AFRICA, Irth Oct.
Iris more than a month since we noticed the discussion in the Nineteenth Century between Sir John Pope Hennessy and Mr. Consul Johnston as to the value of Africa, and Mr, Johnston had then triumphantly refuted his adversary. Sir John, however, as was to be ex-fis defeat, and he returns to the fight otod, is not at all disposed to accept
in the September number of the review, and is supported by an array of evidence that will in its tum take a good deal of refuting. It may perhaps be remembered that Mr. Joluston's great angus ment was that there was a flourishing trade at the present time with the British possessions in Africa, and that our trade was always better with our own possessions than with the possessions of other Powers. Sir Jolt Hen-nosy sifts Mr. Johnston's figures a little, and shows that the trade of Great Britain with the West African settlements has been falling off for the last ten years, and that "on the other hand British trade with some of the oil rivers not in our possession is increasing and is more important to us than the trade with some of our adjacent West African possessions." This, i must be confessed, is decidedly vague, but after all Sir John's main point is not as to the amount of trade done or to be done by Great Britain with Africa, but as to the possibility of profitably developing Central Africa, He asks: "Is negro-land a field for European emigrants? Can the negroes?" Thus Sir John virta-European officials successfully govern
ally gives up the large question of the value of Africa, and reduces it to the value of Central Africa, being apparently willing to allow that it is of advantage to own the sea-ports, through which the trade with the outside world is dove. But, it might be remarked, there is reason in the Ainterland doctrine; and the owner of the sea-ports and coast line must, to be comfortably seated and keep control of the trade, own also the land behind them.
The Chartered African Companies are now the main object of Sir John's attack. He notes that "already a sensible reaction seems to have begun in political and commercial circles respecting them." It was rumoured that another Company was to be chartered to administer the oil rivers, but the project has been dropped. 'The chairman' of the Bast African Company told his shareholders at their recent meeting, that for some time they must be prepared "to take out the dividends in philanthropy." This is taken by Sir John Hennessy as an indication that it is accepted in the City that the African bubble has burst; though it is obvious that some years must always elapse before such a company eat ay material dividends, and he might on similar grounds argue that the British North Borneo Company was a fiasco. Nor is it any real confirmation of these apprehensions that General von Caprivi should have remarked that "German idealism had blindly and unreasonably driven his countrymen into Central African projects." It might be quite true that Germany has gone too fast—but that is not proved—in her attempts to colonies Africa, without its at all following that England has gone too fast. here is a safe mean between the enthusiasts who hold with the Spectator that before long Mashonaland will become the greatest gold-field in the world, and the coffee plantations of the Shire highlands eclipse those of Ceylon and Costa Rica, and the trade with England of our African possessions will equal that of South America; and pessimists like Sir John Hennessy who would abaudon our uew possessions in Africa at once because they do not return an immediate profit. Sir John Hemuessy's lain quarrel is with the climate, and he brings in the evidence given to a House of Commons Committee in 1842. A Mr. Matthew Forster, " one of the principal merchants engaged in the African trade," was a leading witness before that Comittee, and the conclusion of his criticism of African companies is depressing enough. He said:—* I have entered on this very imperfect summary of the dowling schemes of cultivation proposed, and of their total failure, to remind the Committee that, with such examples before their eyes, any similar attempts on the part of future adventurers would be worse than foolish. I will add that we are not thie only people who have been deceived by the apparent advantages offered by Africa to the cultivator." Those who might be disheartened by what this Mr. Forster said of Africa in 1842 may be reminded that fifty years ago what is f}now the Great West of the United States was believed to be utterly suited tu settlement, and was known in Sit John quotes as a deterrent Mr. the maps as the Great American Desert.
Drummond's description of. tropical Satats ae Noy foul 4h il equatorial Africa, and his main complaint is that you wander through thousands and thousands of miles of forest—* not grand umbrageous forest like the forests of South America, nor matted jungle like the forests of India, but® thin, rather weak forest,—forest of low trees, whose half-grown trunks and scanty leaves offer nu shade from the tropical suv." This was what the Of forest, was always supposed to be, until Stanley told of his march through thousands of miles of the very stand, umbrageous forest which aid by Mr, Drum-moud to be unknown in Africa. Unhealthy the cow try widoubtedly at present, and atimerous vietims—many of whom could ill be spared—has the African fever claimed: but the fear of fever has never yet stopped our pioneers, nor prevented the extension of our rule. Sir John quotes the happiness he found in one African town, called Kambia, which he visited in 1873, which. had no white men, but was under negro administration altogether, and asks whether the Chartered Companies will increase or diminish the happiness of such people. We are so undecided as to what constitutes true happiness that this question is difficult to answer. But such places as Kambia are very rare exceptions; the Chartered Companies may be trusted to introduce justice, order, security to life and property; and there is little doubt that they will before long be able to pay their shareholders dividends in money as well as in philanthropy.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.