Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-09-25
TURNED OUT OF THE UPPER CONGO.
A Large Belgian Trading Company at War
with the Congo state.

Very serious difficulties have arisen be-
tween the Congo Free State and the Bel
gian Society OF the Upper Congo. Two
years ago Captain Gele revealed the course
of the Mobsngl river. the greatest Congo
tributary, aud also made known the ex-
istence of the Sahara tribe. whose King.
Bangasso. is the most powerful chief IN
that part of Africa. His capital Is little
way up the Mbomo tributary Of the Mo-
bangi. and the attention OF the Society Of
the Upper Congo was called 10 the oppor-
tunity for entering into trade relations
with the people.
In the fan of 1891 three agents of the
company established commercial stations
at Banzyyille and Yakoma, on tho Mo-
bangi and no Bangasso. on the Mbomo
river, for the purpose of buying ivory and
rubber. More than S250,00O worth of
ivory, the accumulatiOns of years. had
been procured and started down the
river when two circulars weTe issued
by Mr.. Georges Le Marinsl, the
Congo State Governor IN that dis
trIct. The circulars astonished the agents
of the trading company, and abruptly put
an end to all trading operations. The hrst
circular forbade the natives from collect
ing ivory or rubber in any part OF the un-
occupied forests or plains of their country
and European merchants from buying
ivory or rubber of the natives. The se-
cond circular prohibited traders from en-
gaging IN traffic of any kind with the ma
tives above Yakoma which, OF course, cut
them off wholly from their profitable
trading relations with the subjects Of Chief
Bangasso. The circulars practically closed
commerce in the entire basin OF the upper
MObangi and it's two great branches. the
Meile- Makua and the Mbomo, an inn
meuse territory, rich ana populous, and
drained by a magnificent water highway.
The Belgian society regarded this action
as an Injustice and declaration OF unpro-
vOked war on purely commercial society.
IL believed that its enterprises were entI-
tied to consideration from tine fact that It
is dong great deal 10 develop the coun-
try; that it is engaging IN difficult and
costly works OF pioneering. and that
Congo basin it has been induced 10 invest
80, 900 600 francs IN that land. The CON-
pany is building the railroad around the
Congo cataracts. IL has introduced cattle
raising and has set afoat on the upper
river fotila of little steamboats,. Its
promoters assert that they are paying
large sums 10 the Congo Free state as
taxes. and that they are developing COM
merce in @ savage region. Ihey nave ialu
their grievances before the Secretary OF
Stare at Brussels. but thus far have not re-
ceiyed any satisfaction.
Secretary Van Eetyede asserts that
trading has been prohibited on the upper
Mobangi because the interests of tho ma
tiyes and of the Congo Free state require
II. He makes no accusations against the
company. but asserts that the orders
which have been issued prohibiting trade
for the present will be upheld. II looks
very much as though the Congo State de-
sires to monopolIze the trade itself.
4 he entire BELGIAN press IS giving much ]
attention to the dispute. The trading
asserts that this act is only the
latest of a series of aunOyances inflicted
upon it for two years past. Ii says 1t can
not go on with the work IN the Congo
basin unless it has the support aud assist !
ance instead of the opposition, ofthe gov
eminent. As it has obtained no satistac-
ton in It's appeal TO the officers Of the
government at Brussels, il solicited and
obtained the other day an interview VITA
tho King. The result OF it Is not known
VnE