GENERAL NOTES.
AFRICA.
—The caravan of English missionaries conducted by Mr. Stokes has reached the extreme south of Victoria Nyanza, a little to the west of Kaghei.
—Mr. Resteau has established at Ambrisette the first factory of the Belgian Company for African commerce. He has sent the plans for another establishment that the company will found in the region south of the Congo.
—The Committee of English missions has accepted for its stations on the Niger the services of Dr. Percy Brown, who offers himself for work in any part of the mission field.
—The new king of Cayor has made a visit to the Governor of St. Louis, promising to aid with all his power the construction of the railroad. In two or three weeks the section from Dakar to Rufisque will be finished.
—The British and African Steam Navigation Company, which has already 20 ships for service on the west side of Africa, has constructed two others of less draught that they may leap the sand banks of the lower rivers. They will be named the Lagos and the Calabar.
—Unwilling to yield to any one the territory of Liberia, the Senate of Monrovia is prepared to place the question of the southern limits of this State, a subject on which it disagrees with England, to the arbitration of the United States.
—Mr. Piazzi Smythe has communicated to the English journal Nature, from a correspondent at Santa Cruz, capital of Teneriffe, that the peak of Teyde, which has not had an eruption since 1798, has broken out again since the commencement of 1883. A river of lava descends from its summit, still covered with snow.
—The Baptist missionaries settled at Manyanga and Stanley Pool, where their stations have taken the names of Wathen and Arthington, in honor of the two principal supporters of their work, have felt more and more obliged to free themselves from the protection of the armed Zanzibarites of the Belgian expeditions. Since the attack in which M. Peschuel Locsche was wounded they have felt that the route along the northern side of the river from Manyanga to Stanley Pool was safe only for strong caravans well armed, and they have sought one upon the southern side. There the Belgians, after having burned Ngombi, whose chief was disposed to attack the caravans, have made a new route to Stanley Pool, and Lieut. Valcke has founded a station at Ngombi and organized a service of caravans between that point and Stanley Pool. The missionaries have one independent of the Belgians, so that caravans pass every four or five days. The security of transport is greater, but the price of everything is greatly increased.
—The combats between the people of Stanley and the natives have arrested the advance of the missionaries of the Livingstone Inland mission. After having gone 50 kilometres beyond their station, they were obliged to found a new station upon the Loukounga in the midst of a population always well disposed toward them. Also the missionaries of this mission have decided not to establish themselves at Stanley Pool, and have actually gone to work in the region near their stations, 50 or 60 kilometres apart, over an extent of 170 kilometres. During the five years in which they have lived there they have never had a quarrel with the natives, who respect them and confide their children to them. They have learned the language of the country, prepared many pupils to become teachers, and found the natives eager to furnish them the products of the country and at their service for porters along the route from one station to the other.
THE INDIANS.
—The last session of Congress appropriated $300,000 to the Cherokees as payment for the lands now occupied by the Nez Perces, Poncas, Pawnees and Otoes.
—The Indian Homestead Colony at Flandreau, D.T., reports that ninety-four homesteads have been taken by the Indians to be held at least five years by them.
—Four hundred thousand dollars have been appropriated by the general government for the support of Indian day and industrial schools and for other educational purposes.
—Capt. R. H. Pratt is to receive $68,500 for the support of the Indian Industrial School at Carlisle, Pa. This amount is to cover all expenditures for transportation of Indians, and for the salary and support of teachers and students.
—A new Industrial School for Indian girls has been started by the Government at West Branch, Iowa. Mr. Benjamin Miles is to have charge of the enterprise. The school has capacity for fifty pupils, and by the terms of the appropriation, none can be received who are under fourteen years of age.