The partition of Africa among the European powers, as will have been seen, was the first effective blow dealt to the slave trade in inner Africa. The east coast, whence a few years ago the slavers marched in battalions to scatter over the wide interior of the continent for pillage and devastation, is to-day guarded by garrisons of German and British troops. The island of Zanzibar, where they were equipped for their murderous enterprises, is under the British flag. Trading steamers run up and down the coast; the Tana and Juba rivers are being navigated by British steamers; two lines of stations secure communications inland for 300 miles from the sea. Major von Wissman is advancing upon Lake Tanganika; Herr Boorchert is marching upon Lake Victoria; Captain Williams is holding Uganda. These results have followed very rapidly the political partition of the continent. The final blow has been given by the act of the Brussels Antislavery Conference, lately ratified by the powers, wherein modern civilization has fully declared its opinions upon the question of slavery, and no single power will dare remain indifferent to them, under penalty of obloquy and shame. The first article of the Brussels act is as follows: “The powers declare that the most effective means for counteracting the slave trade in the interior of Africa are the following: “1. Progressive organization of the administration; judicial, religious, and military services in the African territories placed under the sovereignty or protectorate of civilized nations. “2. The gradual establishment in the interior by the responsible power in each territory of strongly occupied stations in such a way as to make their protective or repressive action effectively felt in the territories devastated by man-hunters. “3. The construction of roads, and, in particular, of railways connecting the advanced stations with the coast, and presenting easy access to the inland waters and to the upper reaches of streams and rivers which are broken by rapids and cataracts, so as to substitute economical and speedy means of transport for the present means of portage by men. “4. Establishment of steamboats on the inland navigable waters and on the lakes, supported by fortified posts established on the banks. “5. Establishment of telegraphic lines, assuring the communication of the posts and stations with the coast and with administrative centres. “6. Organization of expeditious and flying columns to keep up the communication of the stations with each other and with the coast, to support repressive action, and to assume the security of roadways. “7. Restriction of the importation of fire-arms.”