Conftrence. February 19th. The Commission was engaged this
afternoon in deliberating upon the French neutrality
proposal.
February 21st.— The neutrality question has been
adopted. Baron Lambermont’s report on the final Acte
was read.
February 23rd.—Belgium has formally recognised
the International Association, the Treaty being signed
to-day. Denmark has also declared by treaty its recognition
of the new State of the Congo.
Dr. Busch, the acting President, communicated to
the Conference the fact that nearly all the Powers
assembled had concluded Conventions for the recop-- • • O
nation of the International Association, and declared
not only his personal gratification at the news, but
also that the German Government entertained the
warmest sympathy with the magnanimous efforts of
King Leopold II., which had been so signally crowned
with success. The assembled delegates expressed their
cordial assent, and on their part recorded in the
protocol a similar testimony of their appreciation of
the great work of the King of the Belgians. (See
Appendix.)
February 26th. — The final plenary sitting of the
Conference took place to-day. Prince Bismarck occupied
the chair to formally close the meeting of representatives
of the Powers whom he had convoked to
deliberate upon the important questions now settled.
The final Act, which is engrossed on vellum, was
signed by the nineteen plenipotentiaries representing
fourteen ■ European Powers. Prince Bismarck then The Berlin
rose and introduced Colonel Strauch, the President o fConference-
the International Association, to the members, and announced
that he, on behalf of that Association in its
recognised quality as the Congo State, had expressed
and signed its adhesion to the General Act of the Wést
African Conference. After reviewing thé labours of
that high diplomatic body, the Prince concluded by
thanking the plenipotentiaries in the name of the
Emperor.
Count de Launay, as doyen of the plenipotentiaries,
returned the thanks of his illustrious associates, saying
that the success of the Conference was in a large
measure due to the efforts of the German Chancellor.
My own remarks upon the labours of the Conference
must be brief. Two European Powers emerge out of
the elaborate discussions protracted for such, a long
period, principally through the adroitness and skill
of Baron de Oourcel, and the concurrence of Prince
Bismarck, with enormously increased colonial possessions.
France is now mistress of a West African territory
, noble m its dimensions, equal to the best tropic
lands for its vegetable productions, rich in mineral
resources, most promising for its future commercial
importance.
In area it covers a superficies of 257,000 square
miles, equal to that of France and England combined,
with access on the eastern side to 5200 miles of river-
navigation ; on the West is a coast-line nearly 800 miles
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