Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 4.djvu/273

 CONGO

2.31

CONGO

thereon. The king, by a letter addressed 11 June, 1901, to M. Woeste, member of the Chamljer, person- ally took part in the question. Only three itrms of this letter are public: the first clearly pointed out that the moment was inopportune for annexation; the sec- ond stated that in relation to the Congo Belgiinn should remain in the |)osition she held in consequence of the Convention of 1!S90; the third enumerated the proofs of the attachment which the king had for his country. Thus came about the Belgian law of 14 Aug., 1901, which renounced the re]iayment of the loans and the interest thereon until such time as Bel- gium should surrender the right of annexation — a right which she declared she wished to preserve. From an examination of these acts it seems certain that Belgium has an incontestable right to take over the Congo during the lifetime of the king. That cer- tain prominent politicians, in a preliminary discis- sion in 1906, seem to have ignored this right, was doubtless only the effect of a surprise. When, how- ever, as on 3 June, 1906, the king-sovereign in a letter to the secretaries-general of the Independent State, added to his will a codicil which .seemed to impose on Belgium the obligation of respecting (besides the en- gagements entered into with third parties) certain royal foundations, the amentlment was net acceptable to the Chambers. The minister then stated that these wishes on the part of the king were not imposed as conditions, but were only earnest recommenda- tions. On 14 Dec, 1906, the House moved that while it desired for the Congo the advantages of civilization it was not unmindful of Belgium's rights; further- more, that the question of taking over the Congo should be settled with the least possible delay.

The Territory. — The declarations of neutrality, to- gether with the friendly treaties Ijy which the united Powers of Germany, France, Portugal, etc., recognized the State, determined roughly its frontiers. Greater precision resulted from the treaty with England of 12 May, 1894. With France, owing to some difficul- ties which arose, five treaties were made, the last being signed 25 Feb., 1S95. Treaties have still to be made with Germany to settle the Lake Kivu question and with Portugal about the Lake Dilolo region. With the exception of a narrow border-zone to the east near Lake Albert Edward, situated in the Nile Basin, nearly all the territory of the State belongs to the Congo Basin, which is about 1,1.>S,.'?00 sq. m. in ex- tent. The State is the largest portion of this basin, and has an area of 945,945 sq. m., which is equivalent to a square having a side of three hundred leagues, or to seventy-five times the area of Belgium, or five times that of France. It is bounded on the north and north-west by French Congo and the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan; on the east by British East Africa (Uganda Protectorate) and German East Africa ; on the south- east and south by Rhodesia and Portuguese Angola; and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean (which gives it about twenty-two miles of coastline) and the Portuguese territory of Cabinda. The State stretches from a little above 5° N. lat. to below 13° S. lat., and from 12° to between 31°-32° E. long., the most east- erly point being on the Upper Nile.

III. De.scription of the Independent State. — Physical Geography. — The general aspect of the State has often been compared to a huge cup. To the west lie the Crystal Mountains; to the south-east, the long chain of the Mitumba bordering on the plateaux of Ka-Tanga, from which descend the streams Lualaba, Luapula, etc., whose waters umUt to form the Congo River. This vast central depression, divided into several terraces, rests on alternate strata of granite and gneiss. Lacustral settings (grit and clayey schists) are oft^n found, as well as laterite. The in- numerable rivers of the Congo are rocky in their upper courses and cut their way by rapids from one terrace to another, until, on the great alluvial plains of the

centre, they form an immense network of from 9000 to 11,000 miles of navigable water-ways and spread out fan-like from Leopoklville. The principal tribu- taries of the Congo are the Ubanghi and Welle to the north; the Kassai-Sankuru, Lomami, etc., to the so\ith. BcyoTid Stanley Pool are the famous falls which, by iireventing continuous river-traffic, necessi- tated the railroad (about 270 miles, a journey of two days) binding Leopoldville to the seaport of Matadi (the highest point of the Congo Estuary reached by steamers). The falls of the Upper Hiver will likewise be doubled by railroads. In fact, a trunk line to Stanley Falls has been completed, and another to the "Gates of Hell" commenced. Others in the direction of the Nile, of the Katanga, and of the English and Portuguese railways have been determined upon.

There are two seasons in the Lower Congo, the dry and the rainy. In the centre the cli- mate, always warm and rainy, has produced a vast equatorial for- est of giant trees and jungle. In these regions much cocoa, coffee, copal, nut- and palm-oil, and, above all, caoutchouc are produced. Besides the elephant, hunted to excess, the fauna of the country includes the antelope, mon- key, zebra (which it is hoped to do- mesticate), okapi, hippopotamus, and crocodile. There also are found ter- mites, ants, mos- quitoes, and the terrible tse-tse which causes the sleeping sickness. With regard to mineral wealth, Katanga gives promise of an immense amount of malachite copper (2 million tons, valued at $800,000,- 000, according to the official report of Jan., 1908), much tin (20 million tons, valued at ?10,00,000 along the Lualaba); also iron magnetite and oliglst. Gold also has been found in the mines of Kainob(!, while tho.so of Kilo (Aruwimi) produced 8841.25 oz. Troy ($170,000) in 1905.

Elhn<>(jrii]>hy nnd Population. — Three indigenous races are found in the Congo Basin. The Azand^, who seem to belong to the Nigritian races, inhabit the north-east frontier. The aboriginal Pygmies are found in the centre, mingled with the rest, but espe- cially in thenyiiiii of the great forest. The larger part of the |MMiples I xlong to the Bantu family. The popu- lation is |)rol)ably about twenty millions, although other estimates of from twelve to thirty millions have been given.

Language. — The language of the Blacks is, radically, the agglutinative speech of the Bantu peoples, i. e. it forms its words without fusion or alteration. It is divided into over forty very different dialects. The language is rich, rational, philosophic, and betokens a much higher level of civilization than do the morals and customs of this wretched race. In Lower Congo contact with the Portuguese has influenced the ideas and habits of the Blacks; it has taught them the com- mercial value of certain products, such as caoutchouc,

Mayombk