EARLY BELGIAN COLONIAL EFFORTS - The University of Texas at ...

those of the first treaty. Van Haverbeke agreed to the terms and again returned to
Belgium.
Results of the battle and the treaty were not released to the public for months
until reports from London reached Brussels and forced the government to reveal the
battle and the treaty. This in turn began a parliamentary investigation into the actions in
the Rio Nunez and the battle itself, especially the funding that made it all possible. The
complex military and political balance that existed on the West African coast, especially
between England and resurgent France, created a diplomatic crisis that continued over
the next three or four years. The threat of litigation by the two Englishmen, Joseph
Braithwaite and George Martin, opened an inquiry by the chambers into the whole
colonial and commercial activity of the government. It probably began the process by
which the chambers took a hard look at any future government colonial action. The
actual information and outcome of litigation was that Braithwaite and Martin received
nothing from either Belgium or France despite very strong diplomatic pressure from
Lord Palmerston, the British foreign secretary.
What is significant is that van Haverbeke was able to renegotiate the treaty, this
time with Tongo, so as to actually increase Belgium’s colonial claim. In 1850, however,
a treaty was signed by the French, British, Landuman and Nalu that wiped out all other
treaties and as a result nullified the treaty with Belgium. The treaty, or rather the accord,
stated that France was to receive exclusive treaty rights to all the land and villages along
and adjacent to the Rio Nunez and the Rio Pongo rivers. Belgium continued to assert its
claim, but due to increasing pressure from the Parliament was forced to later renounce
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