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

the cessation of the yearly appearance of the navy. 391 The government, in effect, had
returned the situation along the Rio Nunez to the condition that had existed before it
chose to become involved.
The idea of a religious aspect to Rio Nunez never came up because a colony as
such was probably never envisioned. The religion of the merchants was no doubt
money. The expanding Futa-Djalon state was a strongly Muslim entity where religion
and empire went hand in hand. Any major colonial settlements by Christian Europeans
would have been regarded as creating Dar al harb and not Dar al Islam. 392
The world of Darwin and its bastardized offshoot, Social Darwinism, had not yet
shown its face at this time. 393 But the residual racism of slavery was still a potent force,
and slavery by definition required a racial hierarchy. The comments by Dr. Durant
assumed a hierarchy of races and inferred, if not stated outright, that black Africans
were at the bottom. The overt superiority expressed later in the nineteenth century does
not seem to be evident at this time. Lastly, the interests of the traders and entrepreneurs
Les Belges qui s'établiront dans le pays des Nalus ne paieront au chef qu'une redevance annuelle de dix
gourdes (cinquante francs) en marchandises par cent yards de terrain occupé;
Ils auront la faculté de disposer des bois nécessaires à leur usage;
Le chef des Nalous, tant en son nom qu'en celui de ceux qui pourraient lui succéder, s'engage à protéger
de tous ses moyens les Belges, ainsi que leurs propriétés et marchandises ;
A n'exiger d'eux, sous aucun prétexte, d'autre redevance que celle stipulée ci-dessus ;
A n'exiger aucun droit d'ancrage, d'aiguade, ni autre des navires belges qui se rendront dans le fleuve ;
A n'accorder à aucune nation de faveur qui ne serait implicitement et aussitôt également accordée à la
Belgique.” AMAE 2024 and Demougeot.
391 The rather free use made of the navy, especially in the Santo Tomas and Rio Nunez affairs
were probably strongly responsible for the change in the name from the “Marine Royale”, Royal Navy to
“Marine d’Etat” ship of state in 1864. From that point on Belgium only had a coast guard and merchant
marine. 392Dar al harb, دار الحرب Arabic for “house of war” against the unbeliever and dar al islam دار
الإسلام “house of submission” those who believe the prophet (Mohammed) and the Quran and worship
Allah.
393 There were still slaves being taken at this time but the blockade by Britain and other countries
had all but eliminated any real slave trade on the Atlantic cost of Africa.
184