200
CONGO —CONGO
direction of the Lower Kasai on reaching the latitude of 3°-4° S. The most important in order from east to west are the Lubefu, Lubilash or Sankuru, Lulua ; Upper Kasai, with its tributaries Luembo, Chihumbo, Luajimo, Chikapa, and Lowo ; Loange, Juma or Kwilu, Wamba, and Kwango, the last three uniting before joining the Kasai. Most of these are broken by rapids along a line running from northeast to south-west between 5° and 8° S., which marks the descent from the higher to the lower plateau; but their lower courses are navigable. The Lulua, Kasai, Chihumbo, and Kwango all spring from the southern Congo watershed, traced in 1899-1900 by the Belgian expedition under Lemaire, who showed the incorrectness of the old idea that the basins of the Congo and Zambezi are connected through Lake Dilolo. This small lake, though situated on the water-parting, was found to have normally no connexion with either system, though apparently sending water to the Zambezi after heavy rains. Near its mouth the Kasai, which in its lower course is generally a broad stream strewn with islands, is narrowed to about half a mile on passing through a gap in the first line of the West African highlands, by the cutting of which the old lake of the Kasai basin must have been drained. The Lower Congo.—As already stated, the Congo is greatly narrowed on first reaching the more elevated ground in 2° 45' S.; the actual rapids, however, begin only immediately below Stanley Pool. The whole system of highlands (sometimes known generally as the Serra do Crystal) seems to consist of two principal mountain zones with an intermediate zone of lower elevation. The passage of this last is marked by a more navigable stretch on the Lower Congo, extending from Manyanga to Isangila—a distance of 70 miles, during which the only serious rapids are those of Chumbo and Itunzima, the latter in 13° 54' E. ; while above and below, rapids succeed each other at short intervals. Some eighteen main rapids or falls occur during the upper section (87 miles), in the course of which the level drops about 500 feet; and about ten in the lower section (56 miles), during which the fall is about 300. The last rapid occurs a little above Matadi, beyond which the river is navigable for large vessels to the sea, a distance of about 85 miles. It gradually widens out into an estuary, bordered by creeks and islands of a deltaic character and traversed by a deep canon, in which soundings of 900 feet have been obtained. This canon or gully is continued into the open sea for over 100 miles, with depths as much as 4000 feet below the general level of the sea floor. Just below Matadi, where the width is about half a mile, depths of 276 and 360 feet have been found, the current here running at from 4 to 8 knots, according to the season; while the difference in level between high and low water (not in any way due to tidal action) is 20-25 feet. The tides are felt as far as Boma, but the rise is here not above 1 foot; while at the mouth of the river it is 6 feet. The investigations carried out by Commander Purey-Cust in 1899 showed that the caiion above mentioned is occupied by salt water, which is nearly motionless. Above it the fresh water runs with increasing velocity, but decreasing depth, so that just within the mouth of the river it reaches only a few feet from the surface. (e. He.)
FREE
STATE
Congo Free State.—The Congo Free State (Etat Independant du Congo) is one of the largest of the political divisions of Equatorial Africa. It occupies a unique position among modern states, as it may be said to owe its existence to the ambition and force of character of a single individual. It dates its formal inclusion among the independent states of the world from 1885, when its founder, Leopold II., king of the Belgians, became, its head. But to understand how it came into existence, a brief account is needed of its Sovereign’s connexion with the African continent. In 1876 King Leopold summoned a conference at Brussels of the leading geographical experts in Europe, which resulted in the creation of “ The International Association for the Exploration and Civilization of Africa.” To carry out its objects an International Commission was founded, with Committees in the principal countries of Europe. Committees were in fact so established, but the Belgian Committee at Brussels, where also were the headquarters of the International Commission, displayed from the first greater activity than did any of the other committees. It turned its attention in the first place to East Africa, and several expeditions were sent out, which resulted in the founding of a Belgian station at Karema on Lake Tanganyika. But the return of Mr (afterwards Sir) H. M. Stanley from his great journey of exploration down the Congo, forcibly directed the attention of King Leopold to the possibilities for exploration and civilization offered by the Congo region. On the invitation of the king, Mr Stanley visited Brussels, and on November 25th 1878 a separate committee of the International Association was organized at Brussels, under the name “Comite d’Etudes du Haut Congo.” Shortly afterwards this committee became the “ International Association of the Congo,” which in its turn was the forerunner of the Congo Free State. The Association was provided with a nominal capital of £40,000, but from the first its funds were largely supplemented from the private purse of King Leopold ; and by a gradual process of evolution the work, which was originally, in name at least, international in character, became a purely Belgian enterprise. Mr Stanley, as agent of the Association, spent four years on the river, in exploring and concluding treaties with local chiefs. The first station was founded in February 1880 at Vivi, and before returning to Europe in August 1884 Mr Stanley had established twenty-two stations on the Congo and its tributaries. Numerous expeditions were organized by King Leopold in the Congo basin, and the activity of the International Association and its agents began seriously to engage the attention of the European Powers interested in Africa. On behalf of Portugal, claims were advanced to the Congo, based on the discovery of its mouth by Portuguese navigators centuries before. In the interests of France, M. de Brazza was actively exploring on the northern banks of the Congo, and had established various posts, including one where the important station of Brazzaville is now situated. The fact that the International Association of the Congo had no admitted status as a sovereign power rendered the tenure of its acquisition somewhat precarious, and induced King Leopold to make determined efforts to secure for his enterprise a recognized position. Early in 1884 a series of Congo, a Portuguese district on the west coast of diplomatic events brought the question to a head. Lord Africa, comprising the territory of Kabinda on the north Granville, then British Foreign Secretary, in February of side of the Congo and the northern parts of the province that year concluded a convention with Portugal, recognizof Angola on the south side of the river. Its exports ing both banks of the mouth of the Congo as Portuguese embrace oil, india-rubber, coffee, cocoa-nuts, gums, and territory. This convention was never ratified, but it led ivory; and the export trade increased from £149,100 in directly to the summoning of the Berlin Congress of 1888 (the first full year of the Portuguese administration) 1884-85, and to the recognition of the International to £222,000 inl896. The chief town is Kabinda, on the Association as a sovereign state. coast, 35 miles north of the mouth of the Congo. The United States of America was the first Great
