October i, 1908.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



17 



The Annexation of the Congo to Belgiu 



m. 



By Hon. James Gustavus IVIiileley* 



THE American rubber trade has quite an interest in Congo 

 affairs on account of the fact that the Congo Free State 

 is an important source of crude rubber. For the past few 

 years that country has been maintaining an annual output of 

 about 10,000,000 pounds. Approximately half of this rubber 

 eventually finds its way to New York via Antwerp. 



It does not seem probable that the transfer of the Congo Free 

 State to the Belgian government will have any marked influence 

 on the rubber production of Central Africa or will, in any serious 

 way, interfere with the proper development of the concessionary 

 companies. There is nothing unexpected or revolutionary about 

 the affair ; it is simply the consummation of King Leopold's long 

 cherished plan to give his people a colony as an outlet for their 

 energies. The King got the expansion idea long before his sub- 

 jects took it up. Nearly 30 years ago he saw that the Congo 

 was a good thing going a-begging, so he put his mark on it and 

 reserved it for the Belgians whenever they should get ready to 

 take it over. For many years the Congo was looked upon 

 by the world in general as an expensive royal hobby. To ex- 

 plore the country, to establish means of communication, to drive 



Leopold II, King of the Beu;i.\ns. 



out the Arab slave traders and generally to "set the house in 

 order" cost much good Belgian blood and much of the King's 

 treasure, for the expenses came out of His Majesty's private 

 pocket. Now that the heat and burden of the day is passed and 

 the Congo is self supporting, the Belgians are willing to take it 

 over and the King has handed it to them as a royal gift. 



The annexation bill finally passed the Belgian parliament on 

 September 9. The treaty of session between the Congo govern- 

 ment and Belgium provides that the rights of all concessionaires 

 shall be respected and that Belgium shall take over all the 

 Congo's contracts and obligations as well as its assets. 



The most valuable asset is, of course, the natural wealth of the 

 country, which occupies nearly as much territory as the portion 

 of the United States lying east of the Mississippi river, and which 

 is extremely rich in rubber, ivory and copper. 



In addition to this asset, Belgium receives stocks and bonds, 

 real estate in Europe, ammunition, stores, equipment, et cetera, 

 valued at more than $22,000,000. 



On the -jther hand the liabilities of the Congo state, consist- 

 ing chielly in outstanding bonds, amount to approximately 

 $22,000,000. 



These last two items about offset one another, leaving the 

 vast natural resources of the country practically unencumbered. 



King Leopold also turns over to Belgium all the lands and 

 funds of the Fondation of the Crown, which embraces among 

 other things quite an important tract of rubber forest lying to 

 the east of Lake Leopold, and the revenues from which have hith- 

 erto been set aside in a separate fund by the King's orders, 

 and used for public improvements in Belgium as well as in the 

 Congo. 



In consideration of receiving this Crown property in addition 

 to the rest of the Congo, Belgium agrees to respect the conces- 

 sions granted in the crown lands to two companies in which 

 Americans are interested, and to the Mission of the Scheut Fath- 

 ers; to continue to pay a subvention of $12,000 to certain Catholic 

 missions working in the district; to grant Prince Albert a small 

 civil list of $24,000 until he ascends the throne; and to give the 

 Princess Clementine $15,000 a year until her marriage. 



•Consul General in the United States of the Congo Free State. 



.American Concession on the Congo. 



[The sliaded portion on the left ilenotes the 3,800 square miles ceded 

 t<i the -Xniericaii Congo Co. The domaitic tic ta couronnc is outlined, 

 and the areas under concession to the ABIR, Kasai, and Katanga com- 

 panies. A detail map of the American concession is given on the upper 

 right hand.] 



Belgium also promises to finish certain public improvements 

 already begun and which are to cost not more than $9,000,000. 



Belgium agrees further to create a fund of $10,000,000, which 

 shall be used by the Crown, with the sanction of the Colonial 

 office, for the benefit of the colony, especially in such works as 

 schools, hospitals, subsidies to missions and scientific expeditions. 



It will be observed that the only two important amounts that 

 Belgium is called upon to pay (namely the $9,000,000 and $10,- 

 000,000 funds) are expected to come out of Congo revenue and, 

 moreover, she practically pays it to herself as the money is to 

 go on public improvements in Belgiuin and in the new colony. 



The only thing the King demands for himself is the right to 

 continue to make use, during his life, of certain palaces of the 

 Congo Crown situated in Belgium and on the Cote d'Azur and to 

 receive the proprietary right in 100,000 acres of land in the Congo 

 where he proposes to carry on experiments in the cultivation of 

 coffee and cocoa as a useful object lesson to colonists. 



