Page 92 - Handout

Sw. volunteers in the Independent State of Congo 1885-1908 1888 Foreign postcard Boma, Congo - Lisbon - Stockholm, Sweden Place Date *=cancel 15 centimes, Foreign postcard Boma, Congo 1.12 dated by sender Jan. 1, 1886 - Mar. 31, 1910. Boma* 5.12 Banana* 9.12 From the Sw. officer Banana 19.12 Portuguese M. Juhlin-Dannfelt. Empreza Nacional Line steamer via Cabinda & Madeira Lisboa* 12.1 Train Earliest recorded postal item Stockholm K.E* 19.1 Congo to Sweden. Stockholm 3.TUR* 19.1 3rd mail delivery uu uu The Independent State of Congo was created to avoid conflicts between the uu European countries with ongoing colonization of Africa. The new country uu was to be ruled by the Belgian King Leopold II and to be strict neutral. uu uu uu To show its neutrality the country hired uu military officers for service in the country’s army and the Navy’s steamers on the Congo river from neutral countries. The Congo river was important for transport goods, personnel and equipment for the ongoing uu colonization of Congo. CONGO uu uu 1888 Mail route Duration: 1885-1908 Main area: Congo Mission: Train local Army & Navy Total Swedes: 58