Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-15
The Dark Continent.

Africa has, within the past few
years, become the "hinterland" of Eu-
rope. Seven European nations now con-
troll territories in Africa, two of them
having areas equal in each case to
about the entire land area of the United
States, While few small territories re-
main as Independent states Beginning
at the northeast, Egypt and Tripoli are
nominally at least tributaries of Tur-
key tho the Egyptian government,
which was given large latitude by that
of Turkey, has of late years formed
such relations with Great Britain that,
in financial matters, at least, her guild
ance is recognized next west, Algeria.
French; then Morocco>on the extreme
northwest; next on the south, Spain's
territory, Rio de Orc; then the Senegal
territories, belonging to the French
and connecting thru the Saraha desert
with her Algeria; then a group of small
divisions controlled by England, along
the Gulf of Guinea; then Liberia, the
black republic: Togoland, controlled by
the Germans; Dahomey. French pro-
tectorate: the Niger territory, one
third the size of the United States, con-
trolled by England: Kamerun. con-
trolled by Germany; French Congo;
then the Congo Free State, under the
auspices of the king of Belgium, and
occupying the very heart of equatorial
Africa: then Portuguese Angola; next.
German Southwest Africa; and finally.
in the march down the Atlantic side,
Cape Colony, British. Following up the
eastern side comes the British colony
OF aNtal; next, Portuguese Africa, and
west of this the great territory known
as "Rhodesia;" then German Africa,
which extends almost to the equator;
north of these British East Africa,
fronting on the Indian ocean. and
merging northwardly with the Egyp-
tian Soudan, which was recovered from
the Mahdi by the joint operation of
British and Egyptian troous, and the
British flag placed side by side with
that of Egypt; next north, upon the
coast Italian territory and small tract
opposite the entrance to the Red sea
controlled by England and few hun
dred miles west of the entrance to the
Red sea, the independent kingdom of
Abyssinia.
Commercially the development of
Africa keeps pace with its development
i'll transportation, mining ana dSIicul-
tural conditions. Wherever steam offers
IL method of prompt and inexpensive
transportation, or wherever the pres
ence of valuable minerals attracts man.
kind in large numbers commerce
quickly develops. The business of
PORTS adjacent to the great diamond
and gold mines of South Africa has in
creased rapidly in the last few years.
The imports of Cape Colony, thru which
passes a large proportion of the mer-
ohandise for the mining regions in that
part of Africa, have grown from $685. |
5000 in 1894 to $100,000.OO0 in 1900.
Those of Natal, thru which also passes |
a considerable quantity of goods in
transit for the interior, have likewise
considerably, and into Portu-
guese East Africa, whose ports lie con-
sjderably nearer to the gold and dia
lnond mines than to those of the Cape,
the imports have shown a marked in
crease, the Importation of goods in
transit for the gold fields in 1897 at
Portuguese ports alone having been
about $15,000,000 in value.
The total foreign commerce of Africa
Is estimated at S700000,000, of which
about $430,OOO,000 represents imports
and 1870, 900 exports. OF the exports,