. The Encyclopædia britannica; a dictionary of arts, sciences, literature and general information. he great powers See the tables in Behm and Wagners Bevolkerung der Erde(Gotha, 1872). of Europe which precipitated the struggle. This was broughtabout by the ambitious projects of Leopold II., king of theBelgians. The discoveries of Livingstone, Stanley and othershad aroused especial interest among two classes of men inwestern Europe, one the manufacturing and trading class,which saw in Central Africa possibilities of commercial develop-ment, the other the philanthropic and missionary class, whic
. The Encyclopædia britannica; a dictionary of arts, sciences, literature and general information. he great powers See the tables in Behm and Wagners Bevolkerung der Erde(Gotha, 1872). of Europe which precipitated the struggle. This was broughtabout by the ambitious projects of Leopold II., king of theBelgians. The discoveries of Livingstone, Stanley and othershad aroused especial interest among two classes of men inwestern Europe, one the manufacturing and trading class,which saw in Central Africa possibilities of commercial develop-ment, the other the philanthropic and missionary class, whichbeheld in the newly discovered lands millions of savages toChristianize and civilize. The possibility of utilizing both theseclasses in the creation of a vast state, of which he should be thechief, formed itself in the mind of Leopold II. even before Stanleyhad navigated the Congo. The kings action was immediate; itproved successful; but no sooner was the nature of his projectunderstood in Europe than it provoked the rivalry of Franceand Germany, and thus the international struggle was Conflict-lag ambi-tions ofthe Europeanpowers* .At this point it is expedient, in the light of subsequent events,to set forth the designs then entertained by the European powersthat participated in the struggle for Africa. Portugalwas striving to retain as large a share as possible ofher shadowy empire, and particularly to establish herclaims to the Zambezi region, so as to secure a belt ofterritory across Africa from Mozambique to Britain, once aroused to the imminence of danger,put forth vigorous efforts in East Africa and on the Niger, buther most ambitious dream was the estabhshment of an unbrokenline of British possessions and spheres of influence from south tonorth of the continent, from Cape Colony to Egypt. Germanysambition can be easily described. It was to secure as much aspossible, so as to make up for lost opportunities. Italy covetedTripoU, but that province cou
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectencyclo, bookyear1910
