Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-09-02
LIBERIA, ARRAlED
AGAINST GERMAN|C
POWERS IN BIC WAR

WASHINGTON, D. c., September.
The entrance of the Republic of Lii
IBERIA into the war against Germany
throws anoth 10000 square miles of
territory and another two million
people into the balance against the
Central Powers, The National Geo
I graphic Society, with headquarters in
this city, has prepared the following
statement concernig the resources and
history of the negro republic on the
west coast of Africa
Liberia, which is about one half
the size of the state of Kansas, is
situated on the west coast of Africa
al the point where the coastline
makes the great bend to form the Gulf
of Guinea 1t will be recalled that
northwest Africa extends some 1900
miles further out into the Atlantic
! than South Africa, the coastline hav-
ing q southwest trend from Tunis
through the Strait of Gibraltar and
down to Cape Verde. Here it turns
to the southeast, and in passing Ii
IBERIA, it bends sharply to the ease,
which direction it holds for approx
mately 1900 miles after leaving the
Liberian sector.
Its position, therefore, puts it di-
Irectly on the line of the ocean COM
munication between Europe and South
Africa and points by way of the Cape
o. Good Hope
1.-THE republic has a coastline of
SEINE 300 miles and possesses a popu-
lation estimated at from 100000 to e.
100000. It's neighbors are Sierra Lee
one, to the northwest, the French Iviry
Coast to the east, and the French Sene-
gal to the north. The part of the re-
public tina has been developed is
only a 3oastline strip of about seven
miles average width, o. a little more
than two thousand square miles all
told The remainder of the country is
occupied by native tribes. The popu-
lation comprises from 10000 to $4,000
defendants of American slaves, some
forty Thousand Christianized natives,
with approximately a million and a
half or two million wild people. The
interior Of the country is a plateau of
considerable elevation, clothed with
valuable forests of gum trees, oil
palms and pepper shrubs This re-
gion is healthful and productive, and
is the abode of herds of elephants and
buffaloes.
1T is generally asserted that Liberia
has one Of the hottest climates known
on the face of the globe, and certainly
there are few spots on the map which
have greater rainfall. There are two
rainy seasons, one in june and July
and the other in October and Novem-
Der, and the yearly downpour amounts
tt nearly thirteen feet Of water
The colony dates from alb ut 1922,
when Jehudi Ashmun, white Ameri-
can, took a number of free negroes
there and settled them. The name
Liberia was invented by Rev R. r.
Gurley in 1924. The colonists de-
clared their country an Independent
republic in 1847, a satus which was
recognized in 184S-1849 by all of the
principal countries except the United
States. Sometime before 1857, the two
leading settlements split apart ana
considered themselves two republics,
Liberia mad Maryland.
England and Liberia settled their
boundary dispute which involved the
Sierre ! eone-Liberia lire, in 1903 The
controversy between France and Lii
IBERIA over the Ivory Coast-Liberia
frontier then came to the fore, with
the result that il 1909 President Roose-
welt appointed commission to go to
Africa to investigate conditions in this
country. AS result Of that commits
sion's report, negotiations were set on
foot for an adjustment of the Liberian
debt and the placing of United States
officials in charge of Liberian customs.
In 1910, the American government,
acting in general agreement with
Great Britain, France and Germany
took charge of the finances, military
organizations, AGRICULTURAL anG bound
airy questions of the republic For the
security of the revenue, a frontier
police force sufficient for the main
tenance Of the peace in Liberia was
established, and the United States
designated trained military officers to
organize this force.
in 1912, Liberia had trouble with
Germany, growing out of quarrel be-
tween German merchants and the
president of the republic. Two Ger
man ol1nh0a+s forced an anolOov and