THE CONGO FREE STATE.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7548, 19 August 1886, Page 4

THE CONGO FREE STATE.

•*r ;.',AV papet "6n> the .suhieet.of the Congo ■ ; "' .Fred Stato was read on June 7by Colonel ".••'■ "Sir Francis' do Winton, at an ordinary i" r ',--jne"eting .of ■ the Royal Geographical i^i Society, : Sir Rutherford Alcock occupying | ; ' '■:•:? tho chair. Sir' Fraucia i took a sanguine •/. Mow of the capabilities of" the State, -V'-rwhickiliG said.was starting on a safe and •.:•:■>. useful foundation. Law, order,' and sys- -•'•-; -tern- were being ' rapidly introduced into ■'■.;lu'tlio';workin'ginachineryof.its government ; t'jft -it had receive'il an endowment of £40,000 \ ■■:-'•'!< a year 'from 'the King of the Belgians; and ft, offered antpte eecnrifcy to all who ■ v ViSo\igM~ a. livelihood wittiin. Us temcory, , ! .- -The cJinJaiß 6i tbe Ct>»go had bcou v\wa \{ri"tiie oVweb ot lootieh pi-ake : and lavish !i ■'- i ;fabuse,Dut there was as litilo reason for "•*'■" -'tlllS •'«& for' the other. It was simply- a '■".- ■. ;tyopical climftta.Krtth well known marked '■'•'-'•""S'pes'of fever common to such lalifcudes, ■ --"■-'■••■ and prudence and care were as essential to ; ' : A'-tho'ecneral-hfealth ds-thev'.-y^ found to ■ ". ■V ■ bo 1 all over the ..world, fie pelieVed .that '.■the- conditions of life had improved out r ( "'"there, andSvould improve as the cbtfntry :;M(':.rAey'eldped— and that,- the Congo was as 1 ,; ■•■ • healthy, as many parts of India andotuei 1 ■■ J : tropical climates where' Europeans weftf ; r.'.livuig" and, had .lived for many years, \{ :'.', with; impunity. "Discoveries were tho '•-.' stepping stones for the introduction of . natural sciences, and the advanced guards ■•'■'■- -; of civilisation- and commerce. This law hoi applied to tho. Congo river ;' '■ '' basin nnd the New Free State -which had ' , i!!,;-b'een.foiinded to develop it. As a. field of ;"''' ]aboi ; for the missionary, and philanthro- ■ r -. pistj these lands had no enual in the ad- ■■:" '"vantages- they afforded. To- the sporte-.i'v'-'nianj; naturalist, and scientist they were I] '.::' equally interesting, while their commer- ';'..'' cial capabilities', were exceedingly promis- .;;.- ing, and created .a trade whicli opened a r: 7 - 1 --' new" door for European produce, and thus f-i'-'" rjielped to solve the question of unemployed * ■'" labor.— Mr H. M. Stanley afterwards gave • .■ an accovint of the manner in which the „ ' . . - State Had been, ; opened up at tho instance .■"■"'.""of the King '-of the Belgians by himself .- anil Colonel do Winton, who, he ex1 '; •' plained, had been sent out in the place ■ ' of General Gordon, and expressed the - . opinion that a railway concession from V:2-'-tliechiefsof the Congo tribes was abso- ■":,'; "■■"• ! lutely necessary to the Avelfare of the new ; '.' State.'