No. 25.
Mr. Bayard
to Mr. Tree.
[Extract.]
Department
of State,
Washington, December 7,
1887.
No. 90.]
Sir: I inclose herewith copy of a dispatch
addressed to this Department by the United States consul at St. Paul de
Loando, and of its inclosure, being a petition signed by the Rev. A.
Billington, a representative of the American Baptist Missionary Union at
Stanley Pool, in the Congo Free Sta te, setting forth certain arbitrary acts
of the Congo
[Page 25]
authorities in seizing
and diverting to their use a small steamer, the property of the said union,
and employed in missionary work, and praying for protection and for the
issuance of the papers necessary to enable that vessel to fly the Congo
flag.
As the consul at St. Paul de Loando is not accredited to the Congo State, and
the United States have at present no consular representative in that State,
it becomes necessary to address the Congo Government through you.
The first ground of complaint is the attempt of Mr. H. M. Stanley to
appropriate the vessel to his use in April last, an attempt, as would
appear, so arbitrary and lawless that the chief of the Congo station at
Stanley Pool was obliged to interfere to prevent Mr. Stanley from carrying
out his purpose by force, whilst, however, aiding to accomplish the end in
view, under the authority of the Congo State, by causing her to be handed
over for the use of Mr. Stanley for forty-five days.
The second ground of complaint is even more serious, for it is alleged that,
after having been kept by Mr. Stanley considerably beyond the forty-five
days stipulated, and when returned by him and on its way back to the mission
headquarters, the steamer was forcibly taken possession of, at Bangala, by
armed soldiers of the Congo State under command of Lieutenant Vangele; and,
up to the 3d of August last, was still held by the agents of the Congo
State.
You will bring the allegations of Mr. Billington to the attention of the
Congo Government, earnestly remonstrating against any such interference with
the property rights of American citizens, and asking that steps be taken to
restore the steamer in question to the agent of the American Baptist
Missionary Union at Stanley Pool, and that a searching investigation be made
of the arbitrary acts said to have been done in this regard by the Congo
authorities, with prompt and effective reparation of any injury done to the
owners by reason of the forcible seizure of the steamer.
No objects can be more legitimate or praiseworthy than those of the
missionary laborers in Africa, and no missionaries are more entitled to
considerate and just treatment at the hands of the Congo authorities than
those who are citizens of the country that first recognized the Congo flag
and has been unstinting in its expressions of sympathy and aid toward the
establishment of civilized and liberal government in the Congo
territories.
I am, etc.,
[Inclosure 1 in No. 90.]
Mr. Newton to Mr.
Rives.
Consulate of the United States,
St. Paul de Loanda, September 30, 1887.
No. 33.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose copy of a
petition drawn up by the Rev. A. Billington, of the American Baptist
Missionary Union at Stanley Pool, and to ask for instructions with
reference to the same. I doubt if any papers granted by me would be
recognized by the Congo Free State, as I am not recoguized as consul for
that district.
I am, etc.,
Robt. S. Newton,
Vice-Consul.
[Page 26]
[Inclosure 2 in No. 90.]
Mr. Billington to
Mr. Newton.
American Baptist Missionary Union,
Stanley Pool, Congo Free
State, August 3,
1887.
To the American Consul, St. Paul de
Loanda:
Sir: The above society has a small steamer on
the waters of the Upper Congo for the purpose of conveying missionaries
and their goods to its stations. It did not occur to us to be necessary
to have “papers” on our steamers till a few weeks ago. It has, however,
recently become necessary. In the first place, for the protection of the
mission property, and, in the second place, because that, after the 1st
of September, 1887, we are compelled to fly the flag of the “Congo Free
State,” but are not allowed to fly any other flag until we have the
proper papers of our nationality on board.
In April last when Mr. H. M. Stanley arrived here he applied for the use
of our steamer, but our circumstances were such that we could not do as
he wished; he then attempted to take the steamer by force, by placing an
armed band at the entrance of our mission station and another at the
place where our steamer was at anchor, and then sent in a letter
demanding the instant surrender of the steamer; in case of my not
complying, his officers had orders to enforce the demand at any risk
either to myself or those concerned.
Before anything was done, the chief of the station of the “Congo Free
State” at this place protested against Mr. Stanley’s action in the name
of the State, and the armed forces were withdrawn.
The chief of the station of the Free State then applied for the steamer,
but our circumstances remaining unaltered we were obliged to refuse. It
however became very clear to us, from conversation and correspondence,
that the steamer would be taken, so that we ultimately handed her over
to the Free State, under protest, for Mr. Stanley’s use, for the space
of forty-five days. She was kept considerably beyond this time by Mr.
Stanley, but after she had been sent away by him, to be returned to us,
before reaching here she was seized by another officer of the Free
State.
This seizure took place at the State station Bangala, by Lieutenant
Vaugele. This officer first applied for the use of the steamer of the
English Baptist Mission, she being there at the same time, but being
refused he at once marched twenty armed soldiers on board the Henry Peed. His action was protested against by
some of those in charge of the steamer, but without effect, and the
steamer has not yet been returned to us.
It was only yesterday that we received the decree of the King respecting
flags, and now at once write to ask if you will kindly arrange for us to
get the “papers” as early as possible, that we may be able to use the
American flag.
I inclose particulars of the steamer and hope they will meet all
requirements.
I have the honor, etc.,
A. Billington,
Member of the American Baptist Missionary
Union and in charge of the said steamer Henry
Reed.
