_Boma, September 7, 1903._
The perusal of reports on military operations and reconnaissances shows
that the formal orders of the Government, so frequently repeated,
respecting the instruction to send armed soldiers under the command of
black non-commissioned officers, are not rigorously observed.
I even note with regret this disinclination, on the part of certain
officials and agents, to conform to these instructions, which are,
however, dictated by care for the higher interests of the State.
Military operations must be conducted in accordance with the regulations
respecting service in the field, of which our officers and
non-commissioned officers must make frequent application at daily drill,
and in accordance with the numerous instructions in the matter. And to
this end the superior staff, before deciding on the operations to be
undertaken, must ascertain beforehand whether the means at the disposal
of those below them are sufficient.
I have the honour to invite the territorial Chiefs to remind their staff
of the preceding instructions, and to inform them that any breach of the
rule forbidding the dispatch of armed soldiers under the command of
black non-commissioned officers will be severely put down, and may lead
to the dismissal of the agent in fault.
The soldiers must be the object of constant supervision, so that it may
be impossible for them to commit cruelties to which their primitive
instincts might prompt them.
The instructions also forbid the employment of the soldiers on post or
transport work.
Nevertheless, this deplorable custom continues to obtain in many places.
It is important that the soldiers should not in future be constantly
withdrawn from their garrison and from their military duties, and that
they should remain at all times under the control of their Chiefs. This
cannot fail to improve the instruction and military education of the men
of the public force. I therefore request the staff whom it concerns to
put an end at once to the above-mentioned condition of affairs; the
postal service must be assured by workmen or by men specially chosen for
that purpose.
If the authorities deem it necessary in certain cases to have the post
or a convoy of merchandise escorted, the patrol must be organized
according to the regulations, and must be commanded by a European.
It is only in most exceptional cases, and if it is absolutely necessary,
that this patrol can, failing European, be commanded by a
specially-selected and trustworthy non-commissioned officer.
But in such cases, which will have to be justified by the authorities,
the men commanded by a black non-commissioned officer must be provided
with a regulation cap-gun, which constitutes a good defensive weapon.
The Vice-Governor-General,
(Signed) F. FUCHS.
Inclosure 8 in No. 3.
(See p. 59.)
_Circular of Governor-General Wahis, addressed to the Commissioners of
District and Chiefs of Zones._
La qualité du caoutchouc exporté du Congo est sensiblement inférieure à
ce qu’elle était il y a quelque temps. Cette différence a plusieurs
causes, mais la principale résulte de l’adjonction au latex qui devrait
être récolté, d’autres latex de valeur très inférieure ou même des
matières poussiéreuses quelconques.
Cette cause de perte peut et doit disparaître. Les Commissaires de
District et Chefs de Zone qui ont tous de l’expérience, connaissent les
moyens de fraude que les indigènes cherchent souvent à employer.
Ils ont à prendre des mesures pour empêcher d’une façon complète ces
tromperies. Il n’est pas douteux que là ou la population se soumet à
l’impôt il ne sera pas impossible de l’amener à fournir un produit pur,
mais il faut pour atteindre ce but une surveillance constante; dès que
l’indigène constatera qu’elle se relâche, il essaiera de diminuer son
travail en prenant du latex de mauvaise qualité, quand il obtient
celui-ci facilement, ou en ajoutant au produit des matières étrangères.
Chaque fois que ces fraudes sont constatées elles doivent être
réprimées. Les Commissaires de District et Chefs de Zone ont à examiner
fréquemment les produits, afin de faire à temps des observations à leurs
Chefs de Poste, et à ne plus laisser perdurer des situations qui causent
le plus grand préjudice.
A cette cause de la diminution de la valeur du caoutchouc, il faut
ajouter celle provenant de l’emballage défectueux du produit, qui par
suite voyage souvent pendant plusieurs mois dans les plus mauvaises
conditions. L’on peut dire qu’à cause de cette négligence une notable
partie des efforts qui ont été faits pour obtenir une production en
rapport avec la richesse du pays, doivent être considérés comme perdus,
puisque la valeur du caoutchouc peut diminuer de moitié par suite de ce
manque de soin.
J’ajouterai que la valeur du caoutchouc, même pur de tout mélange, a
diminué depuis quelque temps sur tous les marchés; il faut donc que les
Chefs Territoriaux fassent non seulement disparaître les deux causes de
pertes qu’ils peuvent éliminer, mais encore qu’ils compensent la
troisième en faisant des efforts continus pour augmenter la production
dans la mesure prescrite par les instructions.
Mon attention sera d’une façon constante, fixée sur les prescriptions
que je donne ici.
Le Gouverneur-Général,
(Signé) WAHIS.
_Boma, le 29 Mars, 1901._
(Translation.)
The quality of the rubber exported from the Congo is sensibly inferior
to what it was some time ago. This difference arises from several
causes, but principally from the addition, to the latex which is fit to
be gathered, of other kinds of latex of very inferior value, or even of
any dust-like matter.
This cause of loss can and must be removed. The Commissioners of
districts and Chiefs of zones, who all have experience, know the
fraudulent means which the natives often try to employ.
They must take measures completely to prevent these frauds. It cannot be
doubted that in those parts where the population submits to the tax it
will not be impossible to lead the natives to furnish pure produce; but
in order to effect this, constant supervision is necessary, for as soon
as the native notices that the supervision is becoming lax he will try
to lessen his work by taking latex of a bad quality, if he obtains it
easily, or by adding foreign matter.
Whenever these frauds are discovered they must be put down. The
Commissioners of districts and Chiefs of zones must examine the produce
at frequent intervals, in order to report in time to their Heads of
stations, and not to permit a condition of affairs which is most
prejudicial.
To this cause of the decline in the value of rubber must be added that
arising from defective packing of the produce, which thus often travels
during several months under the worst conditions. Much of the effort
which has been taken to obtain produce in keeping with the richness of
the country may be said to be lost through this neglect, for the value
of the rubber may be diminished by half through this want of care.
I may add that the value of rubber, even when free from all admixture,
has gone down in every market for some time past; territorial Chiefs
must, therefore, not only remove the two causes of loss which they can
eliminate, but they must also try to neutralize the third by making
unceasing efforts to increase production to the extent laid down in the
instructions.
The orders which I have here given will have my constant attention.
The Governor-General,
(Signed) WAHIS.
_Boma, March 29, 1901._
No. 4.
_The Marquess of Lansdowne to Sir C. Phipps._
Sir,
_Foreign Office, February 11, 1904._
With reference to Sir C. Phipps’ despatch of the 19th September, 1903, I
transmit to you herewith a Memorandum which has been prepared in reply
to the note respecting the condition of affairs in the Congo addressed
by the Government of the Independent State on the 17th September last,
to the Powers parties to the Act of Berlin.
I request you to communicate this Memorandum to M. de Cuvelier, and in
doing so to call special attention to the inclosed Report by Mr.
Casement, His Majesty’s Consul at Boma, upon his recent visit to certain
districts of the Upper Congo.
I am, &c.
(Signed) LANSDOWNE.
Inclosure in No. 4.
_Memorandum._
His Majesty’s Government have not until now offered any observations
upon the note from M. de Cuvelier of the 17th September last, because
they desired, before doing so, to learn the result of the inquiries
instituted by Mr. Casement, His Majesty’s Consul at Boma, during the
visit which he has recently paid to certain districts of the Upper
Congo.
Mr. Casement returned to this country at the beginning of last month,
and has since furnished the report of which a copy is annexed to this
Memorandum for communication to the Congo Government. The report will
also be communicated to the Powers parties to the Berlin Act, to whom
the despatch of the 8th August last was addressed, and it will be laid
before Parliament.
The descriptions given in the report of the manner in which the
administration is carried on and the methods by which the revenue is
collected in the districts visited by Mr. Casement constitute a grave
indictment, and need no comment beyond the statement that, in the
opinion of His Majesty’s Government, they show that the allegations to
which reference is made in the despatch were not without foundation, and
that there is ample ground for the belief that there are, at any rate,
extensive regions in which the pledges given under the Berlin Act have
not been fulfilled.
M. de Cuvelier’s note dwells at considerable length upon the necessity
of the natives contributing by some form of taxation to the requirements
of the State, and upon the advantage of their being induced to work. The
history of the development of the British Colonies and Protectorates in
Africa shows that His Majesty’s Government have always admitted this
necessity. Defects of administration of the character referred to in M.
de Cuvelier’s note are, no doubt, always liable to occur in dealing with
uncivilized races inhabiting vast areas and differing in manners, in
customs and in all the attributes which are necessary for the
construction of a social system. But whenever difficulties have arisen,
most notably in the case of the Sierra Leone insurrection of which M. de
Cuvelier makes special mention,[24] prompt and searching inquiry has
been publicly made, redress of grievances has been granted where due,
and every endeavour has been made to establish such considerate
treatment of the natives as is compatible with the just requirements of
the State.
The reference to the disturbed state of Nigeria appears to relate to the
campaign undertaken early last year against Kano and Sokoto. The
campaign was not a measure of “military repression” in the sense of
being the suppression of a native rising. It was necessitated by the
hostile action of powerful Mahommedan Chiefs within the Protectorate,
over whom authority had not been previously asserted, who refused to
maintain friendly relations with the Administration, hospitably
entertained the murderer of a British officer and declared that the only
relations between themselves and the Government were those of war. By
the mention of the loss of 700 lives reference is no doubt made to the
action at Burmi on the 27th July last, when about that number of the
enemy were killed, including the ex-Sultan of Sokoto and most of the
Chiefs who had joined him, while on the British side Major Marsh, the
Commanding Officer, and ten men were killed, and three officers and
sixty-nine men were wounded. This decisive and successful action
completely broke up the party of the irreconcilables as well as a
remnant of the Mahdi’s following.
The military operations which are now in progress in Somaliland have
been forced upon His Majesty’s Government, as is generally known, by the
assumption of power on the part of a fanatical Mullah, and by the
cruelties which he practised upon tribes within the British
Protectorate.
In both these cases, measures of military repression have been necessary
to save the territories in question from falling once more under the
complete control of uncivilized or fanatical Rulers, and of thus
relapsing into barbarism. The Congo Government and other Powers
possessing Colonies in Africa have had to meet similar contingencies,
and no blame is attached to them, nor, so far as His Majesty’s
Government are aware, has ever been attached to them, for adopting
measures to protect the cause of civilization.
After dealing with the treatment of natives, M. de Cuvelier’s note
proceeds to explain the views of the Congo Government with regard to the
system of trade now existing in the State. The opinion of His Majesty’s
Government has been set forth; they hold that the matter is one which
could properly be the subject of a reference to the Tribunal at The
Hague, but they are still awaiting an answer on this point from the
Powers to whom the despatch of the 8th August was addressed.
Memoranda will be forwarded separately giving examples of injuries
suffered by British subjects which have been the cause of complaint.
These Memoranda have been prepared in order to confirm the statement,
upon which M. de Cuvelier throws doubt, that the time of His Majesty’s
Consul had been principally occupied in the investigation of such cases.
_Foreign Office, February 11, 1904._
No. 5.
_The Marquess of Lansdowne to His Majesty’s Representatives at
Paris, Berlin, Vienna, St. Petersburgh, Rome, Madrid,
Constantinople, Brussels, The Hague, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and
Lisbon._
Sir,
_Foreign Office, February 12, 1904._
I transmit to you, for communication to the Government to which you are
accredited, a collection of papers, as marked in the margin,[25] which
relate to the present condition of affairs in the Independent State of
the Congo.
In handing these documents to the Minister for Foreign Affairs I request
that you will call special attention to the Report by Mr. Casement, His
Majesty’s Consul at Boma, upon his recent visit to certain districts of
the Upper Congo, and that you will at the same time inquire when an
answer may be expected to my despatch of the 8th August last.
I am, &c.
(Signed) LANSDOWNE.
CORRESPONDENCE and Report from His Majesty’s
Consul at Boma respecting the Administration of
the Independent State of the Congo.
_Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command
of His Majesty. February 1904._
LONDON:
PRINTED BY HARRISON AND SONS.
AFRICA. No. 7 (1904).