The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-09
BETwEEN TEE
CONGO AND THE NILE.

Inc congo FFoo ntate vary uhely ~ Nuo
only Government that has IN Automobile
Department. This sdistinct branch Of the
services was organized more than q year ago
when tho Government was formulating Its
plans for tho building Of Q system Of auto
mobile freight roads, the f~orerunners Of
railroads In regions where the steam engine
may not he seen for many ear TO come.
The first report Of the Automobile Depart
mcnt has just been issued. and the following
facts relating TO one Of the roads are taken
from this official paper.
The road on which work In being most
rapidly pushed, and IN the completed por-
ton Of which freight Ia now being trans
ported, will be tho longest and most impor-
tant 0f these enterprises. II will connect
the Congo with the Nile at Rejsf, only q
short distance south Of Gondokoro, which
is now reached regularly by passenger and
freight steamers from Khartum. When the
freight road IL completed, In about two
years, the upper Congo will have automo-
bile, steamboat and rail connections with
the Mediterranean a. we'll az steam trans
portation to the mouth Of the Congo and
Europe. The great point gained will DO
facility for the development Of the rich
and largely populated northeastern part Of
the State, which is now accessible only by
means Of the slow and costly carrier service.
About 900 miles up the Congo above
Stanley Pool the river receives on its north
ern bank the large Itimbiri tributary, which
steamers can ascend for about zoo miles TO
Buta. This IL the starting point Of the
automobile road. The section between Buta
and Bambili on the Welle Makua, the o
part OF the largest Congo tributary, IL 100
miles long, and its construction il now far
advanced. Above Bambili there arc some
long stretches OF navigation where the
loaded automobiles will be carried on small
steamers. but the length OF freight road
connecting these stretches In the territory
OF the Welle will be about $50 miles. From
the Welle Makua northeast to Rejaf on the
Nile the road will be $40 miles long. The
total length Of the freight road will thus be
500 miles.
The attitude Of the natives along the Weils
Makua toward the advancing enterprise is
highly gratifying to the authorities. Recent
travellers in this region. and especially the
representative Of the Liverpool School Of
Tropical Hygiene. ave told US of the large
population Of this northern part Of the
State which has not been invaded by the
aNOOVA oiA Va NAC bC8iNy VOiOutIO
the people have extended to the whites.
The chiefs complain however, that the oar
rier service between the Belgian posts takes
too many men from their usual pursuits,
and the whole region is happy over the fact
that the freight road will entirely do away
with the caravan Of porters carrying loads
on their backs for hundreds Of miles. The
natives are so pleased with the idea that
they are offering themselves In large num-
bers for the work Of construction.
Manzali. the most important chief OF this
section. on his own initiative has offered
to provide from his tribe all the man needed
to build the road in his country. He a
that il the whites will survey and stake out
the line. build the bridges. provide super
intendents to see that the work is properly
done and pay his subjects the usual price
for work by the day. the whites need not
bother themselves with tho question Of
labor supply. He will provide the men and
take them from the villages near where the
road is being built. so that the expense Of
transporting men a long way from their
homes will DO saved.
His proposal has been accepted. A
considerable part OF the line will extend
through heavy tropical forests. where road
construction is difficult. Tho section now
completed. covering a part of the way be-
tween the Itimbiri and Welle Makua, in
volved the hardest problems OF road con-
struction in dense forest. and no part OF the
line is expected to present greater dificul-
ties. The entire road will be hrst class for
the heavy hauling intended, md perfect
drainage is being provided at every point.
A cheap and common roadway would simply
mean failure.
For some years the Government has been
experimenting with two or three types of
automobile freight carriers. A we'll known
English machine was finally rejected. chieny
on account of its excessive weight, and the
Goldschmidt wagon of Belgium, especially
built for tropical service. has bsen adopted
and is said to 70 satisfactory in all respects.
The only change in il which the report
recommends is THAI certain Congo instead
OF European woods be used in the oon-
struction Of the machines now building for
the service.
As fast as the road is completed the
wagons are hauling material and supplies
TO the road head. giving the machines and
roadbed a thorough test. Tho loaded
wagons travel at the rate Of ten to twelve
miles an hour. and it is expected that this
will be the average speed between the Congo