The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-23
THE ROT4I NIGER COMPANY.

THE ROT4L NIGER COMPANY.
Great Britain Assumes Control of the Vast
Regions 1t Acquired IN Africa.
Great Britain has decided to relieve the
Royal Niger COMPANY OF the government OF
the territory in the western SOudan. one-sixth
as large as the nited States. which it has ac-
CURED within the past thirteen years. The
company will be reimbursed for the debt II
has incurred. for the improvements it has
made. for the land and mineral rights it has
| purchased and for the cost Of the admnistra-
| tive plant. and then 1t becomes merely trad
ing organization, wholly deprived Of the ad-
ministrative functions with which it was en-
| dowed by its charter granted in 1896. 1t has
met the fate Of all chartered companies.
and, unlike some Of them. it relinquishes
| the power coniided 10 IL with high
| reputation for Just dealing. able man
| agement and large success IN the nature
| OF things. a country cannot always be ruled
! by private interests. 4 commercial com
| pany cannot always continue to create the
! courts. to be the Judge in ITS own causes. and
| to deal with the manifold concerns Of millions
! Of people. in many cases when it's public duty
| conflicts with its private interests. 1t is no
| reflection upOn the honor or ability Of the COM
| pany that the British Government now takes
! into its own hands the empire won for it; and
| the company gives up its public functions
, without breath OF scandal attaching to it.
America has been much interested in the
| African liquor problem. and the efforts that
! have been making to diminish the flood of the
vilest quality of spirits that for many years has
| been pouring upon the west coast of Africa
| Practical efforts to check this trade. which was
| running the coast tribes. were not put on foot
! until the Brussels conference Of 1890. But the
| Rpyal Niger tpmpany did wait hn n a
| tonS to speak at Brussels. and it will show
! something of it's spirit to tell how il took the
! initiative and was the prime mover in the war
on deleterous traffic. Gin was the basis of
! commerce. and the company could not under
J take its summary suppression 1t decided
upon the gradual extirpation Of the evil. With
| its charter at it's back. it first imposed heavy
duty on liquor mportations. Its next step
| was to prohibit those imports into the country
above the Junction OF the Niger and Bcnue
rivers, and by this means it protected the vast
! firm ioothoid The trade was thus confined to
the tribes OF the Niger delta regions
70 T al b snS or onny aS. H,'s enough r
/ duced the area of the trade, admitting it only
as far as the s"venth parallel cutting off the
! northern third Of the region to which liquor
was admitted. Next II placed an almost pro-
! hibtive duty upon admission TO the lower
| reduced. The delta tribes. who for many years
had regarded cheap gin and rum as the great
I
almost to revolt 10y this drastic measure. but
were held in check and the duty was strictly
company hoped soon TO i" able to prohibit the
| Introduction OF all spirItuOus liquors into its
domnions Tho fact rebounds to the credit OF
! the company that 1t has gone much further
| toward the total abolition OF this traffic than
the Congo Free state or anyof the powers hav.
| ing colonies in Africa. though they all signed
the Brussels article against the trade.
When the Roya Niger COMPANY received it's
terrltory it is now turning over to the British
government. The entire region east Of the
| der the control of native sultuns and chiefs
| 4 large part Of the territory west of the river
nsme Th ,e i'n T" Ina
is the result OF about 300 treaties made with
native states and chisis l, j. not c4uallsd BY
population and the average intelligence of its
inhabitants. 1t is not surpassed anywhere on
it has also ,arge. mineral wealth. The entire
population is estimated at 3o.ODo.oOo, about
% vi The y IN I"e rSeon o Yo % IS
the most denscIy rr"rled part OF Africa outside
The company has seen some exciting times
in its short and rvcntful career as q governing
h took part in n t" Lax TSnn8
and France. All got slice Of b" shores Of that
famous inland sea. but IT was the good fortune
western Suudan. Its dispute wi th France over
n" possesslon OF the territories west Of the
II hand III it hcfor" tn" most vital points at
! issue were finally adjusted 1t had serious
native war on it's hands when the Emr Of
Nupe violated his treaty agreement not to raid
tioldir, the PrSsiiert II tho Council. stakcd the
cxistcnc" 81 III" contrary on the issue Of the
, campaign against the Emir. which resulted III a
hr liant success for the british. IN" rcbelli"us
! Emr with his army OF 30 600 men having been
defeated hv 500 men led 10y Sir George in person.
AZ present there are no boundary disputes
capacity IN" company makes Itgmtl"d exit
from III" scene. / has never niler"d share
Of lis stock on tn" market. and 1t has with
Taid,np capita, While busted win affairs Of
stat" II has not neglected the smaller matters
OF commerce" Hum reds of IT. corrugated iron
sheds are scattered along n" rivers at con-
yGm,"nt r"n,r for trad" Scores Of s St"r m,
and down, carrying tur"pc4n goods ana native
fammd" n GIe yo nnFH4 c aHG Jay" Ec
the common medium of eNchang" at the up-
river. trading posts. 1t has been constantly
n"v plotuc:,. and. though palm oil and rub
her are the chief article Of export. there are
company has found II profitable to handle.
IN" traders Of Other nat opss VII hail ne new
o Win + fyes hn%
rulr. they say. they have been completely out
inIhh" G%G "y"p w9T tn" FTCBSS told the
House, q Commons the other day that he ro-
Gnried the term. OF ,-ettlcm%nt 9fIered TO the
perhaps does not share this view. At least
Sin George Gp'lic. Us President told this story
when he was asked his opinion of the Govern
! meut' terms:
Il II tell you story apropo- OF the occasion.
In the early seventies, during some Carlist
commercial traveller who was compa ming
bitterly that a Cnrlst band had stoIped the
Corona diligence and made of with his hoNes.
A priest asked him il the band rcrmittcd him
To retain m" clothes he wa wearing. and was
told that this was the cnsr, Ny dear sir tn"
priest continued, then YOU ought to think
! Yourself well treated and should he very thank
full. WHY. Will" ago. n band stopped the dill
| genCe, and after they left the passengers
went on their journey in newspapers