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217.
was fear of Portuguese trade restrictions. Hutton at the
flancheoter Chamber of Coierce, declared, ".. if this
treaty is ratified, the liberty of every British subject
who trades in this part of Africa, and the whole control
of our trade there, will be thrown away to Portugal. "' (1)
And the London Chamber of Commerce petitioning the Foreign
Office in February 18&41 thought that by the adoption of the
treaty ". *British commerce in this part of the world will
receive what' may amount to its death blow. 's (2)
There was also a good deal of feeling against Portugal
on account of its tendency to encourage or acquieace in
the slave trade; this particularly effected the k.,. J
Protestant missionaries of courco, nleo recanted the idea
of becoming subject to a Catholic power.
Antagonica to Portugal was combined with a rather
naive onthuniai. s for Belgian enterprises - tho Birmingham
Ladies 2iegroen Friends Society in opposition to the treaty
said, -"A11 that the King of the Belgians in connection
with Stanley's energetic and now peaceful couro®a of
(1) The Congo Treaty, Report of a meeting in )knchoator
Ch bf: r of Co -erco, 17th VAorcb W40
p. 3.
(2) Chnnber of Cam? erc4 Journal, 7th April 1884.