The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-04
hFR|CL'S VAST FREE STATE.
INSTRUCTIVE HISTORY OF PRO.
GRESS OF kOxGO COUNTRY
Creation Of the European Powers
How and why IL IVES Established
aad Declared lndepenaent-Mar-

Lieut. Charles Lemaire, OF Brussels sx-
commissioner Of the Equator district Of
the kongo state. details in the New York
independent the origin and marvellous de-
veiopment Of the Koago country In TWEEN
y years, ne writes. the creation of a vast
free state has completely changed the
Creates; river tsasin n the world till then
profoundly buried in darkness and 5arhar-
:sgn. and made il a land Of order and civil
tzasion- This astounding transformation Is
due 10 the will Of a single man. Before
mounting the Belgian throne, the then
Duke of Brabant. in a volume entitled.
The Complement OF the Work OF 1880 -
pointed out in the most elevated taaguas e
the necessity for Belgians 10 have a colony
beyond the seas. Become king, this same
prince, Leopold H., now sovereign of the
independent kongo state. turned his atten-
ton forthwith toward carrying out his
dream of many years.
In 1876 the king brought together in his
palace the Brussels Geographical congress.
composed Of well known men Of learning
gecgraphers and explorers OF all nations
This was the origin OF the International
African Society whose aim was 10 creaf =
m uninterrupted chain of stations from
the eastern coast to the great lakes discor-
cred by Livingstone. This meant The pere-
trating into equatorial Africa from the
east. as all attempts from the west had
failed.
The best known Of these expef tons from
the west was that piaceS: by the English
admiralty under the orders OF Capt. James
X Tuckey. In 1916 Tuckey went up the
Kongc 10 a distance of some 10 miles but
lost eighteen men n four months. which
seemed 10 check further attempts in. that
direction
On August 3. 1877. a man arrived at the
mouth of the Kongo and said: 1T Ia now
ees days since left Zanzibar. / have seen
all the lands known TO the Arabs Of the
east and. during 2sl days have traverse.
countries which white man ever saw
before. l have sailed along over 1.So
miles of a wonderful river and. by making
a detour OF some 80 miles I have been
able to pass around forty cataracts."
The man who told this wonderful tale
vas Stanley. who had thus completed the
discoveries OF Livingstone. and who. in
order to solve the problem OF the kongo.
which could not be approached from the
west had taken IL at the other end and
had descended from Nyangwe to Banana.
telling of his thirty-two fights which he
had had with cannibals along the unknown
fver of the seven equatorial cataracts ito
day Stanley fais>. OF the thirty-two falls.
OF terrible privatons. deaths, massacres.
etc.
For the third time Africa had now been
crossed from the Orient to the Occident.
After Livingstone and Cameron Stanley
had traversed those regions marked on the
maps as terra incognita. Doubtless an en-
thusiastic welcome awaited the brave adj
venturer. Not al all. Europe pretended 10
see In Stanley signs of an impostor and
mistrusted him But he inspired confidence
in the king of the Belgians and from this
confidence was 10 spring the future state
OF Kongo.
In 1873. at the suggestion and under the
auspices of Leopold H. the committee for
the study of the Upper kongo was formed
Its purpose was TO do on the west coast
what the International African Society was
endeavoring TO accomplish on the east
coast. The new organization also deter
mined to foster commercial development,
which is the best way TO get into contact
with the negroes.
An expedition whose aim was the study
OF his whole question In detail and on the
spot was Immediately organized and plac-
ed under the orders of Stanley. who. in
1879. again appeared at the mouth Of the
Korgo and set 10 work TO perform the
duties assigned him. These duties were
10 examine into the navigation OF the
river and its affluents TO enter into peace
full commercial and political relations
with the NATIVES. TO secure territorial con-
ccssions to establish posts. conclude
treaties to learn what were the exploit
able riches of the region. to decide what
lines of artificial communication could be
opened and particularly to find out II IL
would he possible 10 link. by means OF
railroad the Atlantic coast with the river
system OF Central Africa. This programme
reveals the long-cherished dream OF Leo
po!d 1.-THE desire 70 create an outlet for
the Industrial activity Of his people. 10
spread the benefits Of civilization by
means az commerce and labor. and 10
found. without the effusion Of blood which
characterized earlier conques's in Africa.
a grand. rich colony that, later. could be
handed over 10 Belgium.
Full OF enthusiasm. Belgian Officers
begged 10 Join the expedition and. ac-
companied by them. Stanley sailed up the
noble river and its branches. making
treaties and dropping along It's banks his
agents whom he inffamed with his own
enterprisIng ardor. And In the footsteps
OF these bold pioneers followed mission
aries scientists, merchants and, curious
Iy enough even tourists some OF whom
were so allied with enthusiasm for the en-
terurise that they asked 20 be allowed 10
share ite dangers ard harishps alongside
Of the Relgians. Such. for instance. was
Lieut. Mohun. l. s. A.. consular agent,
charged by his government with a mis-
sion 10 the Kongo who made this whole
campaign
In the end the decisive results obtained
by this Stanley expedition led the COM
ynittee for the study Of the Upper Kongo
20 transform itself into an International
Kcngo Association so that the newly cx-
piored territories roH'd be brought under
a strong and independent administration.
emaBating from a duly established au-
thority. recognized as such by the princi-
pal nations OF the word
Toward TIE end ~ iss3 the International
Kongo Association Rad In tts possession
more than H. en treaties signed by the
native chiefs VINO Voluntarily coded their
sovereign rights over THE lands which
they occupied While continuing its act
I've work in Africa. ;hs 4ssoc4~i;Io. sTssf-a
into diplomats relations with the great
powers. In order % obtain from them the
recognition OF its sovereignty In the Kon-
go basin and ne entsymen; OF tire iH1ET1u-
mites ard prsToga,iyes of state The
United States was ffs' on April TO- 1854.
10 recognize the new state. ard seven
months later :he German empire followed
this good example.