Henry M. Stanley.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 136, 14 May 1885, Page 3

Henry M. Stanley.

Thn.se. who have wntched the progress of civilization m Africa, will hear with pleurae of the appoint, meut of the lamcms explorer Mr Hanvy Stanley to «he Governorship of the Congo district. No inuu i* l»et■fer qiwl'tied to dta-hwi'ge thoroughly the duties of . tlio position, and to BUiooth the irritation and complications which 'lihvhlhli'l/ ihii'uiened the .peaceful settleim-nt of this littleknown, but iijtermxtinjj .dUtriet.. Stanley's career us -a discoveivr is generally well -k:.own say* the Post', ltutsoute paticulurs of his early -\U\i may not W unacceptable to our readers. He was born, near Denbigh m \Vnles, m 1840, and is couse<iuftii«ly v British subject, uot »n Americun as many suppose. His origin wuk so obscure th«C at the »ac of tlnve yoars he was placed m the poorhou.se of St. Asaph, where \w remained ten years, Biilweq»«en;ly taking a situation »s teiich at m » school. At ta« a<j>e ot fifteen ho sailed as cabin-boy m a vt'Ssel bound 'for "New- Orleans. A uHTih nfc m th«t city .taking » lanry to him :iilo|.t»'d him, and henceforth he btecauie known by his patron's iituiie of Stanley, instmul oJ his original apjwllsi'.ion, Rowlands. The merchant dying without a will. Stanley was thrown "pori ai'" own resource*, and enlisted m the . Confederate- service. He was taken prisoner during the Civil AVar, and fur some reason changed his side, during the tatter part of the wtir serving as a petty officer ov a federal. w »r steamer, and finally actins as a newspaper correspondent, tli^ first, expedition into Africa was undertaken m 1867, when he was engaged by the New York Herald as its noi respondent wiih the Bnf ish array :ri Abyssinia. So satisfied was the Herald with the way l»e discharged bis duties that a year or 1 two later ha wa» entrusted by the same paper with the mission which made his reputation — the soarch for - Dr Livingstone. Mr Stanley's career is si remarkable instance of success achieved .1$ industry, j.luck, ami perseverance, unassisted .by iuflueuce or positiou. ;