German Colonial Treaties in Africa : German Treaty in Bimbia – 11 July 1884

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments
Flag of Deutsch Kamerun 1914

We are introducing you to the German colonial treaty signed with the Chiefs of Bimbia in Cameroon in July 1884. In a few days, we will tell you a lot more about Bimbia and its important place in the transatlantic slave trade along the gulf of Guinea. By 1898, the Jantzen & Thormählen German trading firm had their headquarters in Bimbia, in the Victoria District, and lands in Debundscha, Isongo Udje and Mokundange. As we read the text, we can still find the River Bimbia in today’s geography of the locality, but what does River Mofinioselle, which sounds like a European butchering of a local name, correspond to?

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Agreement with Chiefs of Bimbia.

Adolf Woermann, owner of the Woermann-Linie, which was at the time the largest ship line in the world, and a biggest German trader to West Africa

WE, the undersigned independent Chiefs of the country called Bimbia, situated between the River Bimbia on the south side, the River Mofinioselle on the north side, and up to 5 miles on the sea shore, have, in a meeting held to-day in the German factory on King William’s Beach, voluntarily concluded as follows:—

We give this day our rights of sovereignty—the legislation and management of this our country—entirely up to M. Edward Schmidt, acting for the firm of C. Woorrmann [Woermann], and M. Johannes Vos, acting for Messrs. Johnson and Thormeihlen [Thormälen], both in Hamburgh, and for many years trading in this river.

We have conveyed our rights of sovereignty, the legislation and management of this our country, to the firms mentioned above, under the following reservations:—

  1. Under reservation of the rights of third persons.
  2. Reserving that all friendships and Commercial Treaties made before with other foreign Governments should have full power.
  1. That the land allotted or occupied by us now, and the plains the towns are built on, shall be the property of the present owners and successors.
  2. That the “dash” shall be paid as before.
Adolf Woermann Monument in Douala, Cameroon

King William’s Town—

(Signed)

QUAN, his X mark.

EKONGOLA, ditto.

FREEBORN, ditto.

MAT KING, ditto.

NEVERWASH, ditto,

DAUBE KING WILLIAM, ditto.

CHARLES ERN ART, ditto.

BIMBIA PINISO, ditto.

JOHN PINISO, ditto.

Two Chiefs of Eciollo Town.

Money Town—

(Signed)

MONEY, his + mark.

JOHNNY MONEY, ditto.

(And 8 Chiefs).

Signed at Bimbia, German Factory, Hanusa, July 11, 1884.

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