Mid-1870s–1890s: (The Mechanics of the Scramble — Leopold in the Congo, Anglo-French Rivalry over Egypt and the Nile, Bismarck Declaring Protectorates over T…

Mid-1870s–1890s: (The Mechanics of the Scramble — Leopold in the Congo, Anglo-French Rivalry over Egypt and the Nile, Bismarck Declaring Protectorates over Togo, Cameroon, and South West Africa in 1884, the Berlin West Africa Conference of 1884–1885 Recognizing Leopold’s Congo Free State and Establishing the Principle of Effective Occupation, Karl Peters Gathering Treaties in East Africa, and Boundaries Drawn for Territories That Remained Largely Imaginary): A series of events between the mid-1870s and early 1880s accelerated the process. British influence was solidifying in the Gold Coast and Niger Delta, King Leopold was taking active interest in the Congo basin, and the French were expanding from Senegal. The British seizure of Egypt in 1882 sparked intense competition with France over the Nile Valley. In 1884 Bismarck declared protectorates over Togo, Cameroon, and South West Africa, and called for an international conference. The Berlin West Africa Conference of 1884–1885 discussed threats to free trade on the Niger and Congo rivers and the need for international agreement on boundaries. Two main decisions resulted: Leopold’s authority in the Congo basin was recognized in return for free European trade access, creating the Congo Free State as his personal domain; and claims to a region would only be recognized if the European power was already effectively in control — the principle of effective occupation. Based on Karl Peters’s treaties with African chiefs, Germany declared a protectorate over Tanganyika in 1885. Treaties in 1890–1891 confirmed certain boundaries, but much of the acquired territory was in no way occupied or governed by Europeans, and in many places trading companies backed by military force represented European governments.