flag of the International Association as that of a friendly Government.
At the end of 1884 and the beginning of 1885, Conventions were arranged
between the Governments of Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium,
Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, Holland, Portugal, Russia and Sweden and
Norway and the International Association of the Congo in which all those
countries recognised the flag of the International Association as that
of a friendly Government. It is therefore clear that the chief Powers of
the World regarded the Association as an Independent State and
negotiated with it as such.

At the same time the Powers of Europe were annexing various parts of
Africa, and with the idea of regulating in a spirit of mutual goodwill
the conditions most favourable for the development of civilisation and
commerce, a Conference was arranged at Berlin by Prince Bismarck. All
the Powers of Europe and the United States of America sent
plenipotentiaries who sat from November 15th 1884 to February 26th 1885
and agreed to the General Act of Berlin of the latter date. In this it
is decreed that all nations should enjoy complete liberty of commerce in
all the territories constituting the basin of the Congo and its
tributaries, and also in other parts of Central Africa mentioned, that
slavery should be abolished and that the Congo river should be open to
general navigation.

We shall have to refer to this Treaty later, but it is important to note
here that the United States of America and all the great Powers of
Europe had recognised the International Association as an Independent
State before it was signed. Furthermore, before this date, Conventions
had been signed with France and Portugal to arrange the frontiers
between the territories of those Powers and the International
Association. The General Act of Berlin had however nothing to do with
frontiers at all, but stated the general principles which it seemed were
best suited to the needs of the people and territories in Central
Africa, to which all the African Powers, and among them the
International Association, voluntarily agreed. It is therefore clear
that the clauses of the Act apply to all the Powers in the territories
defined, and that the Act itself was not concerned with founding or
regulating the system of Government of the International Association,
which six months later took the name of the _Etat Independant du Congo_
with His Majesty Ring Leopold II. as sovereign.

While