Evening journal., 1916-05-18

special TO THE EVENING JOURNAL.
WASHINGTON, d. c., May IS. -
News Of the success Of Belgian forces
In conflict with colonial troops Of
German East Africa, gives timeliness
to a war geography bulletin. issued
today by the National Geographic So
ciety from its Washington headquar-
ters. which says.
when the American public reads
that the troops of the Belgian Congo
have defeated the colonial troops Of
German East Africa. at Shangugu. and
that the victors arc proceeding south
ward from Lake Kivu. in the direction
OF Lake TanganYika. il Is hard 10 re-
alize that the two colonial possessions
involved have combined area four
fifths as large as all OF continental
Europe. the Russian empire excepted
Belgium's territory alone In this quar-
ter of the globe is eighty times as
large as the mother country while the
population Of the jungle wilds OF the
Congo basin Is variously' estimated at
from fourteen to thirty millions. lhe
German colony is nearly double me
area OF the home country, while the
ropulation Is estimated at eight MI
lions. In both possessions however.
the number of Europeans, chietly OF
icers Of the home governments does
not exceed n few thousands.
"Shaneuqu. the position recently
captured by the Belgians, lies on the
southern shore. Of Lake Kivu, mag
nifcent body OF water. having an area
almost as large as the State of Rhode
island. and situated nearly a milo
above sea level with gigantic volcanic
neaks looking down upon 1t from the
north
'The march OF the victorious col
onials is along the Rusizi River which
eonvevs the waters OF Lake kivu Tor
sixtv miles to the south into Lake Tan
ranvika. the longest fresh-water lake
In the world
.rbe history Of both the Congo and
OF German East Africa. so iar as Tue
governing countries are concerheu
Is confined to the last thirty or iort!
wears. Belgium owes her interests III
Inc Dark Continent primarily 20 ner
late sovereign. Leopold IL, VINO Iounu-
cd the international Association loi
rxnloration and Civilization I'm Atrr
"a. In 1876. As n result Of this asso-
.latlon'g activities in affecting treaties
with native chiefs. there was devel-
nned the Congo Free state. neutral
independeut sovereignty. first recoe-
nized as such by the United States w
1884 Leopold. whose interest In the
nevv region had been keener than thai
~ any other ruler. and whose private
nurse had betrayed much of the eN-
nense Of exploration, was named as
ihe sovereign Of the new State, by
will executed four years later, the
king heoueathed the Congo to Belgium
After prolonged international contro-
versies over alleged cruelties TO ma
lives under Leopold's regime, the Bel
rian parliament finally voted to as
sume full control Of and responsibility
FOR the territory as a colonial possess
sion. This took place eight years ago
and the first nation 10 recognize the
new power In Central Africa was Ger
many I'm January. 1909.
"Cermany's control OF the territory
living on the eastern side or the conti-
nent opposite the Belgian Congo, dates
hack a quarter OF a century when the
sultan of Zanzibar ceded his mainland
possessions of 364 600 square miles To
the European empire for mere mil
lion dollars.
"The early history Of the coast Of
what Is now German East Africa. goes
becE four or FIVE hundred years before
the event OF Portuguese navigators.
who found Arabs in possession OF the
native villages in the sixteenth cen
tury. When the Portuguese Withdrew
after two centuries, Arabs again as
sumed control extending their power
FAR inland. England was offered con
troll of the region by the Zanzibar
Arabs. at about the time that Stanley
was making mis- famous explorations
OF the Congo. but the offer was de-
clined. Then began the activities. Sc
cret at first. Of the German Colonial
ton Society, which eventually result
ed i'm adding the territory to the kai-
ser's overseas domain
con the western side OF the contl-
nent the Portuguese naval officer
Diora Cam discovered the mouth OF
the Congo some ten years before Co
umbus set sail on his voyage, which
resulted in the finding OF the New
World. II was many centuries, how
aver. before this river with basin
"A million and a half square miles
mas ,r than any other in the world
e proViGhe Amazon. was explored for
immunity SIAN a few miles above its es'
ly when
i ,...,u.. lame OF interest in connection
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