June 7, 1889.] 



SCIENCE. 



443 



which were, until a few years ago, one of the most baffling prob- 

 lems to geographers. On the accompanying sketch-map the rivers 

 of Central Africa are shown according to the present state of our 

 knowledge. The numerous large rivers south of the great bend of 

 the Kongo offer an e.xcellent means of communication, and will un- 

 doubtedly be of great help to the commercial development of that 

 region. The hopes that were for some time entertained, of finding 

 an equally valuable commercial route north of the Kongo, have not 

 been fulfilled, navigation being interrupted by numerous rapids. 

 Stanley's expedition has proved that there is no prospect of ever 

 opening a trade-route from Stanley Falls to the Albert Nyanza, and 

 that the natural outlet of the lake region must be by way of the east 

 coast. On the other hand, Mr. Delcommune's ascent of the Lo- 

 mami has proved that the market of Nyangwe is easily accessible 

 from the west coast, the river being navigable at a point only three 



no serious obstacles are found on the route, and that the cost of 

 construction will be moderate. It is estimated that the journey 

 from Matadi to Stanley Pool will occupy two days. Thus the 

 termini of navigation on the upper and lower river will be con- 

 nected by an easy route. The commercial examination of the in- 

 terior seems to give good promise, and ere long we shall see a 

 trade spring up sufficient to warrant the construction of a railroad. 

 At present serious attention is given to the improvement of the 

 caravan-route near the bank of the Kongo. The attempts at stock- 

 raising are giving fair results, and soon transport on carts drawn 

 by oxen, or on the back of oxen, will take the place of the caravans 

 of carriers. 



According to the Mouvenient g'eographique, the general trade of 

 the Kongo Free State amounts at present to 7,392,348.17 francs, 

 or approximately $1,500,000, the staple produce being palm-kernels, 



MAP SHOWING RECENT DISCOVERIES IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 



days' journey distant from Nyangwe. The importance of this fact 

 cannot be rated too highly. Stanley Falls seemed to be the ter- 

 minus of navigation on the Kongo ; and the countries Urua and 

 Katanga, which were first visited by Reichard, appeared to be al- 

 most inaccessible. The Lomami, however, offers an easy means of 

 access, and will lead to the opening of these remote regions. This 

 is the more important, as, according to Reichard, the Lualaba 

 above Nyangwe is navigable as far as Lake Upemba. 



As will be seen from our map, there remains one great unknown 

 country bounded by the Kongo on the west side, and by a line 

 running from the north point of Lake Tanganyika to the south 

 pomt of Lake Albert Nyanza on the east side. In this region the 

 Arabs have recently made rapid progress, and villages are being 

 devastated and depopulated. Trade is being organized at the 

 cost of the well-being of the natives, and the great markets on the 

 Kongo are supplied by the slave-caravans ravaging this region. 



In the present map the planned railroad from Matadi to Leo- 

 poldville has also been indicated. The surveys have proved that 



ivory, and palm-oil. Coffee has recently attained considerable im- 

 portance. The growth of the state is such, that, for administrative 

 purposes, it had to be divided into eleven districts, each of which, 

 two only excepted, has its chief station. Three of these districts 

 comprise the Lower Kongo, five the Upper Kongo and the adja- 

 cent territory, one the Kasai, one the Aruvimi and Welle, and the 

 last the Lualaba. 



The rapid progress in opening Central Africa, starting from the 

 west coast, is the more welcome, as there seems to be no end to 

 the political complications in East Africa. Although Lieut. Wiss- 

 mann has defeated the Arabs, their resistance has not been broken, 

 and it is doubtful how far into the interior his influence will ex- 

 pand. Military expeditions into the interior of Central Africa are 

 hardly possible, on account of the vastness of the territory and the 

 difficulties offered by the climate, and the effects of long-continued 

 wars must be to close the routes from Zanzibar to the lake region. 

 If the Kongo Free State is successful in keeping the devastating 

 slave-trade out of the greater part of its territory, it will doubtless 



