Belgian Congo
an African colony of Belgium. The area is estimated at 909,654 square miles, with a Bantu population of about 20,000,000.
The history of the so-called Congo Free State is interesting. In 1876 Leopold II, king of Belgium, was eager "to get into the African game." He founded the International African Association, subcommittees of which were presided over by the Prince of Wales for England, the Crown Prince for Germany, the king's brother for Italy, M. de Lesseps for France, and the king himself for Belgium. Large sums of money were subscribed, and exploring stations were established in the Lake Tanganyika region. When, in 1877, Stanley appeared on the Atlantic coast with the story of the Congo River, King Leopold saw, he thought, an opportunity to acquire African territory. Acting ostensibly for the association, but using his own money, Leopold employed Stanley for five years in visiting the tribes of the Congo Valley, and in establishing trading posts. During this period, Stanley secured 4,000 concessions of territory from native chiefs. Over 2,000 chiefs placed their marks on these documents. Light steamers in "knockdown" were taken up the Congo as far as seagoing ships could navigate. They were then carried by natives around the cataracts and were put together and set afloat in Stanley Pool.
In this way, a vast extent of territory was taken possession of in a peaceable manner, with the utmost goodwill of the simple natives. A little later, the "Congo Association," in reality Leopold's employes, adopted a flag having a gold star and a blue ground, and applied to the powers for recognition as an independent state. The diplomatic situation was a very peculiar one. A trading association without definite boundaries, or standing as a nation, asked for recognition and got it. By the Treaty of Berlin, signed 1885, the Congo Independent State was placed under protection of Leopold. From this date on, Leopold considered the Congo Valley a personal possession. The Belgian government took $2,000,000 worth of shares in a railway, 250 miles long, with which to connect the lower part of the river with Stanley Pool, and in 1890 made a further loan of $5,000,000 to the Independent State.
The nations were well pleased for a time. The world at large was glad to see the territory tied up so that it could not be grasped by any of the larger powers. The term, "Independent State," sounded well. No one was particularly jealous of Leopold. Rumors, however, began to creep out that the king was administering the state for revenue only, and that his agents and emissaries, resorting to measures of the utmost cruelty, were enslaving the negroes and forcing them to bring forest products to the various river ports. The affair was the subject of more or less diplomatic correspondence. In 1908 the estate was annexed to Belgium by a legislative act approved by the king. Germany, and later, the other powers, gave formal consent.
As stated, the population of Belgian Congo is about 20,000,000. In January, 1908, the population of European employes numbered 2,943. Seventeen hundred of these were Belgians. The rest were English, Portuguese, Swedes, Norwegians, Americans, Italians, Danes, Dutch, Germans, Austrians, Swiss, and Russians. There are 138 missions and 571 missionaries, rather more than half of whom are Catholics. There are three agricultural colonies where children are taught the rudiments of reading and agriculture.
The exports are chiefly forest products, including rubber, ivory, palm nuts, palm oil, and white copal. Large sections are well adapted to the cultivation of coffee and cocoa. Plantations of rubber have been established. Tobacco is grown by the natives around their villages. Gold, tin, and copper are also exported. In 1907 the exports were valued at $15,500,000. In the same year, arms, ammunition, ships, machinery, liquors, groceries, cotton cloth, clothing, glassware, and cutlery to the value of $6,500,000 were imported.
There are eleven steamers in the ocean section of the Congo. Thirty-six transports ply on the Upper Congo. There are about 400 miles of railway with 1,000 miles under construction. It is proposed to unite the mouth of the Congo with the great lakes of Central Africa. There were twenty-five postoffices in 1907, and 195,000 pieces of mail were transmitted. The Congo is included in the Postal Union. Boma, at the head of deep sea navigation, is the capital. There are over 1,000 miles of telegraph line. Belgian money is current on the lower part of the river. Among the forest tribes, barter prevails, though bits of brass and cowry shells serve as a sort of currency.