Editing Henry Morton Stanley (section)

=== Stanley as Leopold's agent ===
[[File:Henry M Stanley 1890.jpg|thumb|Henry Morton Stanley, 1890]]
[[File:Wr Studio Portrait of Henry Morton Stanley, ca. 1890, published by L Herbst.jpg|thumb|Studio Portrait of Henry Morton Stanley, ca. 1890, published by L Herbst, Sydney]]
In 1879, Stanley left for Africa for his first mission, ostensibly working for the [[Comité d'études du Haut-Congo]], under Leopold's orders. King Leopold gave Stanley clear instructions: "It is not about Belgian colonies. It is about establishing a new state that is as large as possible and about its governance. It should be clear that in this project there can be no question of granting the Negroes the slightest form of political power. That would be ridiculous. The whites, who lead the posts, have all the power."<ref name="Leopold II, The whole story, Episode 6">{{cite book|last=Op de Beeck|first=Johan |title=Leopold II, the whole story|url=https://klara.be/leopold-ii-aflevering-6|year=2020|publisher=Horizon|isbn=9789463962094}}</ref>

Stanley described in writings his dismay with the terrible scenes taking place in Congo. At the same time, his "findings" conveyed an idea that the Dark Continent must submit, willingly or otherwise. Stanley's writings show that he, too, held this view. "Only by proving that we are superior to the savages, not only through our power to kill them but through our entire way of life, can we control them as they are now, in their present stage; it is necessary for their own well-being, even more than ours."<ref name="Leopold II, The whole story, Episode 6"/>

Unexpectedly, France had sent its own expedition to the [[Congo Basin]]. [[Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza]] had undermined Stanley's mission by concluding contracts himself with native heads of state. The creation of a station that would later be called [[Brazzaville]] could not be prevented. Leopold was furious, writing angrily to Strauch: "The terms of the treaties Stanley has made with native chiefs do not satisfy me. There must at least be an added article to the effect that they delegate to us their sovereign rights&nbsp;... the treaties must be as brief as possible and in a couple of articles must grant us everything."<ref>{{Cite book|title=H.M. Stanley Unpublished Letters|last=Maurice|first=Albert|year=1957|publisher = W. & R. Chambers | location=London|page=161}}</ref>

Since everything in Central Africa was about the balance of power between the [[Great Powers]], Leopold considered his next moves and sent an envoy to Berlin to press for a [[Berlin Conference|conference]]. Leopold wanted the [[International Association of the Congo]] boundaries drawn by Stanley to be officially confirmed, thus giving the Association an official status.<ref name="Leopold II, The whole story, Episode 6"/>

On 26 February 1885, the Berlin Act was signed. The Act regulated an immense free trade zone in the Congo Basin and made it a neutral territory. Furthermore, the Act declared war on slavery. The act contained only one article that Leopold disliked: Article 17 gave the superpowers the right to establish an international commission to supervise the freedom of trade and navigation in Congo. As a result, Leopold would not be able to collect customs duties on the Congo River <ref name="Leopold II, The whole story, Episode 6"/>

In 1890, on the 25th anniversary of Leopold's reign as Belgian monarch, Stanley was taken from one banquet hall to another, proclaimed a hero. Leopold honoured him with the [[Order of Leopold (Belgium)|Order of Leopold]]. Together they examined the entire Congolese situation. The key question was how the Free State could become profitable. Stanley pointed out to the monarch, among other things, the potential of rubber production. Stanley wrote: "You can find it on almost any tree. As we made our way through the forest, it was literally raining rubber juice. Our clothes were full of it. The Congo has so many tributaries that a well-organized company can easily extract a few tons of rubber per year here. You only have to sail up such a river and the branches with rubber hang almost up to your ship."<ref name="Leopold II, The whole story, Episode 8">{{cite book|last=Op de Beeck|first=Johan |title=The History of Congo|url=https://klara.be/leopold-ii-aflevering-8-0|year=2020|publisher=Horizon|isbn=9789463962094}}</ref>

In 1891, rubber extraction was divided among concessionaires. This soon led to abuses, when the switch was made to "forced labour".<ref name="Leopold II, The whole story, Episode 8"/>