The Brussels correspondent of the Times describes in the paper
of Tuesday, February 18th, an interview with M. Paul le Marine], Inspector of the Congo State, who has recently traversed the territories belonging to King Leopold. He admits that there have been "abuses of authority," though he does not think that Belgian officials have been more cruel than those of other countries, whose administration, however, he has not inspected. He confirms the story of the mutiny of the Batalele regiment, but says the men were irritated because they were forbidden to capture women for their harems, as they did under the Arab slave-raiders. He admits that there will for years to come be annual deficits in the revenue, though he thinks the resources of the State inex- haustible, especially in rubber and ivory,—the latter an obvious illusion. There must be an extremely long period of waiting, but, in his opinion, "in the hands of a strong European Government" the Congo State, as an investment, would ultimately pay. Considering the official position of the speaker, the statement is a remarkable one, and exactly con- firms our view, that a weak European Government is the worst possible trustee for those vast African regions. The Congo State ought to become French in the interests of humanity.
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