CHAPTER XXIV.

FOUNDING OF THE FREE CONGO STATE.

THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE CONGO SEEKS RECOGNITION FROM FOREIGN POWERS -- TREATY BETWEEN ENGLAND AND PORTUGAL -- EARL GRANVILLE -- CLAIMS OF PORTUGAL -- CONCESSION OF ENGLAND -- KING LEOPOLD OBTAINS THE ASSISTANCE OF THE GERMAN CHANCELLOR AND THE SYMPATHIES OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC -- PRINCE BISMARCK PROTESTS -- LETTER TO BARON DE COURCEL, FRENCH AMBASSADOR AT BERLIN -- THE BARON’S REPLY -- FRANCE AND GERMANY IN ACCORD -- CALL FOR A CONFERENCE OF THE POWERS AT BERLIN -- THE CONFERENCE ASSEMBLES -- PRINCE BISMARCK OPENS THE CONFERENCE WITH AN ADDRESS STATING ITS OBJECT -- MR. STANLEY A DELEGATE -- ASKED TO GIVE HIS VIEWS -- MR. STANLEY’S SUGGESTIONS -- DELIBERATIONS OF THE CONFERENCE -- RESULTS OF THE CONFERENCE -- PROTOCOL SIGNED BY ALL THE PLENIPOTENTIARIES -- THE UNITED STATES THE FIRST TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE THE FLAG OF THE FREE CONGO STATE -- HONORS TO MR. STANLEY IN GERMANY 431