoxernmenf that has ever existed--has
In possexsed OF an unreasoning desire
!. ~ territorial extension. A large proper
1Iou Of the wars OF history have been
brought about BY this desire. itexisted
ohen history dawned, when Cyrus The
Great brought Asia under his sway, when
cembyses added Egypt 70 the possessions
IL he great Persian empire. II exists To-
dxv. though ia . sabdued and modified
lcrru, and the European governments are
8 eaxer for territorial extension ~ they
were three centuries ago.
Thu means for the qualification OF this
desire do not, however, exist - they did
&. PAST centuries. For half century or
mon European governments have realized
mai America Is forever closed 10 them ~
a>ld Tor conquest. Australia il completely
il he possession Of Great Britain, and no
rsoxer 81 continental Europe can hope ever
q obtain q foothold there. The attitude
assumed BY the United States with refer
1gsre 10 the samoan dispute has made II
ssidsnt that the process Of absorbing the
Pacific islands must be abandoned entirely
a. pursued with extraordinary caution.
Africa alone Is left as g field for colonial
tion. 80 called, and Il viii be comparatively
short time until every foot Of lie territory
& claimed by ct least one Of the European
r1xsrnments.
Almost ssyery nation Of Europe, save
Russia, Austria Hungary and Sweden and
Norway. Il engaged in the present move
msns for ths partition OF Africa. France
szsds tho initial move more than half
century ago IN The oonquestof Algeria, and
81 resent years has added Tunis 10 It's AT.
rican possessions. Great britain Is prnctl
e.,ly the master 81 South Africa aud has
tnporpofstsi Egypt in is great empire.
Hi - niished anyssutpoat GA the
II - and Il aitxinE$ % become the mas
~ II Abyssinia. Germany claims terri
sory Of unknown extent on the East coast.
Portugal has long claimed large portion
Of equatorial Africa. Finally, the Congo
Free State, which ID practically possession
III Belgium. claims an area larger than the
United States. which viii eventually pass
under the control OF the more powerful na-
lions OF Europe.
II Il this desire for the conquest of Africa
which leads 10 the fitting out Of the explor.
Inc expeditions which have occupied SO
much Of the worlds attention In recent
years. These are called exploring expcdi-
tons by courtesy, but they much more
nearly resemble armed invasions. They
Usually consist Of from enc 10 Eve thousand
men, some Of them Europeans and some
81 them natives. They pass through vast
regions. waging war upon the inhabitants
a. II They belonged 10 condemned race.
Sometimes the natives resist their approach,
Che Invasion h considered. AZ other times
the natives are too peaeea5le 50 offer resis-
lance. aud then some other pretext for be-
ginning hostilltlos Is found.
OF course, this Is all done In the name of
science. which can fairly rival liberty In tbs
number Of crimes which are committed ia
lie name. II mar be doubted, however,
wAssAeF the killing OF hundreds OF harm.
less natives l. sufficiently compensated Tor
hy tie more definite locationof mountain
os che more accurate dslineation of a river
upon Tho map. II Was upon such an expe-
dition that Major Pinto, in his ruthless
slaughter oil natives. happened 10 get upon
territory claimed by Great Britain aud 90
kali few natives who were technically en-
titled 10 British protection, or. 20 speak
moro accurately. 10 the privilege Of being
killed by Enelishaen ard Of rot besng
allied By anybody else. II Is this lndiscre.
tson OF the Portuguese explorer which has
occssienad the present dsspnte-a dispute
which vii be settled as such diputss usually
ere, al the cole expense Of the miserable
pativss.
lis In great part apon tho successful
candues Of such maras3ing sxpedltions
that The FAME al Ssanley, PINTO aad tho
istssr~iAy race Of African explorers rests.
II - sxry different freEa the days when
kreks and Grant, almost alone. penetrated
Che wslsss OF Africa, or frem the days when
sosa nF. Livingston, with his MAkAsola
crew. padded down the uaknown
xanalasi.
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