Africa and the American FlagFoote, Andrew H. (Andrew Hull)
History
Africa and the American Flag
Foote, Andrew H. (Andrew Hull)
Africa, West -- Description and travel; Liberia -- History -- 1847-1944; Slave trade -- Africa, West
TRADE--METALS--MINES--VEGETABLE
PRODUCTIONS--GUMS--OIL--COTTON--DYE-STUFFS.
The trade of Africa for an almost indefinite time must consist of the
materials for manufactures.
The fact that old formations reposing on granite, or distorted by it,
form a large proportion of its geological surface, indicates that
useful metals will probably be found in abundance. In comparing it with
California and Australia as to the probability of finding deposits of
the more valuable metals, two circumstances of great importance must
be kept in view. These countries were possessed by natives who had no
domesticated animals, and therefore were not called upon to exercise
over the soil the same inquisitive inspection for herbage and water as
were required from the races among the mountains and deserts of Africa,
so that the chances of finding any thing were not the same.
The other circumstance is, that metals were comparatively little
known to the aborigines of California, and not at all to those of
New Holland, so that discoveries of the kind would neither be sought
for, nor reckoned of much value when they occurred. On the other
hand, metals of all kinds have during indefinite eras been regarded
as of high importance, and have been used in various ways by the
African nations. Copper, and some alloys of it, seem to be used for
ornaments throughout the whole south. These are smelted from the ores
by the natives. They also manufacture their own iron. Their desires,
therefore, and their necessities, and their arts, render it probable
that no deposits of metals exist, except such as require scientific
skill to discover, and mechanical resources to procure.
Gold is not in this predicament. Wherever it occurs in abundance, it
has been collected by elemental waste from disintegrated rocks, and is
mixed with gravel and alluvial matters in those portions where men of
nomadic habits, and familiar with metal ornaments, would most readily
meet and appropriate it. Some, probably a great proportion, of the gold
of ancient Egypt, was got by a laborious process of grinding, on which
their wretched captives were employed. This would not have been the
case if the metal had been found plentifully throughout the extensive
regions with which they were acquainted.
An addition to the metallic riches of the world from Africa, is
therefore to be looked for in the discovery of deep-seated mines,
if there are any, and in better modes of working those which exist,
particularly the alluvial deposits of gold along the northern shores
of the Gulf of Guinea and the shores of the Mozambique Channel. The
present export of gold from all Africa, probably amounts to about two
millions of dollars per annum.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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