PAM, APS/CA C_o~vv CjL^ { A. cSi National Association of of the United States Manufacturers of America 30 Church Street, New York Special Foreign Trade Bulletin Issued by the Foreign Trade Department of the National Association of Manufacturers No. 25 January, 1919 THE BELGIAN CONGO WITH MAP CONTENTS Development Continued During the War.'. 2 Trade Open to All. 3 The Natives and Their Character. 3 Influence of the Arab Slave-Traders. 4 Administration and Law Courts. . . 5 A—Trade and Natural Products... 5 Imports and Exports in the Congo (Special Trade). 6 Some of the Goods Imported Into the Congo in 1914. Products Exported. 7 Principal Corporations Operating in the Belgian Congo. 10 Trade Languages in the Congo. 12 Articles and Methods of Trade. 12 Trade Caravans. 14 Currency, Weights and Measures . 14 Personal Taxes to be Paid by Traders. 15 B—Travel and Transportation. .15 Map. 16-17 Projected Railways and Steamer Lines. 19 Fast Passenger Traffic Towards Stanleyville. 20 Remarkable River System. 20 C—Agriculture and Forestry. 21 Native Agriculture. 22 White Settlers and Planters —Land Concessions. 24 Eperimental Settlement of Belgian Small Farmers in Katanga.... 24 Government Experimental Plantations.25 Coffee Plantations. 25 Rubber Plantations. 25 Cacao Plantations. 26 Oil Palm Forests and Plantations. 26 Lumber Supply Enormous. 27 D—Great Mineral Wealth. 27 The Katanga Tin Belt. 29 Future Development of the Katanga Mines. 30 The Diamond Mines in the Congo. 30 The Goldfields of the Northeastern Congo. 31 Coal and Oil in the Belgian Congo. 31 Iron Ore Deposits in the Congo. 32 National Association of Manufacturers THE BELGIAN CONGO A NEW FIELD FOR AMERICAN ENTERPRISE Stanley’s Darkest Africa of Cannibalism and Conflict Now a Peaceful Region for Agri¬ culturist and Trader Traversed by Rail, Steam and Motor Car By Edward V. Leplae No colony in Africa has a greater economic future than the Belgian Congo, because none combines, as the Congo does, thousands of miles of deep and easily navigable rivers, with an excellent climate, unlimited agricultural possibilities, enormous hardwood forests, and a consider¬ able wealth of the most valuable ores, metals and precious stones. These assets are specially valuable on account of the fact that the situation of the Belgian Congo is unique from a commercial and industrial point of view. This colony, with her unequalled waterways and great agricultural and mineral wealth, covers the very heart of the former “Dark Continent,” and, consequently, must be the crossroads where all the principal trans-African highways, the steamer and railway lines either already meet or will meet in the future. Since the Belgians took over the Congo in 1909, they have been working strenuously to push their colony for¬ ward with all speed. Development Continued During the War The Colonial Minister, Mr. J. J. Renkin, with unshakable faith in the final victory of the Allies, ordered that all the work initiated in the Congo should go on, notwithstanding the war. Even railway building was continued, in order to link the Congo River and Lake Tanganyka with the South African railways. The Congo officials, who all wanted to fight the Germans in Europe, were sent back to the Colony. Great schemes are afoot now for new development, both moral and material. Belgium wants to leave no stone un¬ turned that can afford help towards the welfare of the native population and the advance of agriculture, mining and trade. Through the establishment of steamer and railway lines, and of a very complete legislative and administrative sys¬ tem, the heart of Africa has been transformed by the Bel¬ gians from a wild and dangerous country, inhabited by millions of cannibal and warlike natives, into a prosperous and quiet colony, where trading, farming and mining are 2 Special Foreign Trade Bulletin unhampered. This colony is now endowed with European laws and administration, telephone, telegraph and fourteen wireless stations, comfortable railways and steamers, well equipped towns and more than a thousand trading houses. Travelers can reside and trade in the Congo with¬ out any personal danger or hardships. Natives are happy and well cared for and native rights are carefully protected against any encroachment. Trade Open to All The Belgian Congo is open to traders and planters of all nations of the world, in accordance with the interna- tibnal agreement from which the Colony derives its exist¬ ence. No preference whatever is given or can be given to any particular nation in respect of trading, buying, importing into or exporting goods from the Congo. Thirty years ago, owing to lack of transport and med¬ ical help, to the cannibalism of most of the native tribes, to a long and bloody war against the Arab slave-traders, and also to the usual carelessness of the pioneers, the Congo acquired a bad reputation for unhealthiness and danger. That was quite undeserved. Since the country has been equipped with rail, steamer and motor-car, comfortable buildings and hotels, thoroughly pacified and kept in quiet¬ ness and order, the conditions of travel and residence have become excellent and compare favorably with those of any other equatorial country in Africa. The climate is one of the mildest in the tropical world, as the whole colony is situated on a high tableland, sloping towards the west, and its lowest parts are more than a thousand feet above sea-level. This high altitude of the Belgian Congo produces a climate much cooler than the climate of tropical Asia and Malaya and much healthier than that of the west coast of Africa. The highest parts, such as Katanga, at an altitude of about 4,500 feet, have a very temperate climate, with six months of dry season, at which time cold weather, and even frost, is experienced in the valleys. Very high mountains rise on the eastern border of the Belgian Congo, between Lake Tanganyka and Lake Albert. Mt. Ruwenzori and the grand volcanoes near Lake Kivu are from 15,000 to 19,000 feet high, and capped with snow and glaciers. The Natives and Their Character The natives are gentle and intelligent, and generally good farmers. Their cannibalism was a result of the nat¬ ural craving for meat and is now gone entirely. When Stanley traveled through the Congo he found large numbers of native villages on the banks of the rivers. The population of the colony was therefore estimated at 3 National Association of Manufacturers about 30,000,000, a figure that is at least double that of the real population. In fact, the interior is very sparsely pop¬ ulated. It is even doubtful if the Congo contains as many as the 10,000,000 to 15,000,000 people commonly estimated by modern writers. It has been impossible as yet to make a complete census of the native population, many negroes living in small villages scattered through the dense equatorial forests. An attempt at a census was made in 1915 and 1916 in the most accessible villages of each district, and this gave a total number of 5,146,150 natives, of whom 1,709,006 were men, 1,838,150 women, and 1,598,994 children. Most of the Congo natives belong to the Bantu tribes. Some are dwarfs or pigmies (height about 4 ft.) ; some are giants (height about 7 ft.). The color of the skin varies from a light brown to a dark grey or black. The natives are generally well built, strong and healthy, good farmers, expert fishermen and hunters. Their usual food is composed of manioc (cassava), bananas, sorghum, corn, sweet potatoes, peanuts and beans; fish and game. These natives are now peaceful and law-abiding. Influence of the Arab SIave=Traders Arab slave-traders from Zanzibar and the East Coast invaded Central Africa and the Congo about 1850-1860. They were in quest of ivory, a very valuable product fetching high prices in India and Europe. The Arabs started with buying or exchanging ivory against manufac¬ tured goods, but ascertaining that the native populations were helpless, they very soon adopted a more profitable system. Followed by small armies of native retainers armed with guns, they attacked the villages during the night, murdered the aged people and the men who tried to resist, carried off the women and children, took the able-bodied men as slaves, made them carry the ivory to the East Coast, and sold them to land owners in Africa and Asia. On this trip of hundreds of miles a large per¬ centage of the slaves died from hunger, thirst or bad treatment. Hundreds of thousands of Congo natives were enslaved or killed by the Arabs between 1860 and 1891, when the Belgians .made war against the slave-traders and, after nine years of intermittent but fierce fighting, finally destroyed the power of the great Arab chiefs. The Bel¬ gians had to fight also against the Dervishes of the Egypt¬ ian Soudan, who used to buy slaves and ivory in the north¬ eastern districts of the Congo. The Arabs introduced several species of food plants, rice, cotton, mangoes, date-palms and other tropical fruit. Arab-like populations, following the Moslem creed, are still found in large numbers on the middle Congo River, from Isangi and Stanleyville to Nyangwe and Kassongo. These two towns were very important during the Arab 4 Special Foreign Trade Bulletin rule, and are said to have numbered 30,000 inhabitants. The principal Arab towns of to-day are Kisanagani (Stanleyville), 8,000, and Kirundu, 4,000 inhabitants. A very large number of Belgian and other missionaries are at work in the Congo; missionaries of any denomina¬ tion enjoy perfect freedom of action, and special protec¬ tion by the Government. There are several important American missions. The Bantu negroes were all pagans and fetichists. Many are now Christians, mostly Catho¬ lics, and a few in Central Congo are Moslems. The Cath¬ olic and Protestant missionaries have hundreds of elemen¬ tary schools, teaching religion, writing and reading, also carpentry, printing, etc. Administration and Law Courts The Colonial Minister in Brussels is a member of the Belgian Government and is the head of the Colonial Ad¬ ministration. He has the advice of a Colonial Council. The laws for the Colony are voted by the Belgian Par¬ liament ; the executive power is vested in the King. The administrative and executive head in the Colony is the Governor General. The Colony is divided into four Prov¬ inces and 22 Districts. At the head of each province is a Vice-Governor. The head of a district is the District Commissioner; he is assisted by Territorial Administra¬ tors and Agents. Each district is subdivided into a certain number of territories. The head of the Judicial Body is the Colonial Minister in Brussels, represented in the Colony by the Attorney Generals in Boma and Elisabethville. Law-courts are found in the principal towns. Special Judges travel continually through the country. Minor of¬ fenses by natives are punished by the Territorial Admin¬ istrator. There are Courts of Appeal in Boma and Elisa¬ bethville. A TRADE AND NATURAL PRODUCTS The outbreak in 1914 of the European war produced only a short crisis in the Congo trade. Sea and river transport was resumed rapidly. Large quantities of food¬ stuffs and other supplies were needed for the campaign in German East Africa, and enabled the trading concerns to make some important transactions. Prices of colonial pro¬ duce in the English and French market have been un¬ usually high. However, the shortage of ocean steamers was severely felt in 1917 and 1918. The notes issued by the State-guaranteed Banque du Congo Beige were made legal tender, and smaller notes of one and five francs (twenty cents and one dollar) were issued, in order to avoid a shortage of small currency. Export of gold and silver coin was prohibited. The rate 5 National Association of Manufacturers of the English pound paid in London has been maintained at Fr. 25.50 paid in the Congo. Owing to these favorable conditions, imports and ex¬ ports increased rapidly, as shown by the following figures, giving the special trade of the Congo colony: 1 Imports and Exports in the Congo (Special Trade.) A.—Under the Congo Free State Government. Imports Exports. 1895 . $ 2,137,169 $ 2,188,601 1900 . t . 4,944,825 9,475,580 1905 . 4,015,072 10,606,452 B.—Under the Belgian Government. Imports Exports. 1910 . $ 7,369,301 $13,320,459 1912 . 10,846,575 11,985,239 1913 . 14,318,156 11,037,475 1914 . 8,898,423 10,574,951 1915 . 4,690,648 14,398,962 1916 . 13,512,200 25,840,600 The goods imported into the Congo can be classified under three heads: 1. Native Trade; 2. Equipment; 3. Common Trade. The following figures give an insight into the nature of the goods commonly imported into the Congo. Details of these and other imports are published by the Belgian Gov¬ ernment in annual and periodical official papers: Some of the Goods Imported Into the Congo in 1914 I. —Native Trade: Approximate Value in Dollars. Cotton Textures . $821,000 Hardware . 303,800 Flintlock Guns . 5,500 Common Black Powder . 29,500 II. —Machinery and Equipment: Steamers, Engines, etc. 231,100 Railway Equipment . 612,400 Building Material . 710,900 Machinery . 566,000 Coal, Coke, etc. 230,700 Oil, Gasoline, etc. 287,000 III. —Common Trade : Meat, Fat, Butter, Fish. 737,600 Cereals, Foods, Beverages . 1,343,200 Gothing, Shoes . 373,000 Tobacco, Cigars . 108,900 Live Stock . 377,200 1 n the Belgian statistics, "General Trade” includes also the goods that are imported in transit, whereas "Special Trade” is limited to goods produced in or imported for use in the colony itself. 6 Special Foreign Trade Bulletin The total value of imports in 1914 was $8,898,423, orig¬ inating from the following countries : Belgium .$4,461,205 South Africa . 1,253,600 England . 1,068,893 Germany . 600,396 United States . 590,974 Portuguese Angola . 253,830 France . 177,340 Other countries . 492,095 Imports have been considerably increased since 1914 by the importation of coke for the copper smelters in Ka¬ tanga. This coke was imported from Rhodesia and South Africa, in quantities of 18,362 tons in 1913, 55,070 tons in 1915, and 91,178 tons in 1916. Deducting these quantities, we obtain for imports of general trade goods: Imports. Value. 1913 . 152,440 tons 1914 . 96,591 tons . 1915 . 30,796 tons $4,490,600 1916 . 48,499 tons 8,871,200 Since the outbreak of the European war most of the import and export goods were handled through the United Kingdom, as thirty-seven of the Belgian firms trading in the Congo have temporarily placed their offices in London. Products Exported The products exported from the Belgian Congo are mostly of vegetable origin; however, Katanga copper is being exported in steadily growing quantities. The most important exports were as follows : Year. Palm Kernels. Palm Oil. 1911 . 6,764 tons 2,273 tons 1912 . 5,895 tons 1,989 tons 1913 . 7,205 tons 1,974 tons 1914 . 8,052 tons 2,498 tons 1915 . 11,024 tons 3,408 tons 1916 . 22,391 tons 3,852 tons 1917 . 54,988 tons 5,393 tons Copal. Rubber. Cocoa. 1911 . 3,402 681 1912 . 3,755 3,510 845 1913 . 4,697 3,624 914 1914 .6,993 2,249 482 1915 . 4,265 2,179 620 1916 . 8,676 3,017 770 1917 . 7,402 .... 783 7 National Association of Manufacturers Copper. Gold. Diamonds. Ivory. 1911 .... . .. . 1,015 tons 1 . carats ... tons 1912 .... . .. . 2,463 tons 1 . carats 233 tons 1913 .... . .. . 5,412 tons I /2 15,000 carats 276 tons 1914 .... . ... 10,343 tons 1 39,000 carats 295 tons 1915 .... . . . . 14,274 tons 4 54,000 carats 214 tons 1916 .... .... 21,882 tons 3 80,000 carats 351 tons 1917 .... .. .. 27,600 tons 3/4 182,000 carats 180 tons Concerning the export of palm oil, it is to be noted that an acre of palm grove should produce, even by the native methods of gathering kernels and oil, about the same quantity of each of these products, so that an export of 50,000 tons of palm kernels should give a corresponding export of about 50,000 tons of palm oil. But most of the palm oil is thrown away and lost through lack of suitable casks. The Congo being covered with very fine timber, there would be an opening there for several large cooper¬ age plants. It .was estimated in 1916 that fully 100,000 tons of palm kernels could have been exported if transportation facili¬ ties had been more adequate. The number of oil palms and palm groves in the Congo is enormous, but the export of the oil and kernel was started only a few years ago, and but a very small proportion of the available product comes in the market. Outside of producing palm-oil and palm kernels, the Belgian Congo is eminently suited by rainfall, tempera¬ ture, and soil, for the production of many species of oil seeds. The natives grow sesamum, peanuts, castor beans, melons, cotton, etc., and many forest trees produce oil or fat-bearing seeds. The natives are quite willing to gather large quantities of natural products when they are assured of getting a decent price for the harvested goods. The Belgian Congo was in 1910 one of the most impor¬ tant producers of native rubber, collected from the vines or creepers in the equatorial forests. Rubber sold at that time at 10 or 12 shillings a pound, and the rubber trade was a very profitable one. The situation is quite different now; most of the large vines have been cut down, and the price of rubber is only about 2 shillings per pound. Rubber planting has a good future in the Congo. Para (or Hevea) is the most advisable species. Ceara (Mani- hot) does well in dry parts of the country. Copal rosin, of superior quality, is found in large quantities in the extensive swampy forests of Central Congo. Cocoa is very promising, and one of the best paying crops. The Congo cocoa is of good quality and sells at the same price as Sao Thome cocoa. Coffee grows wild in the Congo forests, and several native Congo coffee species have been planted in Asia, among them the now widely known Robusta coffee. Ara- 8 Special Foreign Trade Bulletin bian and Mocha coffee of high quality is grown on some Congo plantations. Tobacco is raised all over the colony by the natives, but none of it has been exported so far. Large quantities could be obtained. Cotton is a new crop and has not yet come into the trade. The first consignments of native grown cotton have been sold in England, and fetched good prices, being classed as Middling and Good Middling. The crops of cotton grown in the Congo all belong to the American Upland cotton. Two steam ginneries were bought in the United States this year. Rice is grown in ever-increasing quantities, and ex¬ ported to surrounding countries. The. Congo rice receives no irrigation, and is very nutritious and palatable. Two modern rice mills have been erected by Government to improve the character of the exports. Trading Concerns Numerous The number of trading houses, stores and branch offices opened by European and American traders in the Belgian Congo, is rapidly increasing. The total number of these establishments was 1,252 in 1915, and rose to 1,337 in 1916, an increase of 7 per cent., located as follows: 1. Western or Congo-Kassai Province.. 464 2. Equatorial Province . 239 3. Oriental Province . 310 4. Katanga Province . 324 Total.1,337 Trading in the Belgian Congo can be done by private persons or by corporations created in the colony, in Bel¬ gium, or in a foreign country. Corporations created in a foreign country are allowed to establish branch offices in the Belgian Congo provided that within six months from the establishment of the branch office the following data are filed in the Law Courts of the District or Province: 1. Nature of business, objects or purposes to be trans¬ acted, promoted or carried on. 2. Names, places of residence, and liability of stock¬ holders. 3. Name of corporation. 4. Names and residences of directors, officers and per¬ sons by whom the corporation’s affairs are to be con¬ ducted, and who shall sign or seal in name of the corporation. 5. Duration of corporate existence. 6. Amount of capital stock; amount subscribed and paid in by each party. 9 National Association of Manufacturers 7. Precise indication of stockholders who have to fur¬ nish money or property to the corporation, and of their duties and liabilities. 8. Location of office or place of business where actions can be legally notified. Foreign corporations have to file an authenticated copy of their articles or charter of incorporation; the names and residences of their representatives in the Belgian Congo. Foreign corporations shall maintain one or more places of business within the colony, where legal process against the corporation may be served. Principal Corporations Operating in the Belgian Congo Capital Stock (Shares and Debentures) Railways Dollars Chemin de fer du Congo.. 19,400,000 Chemin de fer du Katanga . 16,000,000 Chemin de fer des Grands Lacs . 15,000,000 Chemin de fer du Mayumbe . 900,000 Chemin de fer Bas Congo Katanga. 400,000 Ocean and River Steamer Lines Cie. Maritime Beige du Congo . 2,837,432 Societe Anonyme Citas (river) . 600,000 Agricultural Soc. Agricole du Mayumbe. 700,000 Cie. Subscriere Europeenne et Coloniale. 700,000 La Luinha . 680,000 Societe de Cultures au Congo . 600,000 La Luki . 400,000 Societe de Colonisation agricole Mayumbe 300,000 Lukula . 300,000 Plantations Hallet . 280,000 Sukdi Lubao . 260,000 Soc. An. Produits Vegetaux du Haut Kasai . 250,000 Urselia (Cacao) . 200,000 Kiniati . 152,000 Societe d’Agriculture et plantation. 120,000 Mining Union Miniere du Flaut Katanga. 6,500,000 Internationale Forestiere et Miniere. 1,600,000 Beige Industrielle et Miniere du Katanga. 1,200,000 Societe Miniere de Tele . 900,000 Cie. Geologique Miniere . 700,000 Societe Anversoise pour la recherche de Mines au Katanga . 600,000 Societe de recherches minieres Lufira.... 600,000 Societe de recherches minieres du Bas Katanga . 400,000 Societe Miniere Congolaise . 200,000 10 Special Foreign Trade Bulletin Banks Banque du Congo Beige (State guar.).. 1,000,000 Banque Commerciale du Congo . 200,000 Trading Corporations Huileries du Congo Beige . 6,000,000 Cie. du Kasai . 1,800,000 Credit Colonial et Commercial . l.u,. Societe Coloniale Anversoise . 1,500,000 Societe des Petroles au Congo. 1,200,000 Societe Commerciale et Financiere Afri- caine . 1,200,000 Soc. An. Beige pour le Commerce du Haut Congo . 1,010,000 Beige Katanga . 1,000,000 Societe Commerciale et Miniere . 600,000 Societe Forestiere et commerciale du Congo .... 600,000 Cie. du Lomarni . 600,000 Societe Belgica . 600,000 Nieuwe Afrik. Handelsmaatschappy (Dutch) . 600,000 Cie. du Congo pour le Commerce et l’ln- dustrie . 418,450 Intertropical Anglo-Belgian Trading .... 400,000 La Mercantile Anversoise . 400,000 Cie. des Produits du Congo. 240,000 Societe Coloniale de Construction . 250,000 Societe Franco-Beige d’Elevage . 200,000 Cie. Commerciale et Agricole d’Alimenta- tion du Bas Congo. 200,000 Comptoire Congolais Velde . 200,000 Societe Equatoriale Congolaise . 200,000 Societe Imimobiliere du Katanga. 200,000 Congo Oriental Co. 200,000 Societe Isanghi . 140,000 Societe Anonyme Beige de l’Uele . 120,000 Societe d’Etude des Pecheries . 130,000 Societe l’lkelemba . 100,000 Cie. Bruxellise pour le commerce. 100,000 Comptoir du Katanga . 100,000 Syndicat d’Etudes et d’Enterprises . 100,000 Shares with Undesignated Value: Cie. du Congo Beige. 34,000 shares Comptoir Commercial Congolais. 23,288 Plantations Lacourt. N. B.—The relative importance of the companies cannot be deduced from their amount of capital stock. The list is incomplete, full information about the Congo companies being unavailable on account of the war. Corporations with limited liability have to pay an an¬ nual tax on the profits made in the Colony. Corporations created in the Congo pay 2 per cent of these profits. For¬ eign corporations pay 1 per cent. 11 National Association of Manufacturers Trade Languages in the Congo French and Flemish, being the national languages of Belgium, are exclusively used in all official matters, proc¬ lamations, decrees, legal procedure, etc. French is largely dominant. Some English is spoken in the extreme south of Katanga, owing to the presence of about 200 English and American engineers and foremen among the staff of the copper mines. Englishmen and Americans are met in all important centers, and many of the Belgians speak Eng¬ lish also. In trading with natives the local native language has to be used. There are hundreds of different native languages in the Congo, widely different from one another. This babel of tongues brought about the introduction of so- called commercial or trading languages. The most important of these is the Swahili or Kiswahili, a language introduced by the Arab slave traders, and now spoken in the whole Eastern half of equatorial Africa. It is a mixture of Arabic and Bantu words, with a com¬ plicated grammar. Swahili is spoken in the Eastern districts, from Lake Albert to Stanleyville, thence south to Bukama, and the copper mines of Katanga, and all around Tanganyka Lake. Many of the natives in the villages have learned Swahili during their trips to the mines or towards the River, so that it is generally possible, even in remote villages, to find one or two men who understand and speak Swahili. In the central part of the Congo, Lingala (or Bangala) is the trading language on the Congo River and its sur¬ roundings, and Kiluba is spoken all over the Kassai and a large part of Central Katanga. 1 In the Western Congo (Boma, Matadi, Leopoldville) Swahili is not understood; Bangala is known by many natives. The common language is Fiote or Kikongo. White traders easily pick up the few words that are necessary to trade with natives. Simplified grammars and dictionaries have been published by the Government or by Missionaries for every important native language, and can be obtained easily for a few cents. Articles and Methods of Trade The principal objects of trade in Equatorial Africa are the natural products of the forests. They include rubber, copal, oilseeds, and hundreds of vegetable products, fibers, gums, tanning barks, etc. The natives used to exchange or barter these products, and also ivory, against European hardware, cotton, drills, beads, clothes, etc. In order better to safeguard the interests of the na¬ tives, buying and selling by barter has now been pro- 1 The prefixes Ki and Li indicate the meaning of language. The prefix Ba means people. So Bangala means the Ngala tribe; Lingala the Ngala language. Baluba means the Luba people; Kiluba means the Luba language. Kiswahili, the language of the Swahili. 12 Special Foreign Trade Bulletin hibited by the Belgian Government, and payments have to be made in money. The natives are free to collect produce in the State forests. Any person residing in the Congo can obtain a permit enabling him to collect or buy from the natives these vegetable products. The permit is annual, costs $5, and is delivered by the District Commissioner. Ivory is subjected to special rules and taxes. Natives may kill elephants under a license delivered (free) by the District Commissioner. White men have to pay $200 to $300 yearly for a license to shoot adult male elephants (two). No female nor young elephants may be killed. Ivory trading and export are subjected to high taxes, and tusks weighing less than 5 pounds cannot be exported. Spirits, or liquids containing more than 8 per cent, al¬ cohol, cannot be sold or given or entrusted to natives. It has not been useful or possible hitherto to restrict the use and sale of liquids containing less than 8 per cent, alcohol, as the natives all over Africa are used to making wine or beer with native produce (corn, sorghum, pineapple, palm- juice, wheat, etc.). White men cannot import spirits or trade in liquors without paying high taxes, obtaining special permits, and submitting to stringent rules. Selling spirits per glass is prohibited; no white man can buy less than half a pint in a sealed bottle, nor more than three quarts per month; every sale has to be entered in a special book. The trade in alcoholic liquors is controlled by rather complicated rules which should be carefully studied, as heavy penalties are incurred for disregarding the law. Firearms and ammunition are subject to very stringent regulations. Only flintlock, smooth-bore guns and com¬ mon black powder can be sold freely to natives. A spe¬ cial license has to be procured; fee, $10. Modern guns, including all cartridge-firing weapons and percussion-cap guns and pistols, may not be sold to na¬ tives. They have to be registered and stamped by the Custom House officials. The number of rifled bore guns allowed to each person is strictly limited. Traders should carefully peruse the special regulations for firearms. Rubber may be bought in any quantity and exported, if exempt of adulteration, and if it contains less than IS per cent, of foreign matter. Adulterated or impure rubber may not be exported from the Belgian Congo. Palm-kernels and palm-oil may be bought in any quan¬ tity and exported, but nobody is allowed to pay to the natives more than a maximum price. This law was passed because some irresponsible traders disturbed the market by paying exorbitant prices during a few days, in order to snatch away the trade from their competitors. The sub¬ sequent fall in prices made the natives distrustful and was highly detrimental to the development of normal trade. 13 National Association of Manufacturers The maximum price established by the Government is still considerably above the normal value of the products in Central Africa. Timber may not be cut without special licenses. This does not apply to firewood for private use. Special regulations have been made for the manufac¬ ture and trade of foodstuffs (flour, bread, coffee, beer, jam, mineral water, rice, saccharine, etc.). Public and Native Markets Public markets are markets established in Government stations and towns, and where natives sell their produce. The days and hours of these markets are appointed by the District Commissioner. Nobody is allowed to buy, sell or exchange native products on the public thoroughfare within a circle of three to six miles radius of the market place; this rule was established in order that the interests of the natives may be cared for. Special regulations are to be put in force for the cotton markets. Native markets are those that are held in the native villages, on days and hours determined by the District Commissioner. Trade Caravans The Belgian Government is anxious to prevent every abuse bearing on the native population. Trade caravans cannot be organized without a written permit from the District Commissioner and the forwarding to this official of a document giving the names and residences of all the carriers, women and children in the caravan, and detailing the salaries and conditions of the enlistment. In every Government Station where the caravan passes through this written document and the whole caravan have to be brought before the Government official, who sees that the stipulated conditions are properly carried out and the sal¬ aries paid; he receives any complaint that the carriers wish to make. The trader is responsible for any damage done by mem¬ bers of his caravan. Before starting he has to deposit $8 per carrier; this money is refunded six months after the caravan has come back to its starting point. Currency, Weights and Measures The monetary unit is the Belgian (or French) franc ($0.20). Bank notes issued by the Banque du Congo Beige (guaranteed by Government) are the only paper money that is legal tender. Copper and nickel coins are special to the Colony, whereas any gold and silver coins of the Latin Union are admitted, excepting some Italian and Greek coins. Silver coins, especially the half franc ($0.10), the franc ($0.20), and the 2-franc piece ($0.40) are the most useful; also the 5-franc silver coin ($1.00). Nickel is coming into use; copper is generally rejected; 14 Special Foreign Trade Bulletin paper money is not favored by the natives, as it is easily destroyed or lost. The unit of weight is the French kilogram (2.2 lbs). The unit of measure is the French liter (\Va pints). The unit of length is the meter (39 1/3 in.), and for roads and distances the kilometer (0.62 miles), or the Bel¬ gian league (5 kilometers, or 3 miles). Prohibition of Barter and Payments Made in Advance In order better to protect the economic interests of the natives, the Belgian Government has made it unlawful to buy or sell goods by exchange or barter; this has been already put in force in several Districts and will soon be applied in every part of the Colony. Traders used formerly to advance money or goods to natives, these advances to be repaid later with native pro¬ duce or money. As this system allowed of rather frequent abuse, payment in advance is now strictly prohibited, ex¬ cepting when the native is a regular licensed trader or a servant or employee. Personal Taxes to Be Paid by Traders Traders pay annual taxes to Government on four bases: I. Dwelling houses and stores, $0.02 to $0.20 per square meter. II. Unused plots in towns, $0.01 per 10 square meters. III. White workmen and employees, $4.00 to $10.00 per head. Native workmen and employees, $0.20 to $5.00 per head. IV. Steamers, motor boats, $4.00 to $8.00 per ton. Towed barges and boats, $2.00 to $4.00 per ton. Sail and rowboats, $2.00 per boat. Traders who have no fixed store in the Colony (ped¬ dlers) have to buy a license of $40. The license costs $100 for those trading also in rubber, copal and ivory. Natives pay no taxes, except if they own a store or fac¬ tory with at least one employee. B TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION The Belgian Congo can be reached by a number of rail and steamer lines, affording every facility for travel and for the transportation of goods. In fact, no other Central African Colony is to be com¬ pared with the Belgian Congo in this respect, or in re¬ spect of the work that has been done, and is contemplated, to improve the means of communication. The routes leading to the Colony are the following: (a) From the West: The ocean steamers or sailing ships ascend the Congo River to Boma (54 miles), the 15 Bufurcl^b^jDisia u.j vrwv x-' -{«-'• Modipali Gwirupu 0 , „ Niaba \ ' Bolb Mts. 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