THE FOUNDING OF THE CONGO INDEPENDENT STATE 37
possessed a recognized and forceful organization and where
public sentiment was more or less of a factor in national
affairs, such a scheme worked fairly well; although it is well
known that the officials and subjects of all three of these
nations broke the stipulations of both these conferences on
more than one occasion. But in such a case as that of the
Congo Independent State, the officials were faced with
enormous difficulties in enforcing these prohibitions, and
Leopold while exploiting the natives, had no wish to ruin
them by alcoholic drinks.
After the independence of the Congo State was estab-
lished and its boundaries defined, there remained the task
of surveying the country and of extending the administrative
control — till 1885 exercised only through a few stations
on the main stream — to all sections of its vast territory.
This was an undertaking requiring an enormous amount of
painstaking effort combined with great patience and tact;
yet it was accomplished with remarkable skill and expedi-
tion, owing to the devotion and energy of the Belgian offi-
cials. Unfortunately, however, they were compelled to push
the work more rapidly than wisdom and their own needs
warranted, because of pressure from the neighboring colo-
nies and the demand that the occupation of all protectorates
should be effective. King Leopold II began early to trans-
form the organization into a strictly Belgian affair. In 1887
he paid off all the contributions from individuals of other
nationalities, mostly British, to the sum of £16,888; and
all the money that had to be borrowed after that date was
secured from the Belgian Government, — such as the Congo
loan of $30,000,000 in 1887, the $5,000,000 advanced in
1890, and the $10,000,000 furnished in 1901 for public
works. Previous to 1886 at least one half of the explorers
and officials employed by the International Association
were of British or foreign birth. From the appointment