THE ECONOMIC CONQUEST OF AFRICA BY THE RAILROADS. 731 



from the C^ipo, Cyprus, and India was frightful. Among the laborers 

 the average rate of death by fever was over 3 per cent. Native work- 

 men were entirely lacking, and it was necessary to bring more than 

 20,000 Indian coolies, v; hose transportation and keep entailed a heavy 

 expense. Since the resources of the country were practically noth- 

 ing, such an army of laborers could not be maintained without having 

 all the provisions shipi^ed fi'om Bombay and Colombo. It was 

 especially difficult to secure fresh water during the building of the 

 first 250 miles. Thus handicapped the work of construction ad- 

 vanced very slowly. 



On reaching the mountains the situation changed completely. The 

 insanitary conditions disappeared; an al)undant supply of fresh 

 water was found. But as the troubles about workmen were dimin- 

 ished, in their place arose great technical problems. The complete 

 ignorance of the engineers as to the behavior of the water in that 

 region diu'ing the rainy season made it very difficult to plan bridges 

 and viaducts. Moreover the scarcity of construction materials com- 

 plicated continually the work of the builders. For example, it was 

 impossible to find any suitable brick cla}'. 



The work was begun in 1890 and finished six years later. The line, 

 Avhich extends 587 miles over a variet}^ of levels, begins at Kilendini, 

 on the Island of jMonbasa, and terminates at Port Florence, on Victo- 

 ria Nyanza. The tracks consist of 55-pouiid rails laid on metal ties, 

 except in spots where the sun is so scorching that it was necessary to 

 use wood ties treated with creosote." 



The stations are built partly of masonry and partly of sheet iron, 

 corrugated and galvanized. In 1002 the company owned 02 loco- 

 motives, of which 22 were switch engines; there are 154 passenger 

 and 1,123 freight cars. A daily train is run, besides an express and 

 four freights each week. Ordinarily the rate of speed is about 15 

 miles an hour, the whole run taking nearly two days. During the 

 year 1901-2 the shipments did not exceed 11,000 tons in and 1,250 

 tons out ; the gross receipts were only $350,000. Since the expense of 

 construction was over $2(),000,000, the question naturally arises as to 

 how far the results thus far obtained have justified this expenditure. 



Without dwelling on the fact that the line has not yet completed its 

 second year, it is necessary to call attention to the great change that 

 the establishment of the railroad has wrought in English East Africa. 

 Indian merchants have established stock farms along the line and 

 opened markets at the i)rincii)al stations. Their stores are all well 

 stocked, particularly that at Nairoli, where manufactured articles of 

 every description and even luxuries may be obtained at a very slight 

 advance over regular prices. 



a Tiiese wood ties are not attacked by the white ants. 



