"I had a pleasant short letter from the King showing how anxious he is the Congo route should be taken, and how unwilling to allow a break in the continuity of your connection with the Congo State, as he considers you a pillar of the State. He asks me to banish(?) any divergent sentiments, and get all parties to agree to the Congo route. I have explained fully all that has been done and is doing, and the difficulties in the way of cancelling existing engagements, and get the authorities, home and Egyptian and the Sultan of Zanzibar, to acquiesce in making such a change. I also mentioned the great additional charge involved by sending 600 men, even if the Sultan should consent to their going from Zanzibar to the Congo and bringing them back. "I promised, however, to ascertain whether all interested in the present arrangements would agree in taking the Congo route." * * * * * In my diary of January 5th I find written briefly the heads of businesses despatched this day. As suggested by Mackinnon, who has been written to by King Leopold upon the subject of the Congo route, I saw Sir Percy Anderson, and revealed the King's desire that the Expedition should proceed _viâ_ Congo. I was requested to state what advantages the Congo route gave, and replied:-- 1st. Certainty of reaching Emin. 2nd. Transport up the Congo River by state steamers to a point 320 geographical miles from Lake Albert. 3rd. Allaying suspicion of Germans that underlying our acts were political motives. 4th. Allaying alleged fears of French Government that our Expedition would endanger the lives of French Missionaries. 5th. If French Missionaries were endangered, then English Missionaries would certainly share their fate. 6th. Greater immunity from the desertion of the Zanzibaris who were fickle in the neighbourhood of Arab settlements. Lord Iddesleigh writes me that the French ambassador has been instructed to inform him that if the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition proceeds by a route east of the Victoria Nyanza it will certainly endanger the lives of their Missionaries in Uganda. He suggests that I consider this question. Visited Admiralty, inquired of Admiral Sullivan respecting the possibility of Admiralty supplying vessel to carry Expedition to Congo. He said if Government ordered it would be easy, if not, impossible. Wrote to the King urging him to acquaint me how far his assistance would extend in transport on the Upper Congo. _January 8th._--Received letters from the King. He lays claim to my services. Offers to lend whole of his naval stock for transport except such as may be necessary for uses of administration. Wired to Mackinnon that I felt uneasy at the clause; that it was scarcely compatible with the urgency required. Colonel de Winton wrote to the same effect. Effects of Expedition are arriving by many cuts. De Winton worked with me until late in the night.