244 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.  --The

 most important one is known as the “Thys’s group,” and a
description thereof will give an idea of the causes for the formation
 of these combinations and the manner in which they operate.
The Kongo River is navigable from the sea as far inland as Matadi,
a distance of about 100 miles, but, between Matadi and Leopoldville,
the river is full of rapids, whereas above Leopoldville the Kongo
and its tributaries offer about 9,000 miles of navigable waterways.
So the first need was a railway from Matadi to Leopoldville. The
group of capitalists, most of whom were Belgians, formed a company
fo build the railway which, after its construction, paid large dividends
 because every person and every ton of freight entering or
leaving the Upper Kongo were forced to use the line. This company
 1s known as the Compagnie du chemin de fer du Kongo, and
en. Thys was the first president thereof.
The same capitalists then became interested in a steamship line
from Belgium to Kongo, which would operate a freight and passenger
 service under the Belgian flag, so another company was a,
to be known as the Compagnie Beige Maritime du Congo. Later
the Société La Citas was formed to engage in river transport
on the Upper Kongo, and now many small river steamers are in
operation. This company also has trading posts along the rivers
for dealing with the natives. The Compagnie d’Alimentation -du
Bas-Congo was the next company formed by the same capitalists,
the object being the comstruction and operation of good hotels at
Matadi, Thysville, and Kinshasa. Then, the Société des Petroles au
Congo was established for building a pipe line over which fuel oil
for the use of the river steamers could be pumped from Matadi to
Leopoldville. Large tanks were constructed at Ango-Ango, near
Matadi, where considerable stocks of oil may be kept. The Compagnie
 des Produits du Congo was also formed by the same group,
the object being the purchase and breeding of cattle to supply fresh
meat at Boma, Matadi, and Leopoldville, and some of the same
financiers have also invested capital in the Banque du Congo Belge.
Each of these companies is entirely independent of the other, and
a local manager of each one has charge of the interests of his company
solely and has nothing whatever to do with any of the other companies.
 There is no general assembly or combined meeting of directors
 of all the companies in Europe, nor is there an executive or administrative
 committee to manage the combined interests. They
work as separate and distinct organizations, the only connection being
 that some of the same parties have furnished the capital for all
of them. .
Manner of operation of the financial groups—The various enterprises
 of the same group naturally favor each other in their local
dealings. For example, the material and supplies for the railway
and other companies are always shipped, if possible, on steamers of
the Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo; the railway and the
hotels purchase their supplies of fresh meat from the Compagnie des
Produits; the hotels use ice made by the railway company; the railway
 company in turn now operates its locomotives with fuel oil
which is purchased from the Société des Petroles; and shipments of
merchandise belonging to any member of the group to Upper Kongo
are always made on river steamers of La Citas. Thus, in many ways
they work together locally.