Legation of
the United States,
Brussels, October 3, 1876.
(Received October 17.)
No. 57.]
[Inclosure.—Translation.]
[Extract from the Moniteur
Belge.]
The deliberations of the geographical conference, which met at the palace
of Brussels from the 12th to the 14th, are resumed in two papers, of
which the following is the tenor:
i.—declaration of the
conference.
To attain the object of the international conference at Brussels, that is
to say, to explore scientifically the unknown parts of Africa, to
facilitate the opening of ways by which civilization may penetrate into
the interior of the continent, and find the means of suppressing the
slave-trade among the negroes of Africa, we must—
- 1st.
- Organize on a common international plan the exploration of the
unknown parts of Africa, limiting the parts to be explored to
the east and the west by the two oceans,
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to the south, by the basin of the Zambese,
and to the north by the frontier of the new Egyptian territory
and independent Soudan. The best way to accomplish this
exploration will be to employ a certain number of isolated
travelers, commencing at divers bases of operations.
- 2d.
- To establish, as base of the explorations, a certain number of
scientific and hospitable stations as well on the coast of
Africa as in the interior of the continent. Of these stations
some should be established in a very limited number on the east
and west coasts of Africa where European civilization is already
commenced, at Bagamoyo and Loanda for example, they could be
founded at a small expense, for they could be confided to
Europeans residing on the spot. The other stations should be
established at the points of the interior which would best serve
as the immediate basis of the explorations. These stations would
have the character of entrepots, destined to furnish to
travelers the means of living and exploring. They could begin to
make these last stations at the places that at present are
considered the most favorable for the end in view. We would say,
for instance, Udjji, Nyangwe, the residence of the king, or some
point situated in the domains of Muata-Yanvo. The explorers
could indicate later the spots at which it would be convenient
to establish stations of the same kind.
Leaving to the future the care of establishing direct communication
between the stations, the conference expresses the wish that, above all,
a line should be established between one ocean and the other, following
as near as possible the route pursued by Commander Cameron. The
conference expresses equally the wish that afterwards there shall be
established lines of operation in the direction of north-south.
The conference appeals now to the good-will and co-operation of all
travelers who attempt scientific explorations in Africa, whether they
travel or not under the auspices of tbe international commission
instituted by these means.
ii.—resolutions decreed by the
conference.
- 1st.
- That there shall be constituted an international commission for
the exploration and civilization of Central Africa; also national
committees who will be in communication with the commission in order
to centralize, as much as possible, the efforts made by their
different nations, and to facilitate by their co-operation the
execution of the resolutions made by the commission.
- 2d.
- That the national committee shall be constituted in the manner
that appears to them preferable.
- 3d.
- That the commission shall be composed of the presidents of the
principal geographical societies which were represented at the
Brussels conference, or who will adhere to the programme, land of
two members chosen by each national committee.
- 4th.
- That the president shall have the right to admit to the
association the countries which were not represented at the
conference.
- 5th.
- That the president shall have the right to complete the
international commission by adding effective and honorary
members.
- 6th.
- That the central commission, after having made its rules, shall
have the power to direct by means of an executive committee the
enterprises and works tending to -attain the end of the association,
and to manage the funds furnished by the different governments, by
the national committees, and by private people.
- 7th.
- That the executive committee shall be constituted near the
president, and composed of three or four members named beforehand by
the actual conference and later by the international
commission.
- 8th.
- That the members of the committee shall hold themselves ready to
respond to the call of the president.
- 9th.
- That the president shall name a general secretary, who by the fact
of his nomination shall become a member of the international
commission and of the executive committee, and also a
treasurer.
