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Leader (1850-1860), 11th February 1854, Edition 1 of 1, Page 128

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      Untitled Article

      Tffl AtfeT&AiJAir EXPEbirid | sr . ; A ' ttteiJTAmoVi consisting of Messrs . Moffatt , JB&P ., Gregwn , M . 3 ?; , W . « L Lindsay , Powle , McLaren , and » iyei ^ l otiher gentlemen interested in Australian aff&i ^ wa £ te& on the Duke of Newcastle , on Saturda ^ ja ^ the Colonial-office , for the purpose of comm || n | b ^ ng tKeir views respecting the conduct of the fir ^^ uie ^| GoTemment expedition to the interior of ^ p | wpB ^ f ? Mr , Moffatt , M . P ., having introduced the deputation , Mr , Lindsay saitl that the merchants ' the ^ City of London being chiefly interested in the prosperity of Australia , had been much gratified to f ^ arn ^ hat the Geographical Society had recommeaded an exploratory expedition to the interior of

      that country , arid that the Government had re-8 pOTided to that recommendation by offering a . grant of ! 2500 / . fbytiie purpose , which grant he understood "th \ ey had subsequently determined to increase to 5000 / . .. Bejyng himself connected with Australia , he liatd given : the matter much consideration , and feared th * t unless the expedition were made a really effective one , the grant of 3000 / . would be thrown away . His opinion was that 500 O / . would be necessary . WitK'Ulis vfew a committee had been formed for the puTjfose of raising the balance of 1500 / ., a sum which wojildbe raised without difficulty in the City . The

      cbmmfttee wei-e most anxious to impress upon Us gracQ the fitness of ifr . Haug for employment in the pigjpjMe ^ exwdiition . The committee had had much conimunicatipjn with that gentleman , and were fully inipresitea with his energy , zeal , and ability . The committee were aware that once the matter had been taken-in hand by Government , it would be impossible-to'invest > foreigner with , the command of the esfplaition , - hot they respectfully suggested that a departmental" appointnieut might be found in it for Ijx . Haug , which , would be acceptable to that gentleman . - Duke his

      ^^ The of Newcastle expressed regret that lifi-ffeadwnptvjet received the answer of Captain Stoke r s , to . whi ^ m he had written respecting the conduet of the expedition . He believed that the committee ; were 'aware that it was the intention of Go-V ^ iTirnent to entrust the conduct of the expedition to tha ^ gehtijeman , respecting whose fitness there was a T ^^ jiin ^ f «» nctutreiice of opinion . With respect ^; tlj ^ expela « ei they were aware that the proposal had' orTginated ! with the Geographical Society , which

      marine survey ?—The Duke of Newcastle had con * Suited Captain Stokes on that point , and they had Concluded that it would be better not to hamper the internal expedition with the accompaniment of a marine survey . —Mr . Moffatt said that-the gTeat object with which the deputation had sought an interview with his grace was to impress upon him the high opinion they entertained of Mr . Haug ' s energy and ability . The merchants in the City of London interested in Australian affairs hud had many interviews with that gentleman , and were fully impressed with his qualifications for an important share in the proposed expedition . Having said thus much they would leave the matter in his grace ' s hands . —Mr . MfLaren observed that the expedition was looked forward to with deep interest in Australia , the colonists being from their position peculiarly alive to its importance . The deputation having thanked his grace for the courtesy with which they had been received , then withdrew .

      nody hjid . caU « di on hini at the close of last summer , and expressed their ^ opinion . that the first sum Which had tieen named would , be sufficient . Subsequently , however , they had seen reason to alter that opinion , and to conclude that to carry on an expedition worthy of a jiatipn 3500 ( . would be necessary . He believed that ; ifthey had applied , the Treasury would have cons ^ ntli ^ tp give that sum . But it had occurred to him th £$ " traf Gorerntnerit ^ should take the matter into t ^ ci ^ vP ^ n lands , on such a scale as should give fair prospect of ppenmg up the internal resources of the country . . He had communicated his view to the Geographical Society , and it had received their cordial aissent . He then informed them of the course

      he proposed to take , which was , having first selected the individual who was to conduct the expedition , to call on him to lay before Government a complete plan including all details , and that having consulted th % ^ individuals most competent to advise him , he should submit a list of his various assistants . It would then be for the Government to decides whether the expedition should start at once , with recommendations to the colonial governors , or whether , looking at the period of the year , it would be better to postpone the expedition , communicating with the governors in the meantime . However , all that he wished

      to leave undecided until he received the general report to which he had alluded . With regard to Mr . Haug , he could assure the committee that there was no disposition to pass over the claims of that gentleman , ox to deprive him of that fair share in the undertaking to which he ( the Duke of Newcastle ) thought him fully entitled . He had had the pleasure of seeing Mr . Haug , having felt it due to him to communicate with him before he did with the Qeogfapliical Society . He had explained to him how , under the altered circumstances of the case , "he should not l > e able to entrust the expedition to his guidance , not so much on account of his being a foreigner , as from the feeling of the public that in a

      field of exploration in which so many eminent men had distinguished themselves , it was desirable that one of those should be at the head of the proposed expedition , and not a man who had never been in the country , and , therefore , was practically unacquainted with it or its climate . Mr . Haug had fully entered into that view , and he ( the Dulce of Newcastle ) had told him that when the expedition was being organised under Captain Stokes it was his wish that he ( Mr . Haug ) should have a position in it such as should fairly meet his merit . He trusted that no personal rivalry would enter into the matter , as such a feeling would be totally subversive of the objects of the expedition .

      Mr . Lindsay felt convinced that Mr . Haug entertained no feeling of the kind . Mr . Gregson asked whether his grace proposed a

      Untitled Article

      DISCOVERIES IN CENTRAL AFRICA . Otra readers will bear in mind that we have , from time to time , recorded the progress of Dr . Barth in Central Africa . Mr . Augustus Petermann lias just furnished additional information of a most important kind from official despatches : — " It will be remembered ( he says ) that Dr . Earth , after a twelvemonth ' s journey through , the Great Desert , under severe hardships and trials , was the first of the three travellers to arrive at Lake ^ Tsad . Owing to the melancholy death of Mr . Uieliardson ^ the leader of the expedition , he found the whole undertaking in a state of complete

      disorganisation . Yet such iva % hts inoomitable energy and courage tfcat he borrowed a sum of anoney from tlic Vizier of Bornn , and determined to . penetrate to the south alone , in order to reach Adamtraa , which country had been reported to him as the most betfntiftfFof Central Africa . On the 29 th of May , 1851 , accordingly , he left Kuka , and after a fortnight ' s inarch through the dominions of Bornti , as well as those of independent Pagan nations , at a distance from Kuka of 155 geographical miles ifr a straight line , lie reached Uba , the northernmost place of * Adamaua , situated exactly in the same latitude as the celebrated Mount IIiudif , seen by Major Denharn , namely , in 10 deg . 20 min . north latitude , and 35 geographical miles , "west from it . 14 From this pLice / ' says Dr . Barth ,- " all the country to the south was covered with the most splendid herbage , and enlivened with numerous herds of cattle belonging to the

      Fellatas . The atmosphere was now cool and refreshing , the sky covered with clouds during the greater part of the day , and thunderstorms occurred almost every day . The country wore altogether a rich and beautiful appearance ; the huts of the inhabitants are built with more solidity than in the northern region of Sudan , as the rainy season lasts seven months in Adamaua . The population of . the country is considerable , large towns being met with at every three or four hours , with villages between , exclusively inhabited by the slaves of the ruling Fellatas . The slaves do all the ¦ work , and every Fellata , down to the very poorest , possesses at least from two to four slaves . Indeed , in no country of . the world , is slavery carried on to such a degree as in Adamaua , where staves , in addition to cattle , are considered as the foundation of the wealth of the

      some difficulty to the camels , we passed at firatrf ! mra £ 2 sonve swampy ground , then through a very fine daumrj thickly inhabited , and reached Tola , the capital , on the 22 nd of June . " In another communication of Dr . Barth , he states that the river Benue' rises daring the rainy season to a height of forty to fifty feet . The next African expedition sent out by Government will proceed by the Chadda and I £ pw « rap 6 ? Niger .

      jieople . The chiefs of the country Lave countless multitudes of these poor creatures . There are few slaves , however , exported from Adamant , except these of the I > ama tribe , east of Yola , the capital of the kingdom , as they do not find a ready sale in the Sudan market , on account of their great mortality when taken away from their mountainous country Nevertheless they form , with ivory , the chief articles of commerce . Ivory is extremely cheap in Adamaua , ou account of the great number of elephants . In Bayn , twelve days' journey south of Yola , the elephants are found in still greater numbers . The chief articles of import are

      turkedies , tobes , glass pearls , and salt . Cowries have no value in this country , the current medium of barter consisting of narrow stripes of coarse cotton called gebl » eg ; i . " Suraw , distant fifty-two miles from Uba , is the chief town of the northern part of Adamnnn , and is a considerable market place . Previously to reaching Saraw we passed a place culled UmbutCdi , surrounded with beautiful scenery , where the gi ^ ana , a peculiar species of palm-tree ^ appears . The people of this tract had rover seen a Christian before my visit , and received me with the utmost kindness and hospitality , taking me altogether for a superior being . The most howeve

      " important dny , r , in all my African journeys wns the 18 th of June , when we reached the river Benue , at a point called Taepc , where it is joined by the river Faro . Since Laving Europo t had not seen bo largo and imposing a river . Tlio Benue , or ' mother of waters , ' which is by far the larger one of the two , ia half a mile broad , and ( Ji foot deep in the channel where wo crossed it . On our return , eleven days later , it had riqen 14 feet . The Faro is 5-12 tlis of a mile broad , and was 3 feet deep , which had increased to 71 by our return . Both livers have u verv strong current , and run to the west into tlio Kowani . We crossed tuo Bcnuo in boats made out of single trees , 25 to B 5 ieet long and 1 to IK feet brond , and

      forded the . JL ' tiro , which latter wu . s nccomiilidlnsil not without difficulty , on account of the . strong current . The Benuc" is buid to rise nine days' journey from Yola in n south-easterly direction ; and tlio l ' iiro , seven days' journey distant , in n roclc called Labul . During the rainy season the country is inundated to a great extent b y tlie two rivers , which rise to their higlu-st level towards ifio end of July , and remain at Unit level fur forty days , namely , till tlio first days of September , when the water begins to fall . Both rivers are full of crocodiles ; and the lienud , 1 was told contained gold . After having crossed the rivers with

      Untitled Article

      TAXES ON KNOWLEDGE . Tjete Anti-Knowledge Tax Association commemorated the repeal of the advertisement duty , by giving a soiree to Mr . Milner Gibson at the Whittington Club , on Wednesday , Sir John Shelley in the chair After partaking of tea the speaking commenced ; the plan of operations being for some gentleman to speak to a sentiment . In this way Mr . Samuel Lucas , the able and consistent founder of the agitation for secular public schools , spoke to the fitting sentiment— " the right of free speech— ^ primary right ; and the means of obtaining all others . " Mr Lucas said he wished to see education brought home to every man ' s door—he would have it laid on like water . (* ' He ^ r , hear" and a laugh . ') A poor man with a moderate income could not afford to educate his children , but the moment he went to America or to Canada he could send his children to & free school . Now , he wanted to see the same facilities provided here , and he would not believe in the sincerity of any professed advocate of education unless he would use his influence in Parliament or out of it , according to his position , to obtain them . Mr . Willia . ni Hickson . proposed " Mr . Thomas Milner Gibson , and his supporters in the House of Commons . " Whereupon Mr . Gibson made an appropriate speech in return , showing the great import * ance of the pressure from without .

      Mr . Hickson had said that " some yeare ago people did not know what was meant by the term taaes on knowledge , ' and 1 myself heard of a gentleman some time ago ia the House of * Commons , who said that lie did not know what was meant by the repeal of * taxes on knowledge ; ' that he did know was that it was something tbat he had td vote for . Q Hear , hear" and laughter . ' ) And not that I am an advocate for tbe . absence of deliberations of members of Parliament , and a knowledge of the subjects upon which they have to vote , but what 1 wish to express emphatically to the meeting is this , that nothing can be done in Parliament through our representative system , except there be the cooperation with members cf those who have influence without

      the walls of Parliament . " There were many gentlemen iti the House of Commons who were very favourable to a cause till they found it was likely to win . Guarantee a minority , and they would vote with you . They were men of good intentions , but timid , and afraid to embarrass the Govern - ment . He ouce brought a motion before the House , and met with soma success . It was supported by members on both sides , but bis seconder said to him , " You lad better n < 5 t divide . " He asked , " ^ yh y not ? " and the answer was , " Why we shall have a majority . " ( "fliecr , hear" and laughter . ) They proposed , in the present session , to press on the attention of the Government the necessity of following up tlio repeal of tbe advertisement duty , by the total abolition of the newspaper stamp . ( Loud cheers . )

      Mr . Gibson proposed , " The memory of Francis Place , Henry Hetherington , and the agitators of . 1830 , " and paid a strong tribute to the character of both those gentlemen , and particularly remarked on Mr . Hetherington ' s struggles for the establishment of a free press . Mr . Cobden delivered one of his able speeches , with the arguments of which our readers are familiar , and in -which they , no doubt , concur . He proposed this sentiment : " The abolition of the newspaper stamp , and of the remaining restrictions o the press , ati indispensable necessity to popular pro gress in intelligence , morality , and the acquisition of political pover . " , Some other addresses were delivered , and a vote of thanks passed to the chairman , after which the company dispersed .

      Untitled Article

      HEALTH OF LONDON . ( From the Registrar-GeneraT * Return : ) The number of deaths registered in London , in the week , that ended on Saturday , was 12 O 4-, and shows a small increase on those of the two previous weeks . In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1 U 44-5 : ) , thcj average number wag 1091 , which with a correction for increuse of population , becomes 120 CX The actual result of last week agrees very closely with the calculated amount . While diseases of the respiratory organs have declined , those of the zymotic class have increased . Deaths referred to the latter ( viz ., epidemics ) , were ' last week , which ia more than the corrected average by 19 . Hooping-cough is still fatal , and carried off 78 children ; the mortality of croup is unusual , the deaths from it having risen to 17 ; diarrheca nunilicira 31 . Only one death from cholera was registered , it occurred on 28 th of January , on board the ship JCmma , oil Union-stairs , Wapping . Tlio deceased xus a carpenter , aged 65 years , and tlio cause of death is certified : " diuxrlicea ( 3 days ^ ,

      Untitled Article

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  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 11, 1854, page 128, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2025/page/8/