188 



BAST AFRICA. 



probably reach the shore of Victoria Nyanza. 

 Parliament in 1896 voted 3,000,000, the sum 

 then deemed sufficient, and in 1900 the additional 

 contribution of 2,000,000 was voted by a large 

 majority without any assurance that the larger 

 sum will not be exceeded, for both parties in Eng- 

 land are committed to the project. Instead of a 

 light, unballasted line, with temporary timber 

 bridges to be replaced with iron ones after the line 

 was in operation, it was found necessary to ballast 

 the line throughout and to build more substantial 

 bridges than the surveyors planned who went over 

 the count ry in the dry season. The expectation 

 that the tribes would furnish the labor at the cur- 

 rent rate of 4</. or i'l. a day was disappointed. 

 Out of 16,000 laborers, only 2,000 were found in 

 the country, and 14,000 were brought from India, 

 costing 14(/. a day. The original estimate of cost 

 was i;.!.(K)0 a mile, and after a good part of the 

 railroad had been laid and it was found that it had 

 to be rebuilt this was increased to 5,500 a mile. 

 The present estimate is 8,500. Of 580 miles, the 

 total distance from the coast to the lake, 362 miles 

 were completed and open to traffic in the spring 

 of 1900. The estimates of the future profitableness 

 of the line have all been discarded since the esti- 

 mates of cost and running expenses have been 

 doubled. The present traffic affords no basis for 

 calculation, consisting as it does to a large extent 

 in taking supplies up for the coolie workmen. 

 The full equipment for the line has been already 

 provided. American locomotives are used', and 

 have been found satisfactory. Even the water 

 for the boilers must be brought from Mombasa, 

 because the river water of the interior is corrosive. 

 Jetties have been built at the terminus on the 

 lake, and when the railroad is completed the Gov- 

 ernment will probably have to provide the steam- 

 boat service. The prospect of profitable private 

 enterprises dwindles with a better knowledge of 

 the conditions of the country. The railroad will 

 be carried out as an imperial undertaking, with 

 the object of consolidating British power and influ- 

 ence in Africa and extending civilization. Already 

 as far as the railroad has been opened, the slave 

 trade and cannibalism are believed to have died 

 out. Whatever chance there is of securing a pay- 

 ing traffic for a long time to come lies in the hope 

 of diverting the trade that now passes through 

 German East Africa and the Congo State. If this 

 can be drawn to the new railroad Mombasa will 

 supplant Zanzibar as the chief port of East Africa. 

 After the decree was issued abolishing the legal 

 status of slavery in the islands of Zanzibar and 

 Pemba Mr. Balfour pledged the Government to 

 take similar steps on the 10-mile strip of the main- 

 land where British sovereignty succeeded that of 

 the Sultan of Zanzibar. On this coast strip the 

 Arab planters have about 200,000 slaves. In the 

 rest of the protectorate slavery is not recognized 

 by law, and slaves within the coast strip can. ob- 

 tain their freedom by running away over the 

 border. In February, 1899, Mr. Brodnck renewed 

 Mr. Balfour's pledge, and said that the Govern- 

 ment hoped to extend to the mainland the process 

 carried out in the islands at the earliest opportu- 

 nity; but in February, 1900, he said that the 

 reason the Government had not and could not 

 interfere with the status of slavery was due to an 

 undertaking given when the British administra- 

 tion was proclaimed. This undertaking was con- 

 tained in a speech of Sir Lloyd Matthews, who told 

 the Arabs at Mombasa, on" July 1, 1895, that all 

 affairs connected with the faith of Islam would be 

 conducted to the honor and benefit of religion, and 

 all ancient customs would be allowed to continue, 

 and the wish of the head of the new administra- 



tion, the consul general at Zanzibar, who would, 

 issue all orders under the sovereignty of the Sul- 

 tan, was that everything should be done in accord- 

 ance with justice and law. 



Uganda. A British protectorate was declared 

 over the kingdom of Uganda on June 19, 1894, 

 the British East Africa Company, which attempted 

 to establish a control over the administration of 

 the country in 1892, having withdrawn in March, 

 1893, in consequence of a war with the natives, 

 which was brought to a conclusion by Indian 

 troops under British officers. The protectorate was 

 extended in July, 1896, so as to take in Unyoro 

 and other newly conquered countries to the west- 

 ward of Uganda as far as the boundary of the 

 Congo State, as well as Usoga on the east. The 

 infant son of King Mwanga was proclaimed King 

 of Uganda after the suppression of the rebellion, 

 and regents were appointed to act in his name. 

 but the actual administration was assumed wholly 

 by the British commissioner, who has a force of 

 300 Indian troops and 2,000 Soudanese under Brit- 

 ish officers to uphold his authority. The British 

 fort of Kampala is close to the native capital, 

 Mengo. The seat of administration is Port Alice, 

 on Victoria Nyanza. A chain of forts extends 

 along the borders of Uganda, and these are gar- 

 risoned by Soudanese soldiers, who live there with 

 their large families and cultivate land for them- 

 selves while overawing the people of Unyoro and 

 the other neighboring countries and thus securing 

 respect for British dominion. Owing to the great 

 extent of high table-land Uganda is believed to be 

 as healthful for Europeans as the best parts of 

 north or south Africa. The plateau extends 300 

 miles in a northwesterly direction and has an aver- 

 age width of 100 miles. The only markedly un- 

 healthful places are the banks of the Nile and the 

 shores of Victoria Nyanza. The total populatio 

 within the limits of the protectorate is estima 

 at 4,000,000, which is considerably less than 

 former population, civil wars, invasions, and fam 

 ines having brought about a decrease in recen 

 years. The Baganda are of all the races inhabi 

 ing this region the most capable of a high stat 

 of civilization, toward which they have alread 

 made much progress. Sir Harry H. Johnston, 

 special commissioner, proposes to raise a local rev 

 enue by imposing a hut tax of 4s., which shoul 

 bring in an annual income of 160,000. A licens 

 tax for the privilege of shooting elephants woul 

 increase the revenue and have a good effect ir 

 restricting the slaughter of elephants. The banam 

 is the principal food of the people, and they car 

 grow it so easily that there is little incentive 

 to industry. The soil is capable of producing man) 

 food crops and commercial products and wouli 

 amply repay better cultivation. It is said to 

 especially suitable for growing coffee. Such trade 

 as there is in the country is in the hands of Ger- 

 man firms, owing to the fact that porterage in 

 German East Africa is far cheaper and better or- 

 ganized than on the routes through British terri- 

 tory. When the Uganda Railroad is completed the 

 conditions of transportation will be changed, and 

 it is expected that British trade will reap the 

 benefit. By an arrangement made by Sir II. ' I . 

 Johnston with the regents and chiefs of the king- 

 dom of Uganda, the King receives a stated all<>\\ 

 ance from the Government, and salaries are paid 

 to the Kntrkirn. or Prime Minister, the Chiet 

 Justice, and the Treasurer of the King's revenues. 

 A new native council has been appointed and a 

 definite system of taxation was drawn up. whieli 

 includes the proposed hut and gun taxes. Al- 

 though the new taxes are heavier than those 

 hitherto in force, the chiefs raised no serious ob 



