294. COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS 



The result has, T must adiiiit, lieen most heneficial to the Euro[)ean officials, 

 who are not too well paid. Thanks to the enterjjrise of the German firms, 

 stores were opened at Entebbe, ]Mengo, Fort Portal, and other places even 

 before the railway cheapened commerce and transport, and at these stores a 

 great variety of European goods can be purchased. The Germans have been 

 selling excellent wine, whiskies, groceries, and most of the necessities of 

 European life at prices which were certainly reasonable for the time and 

 place. In fact, it really made existence possible for the official, who before 

 this German enterprise either had to live on native food or get into debt by 

 purchasing provisions and wine in England and having them sent up-country 

 from ^Mombasa at a ruinous rate of transport and subject to innumerable risks 

 and incredible delays. 



Almost simultaneously with the German came the British Indian. He 

 rendered further benefits to the European community by bringing down the 

 German prices, and by opening stores at places whither even a German hesitated 

 to penetrate. Within the term of my Special Commission, Indian traders 

 advanced their posts from Kampala (Mengo) to Toro and the vicinity of the 

 Congo Free State, to five places in Unyoro, and all the posts at which 

 Europeans or native soldiers were established in the Nile Province, besides 

 opening bazaars at all the stations in the eastern half of the Protectorate. 

 This commercial enterprise of the Germans and British Indians, of course, 

 added largely to our local revenues, and did a great deal to encourage the 

 natives to embark in trade in the products of their country. To the 

 British Indians I can only wish unlimited success, since they trade under 

 the British flag, and create trade, first in a small way and tlien in a large 

 way, where no trade has hitherto existed. To tlie Germans, out of gratitude 

 for their belief in Uganda and for the comfort which they have added to the 

 life of the European official by the opening of good shops with provisions sold 

 at reasonable prices, we can only wish success, since all trade in Uganda 

 must conduce to the prosperity of the Protectorate and the increase of its 

 revenues. 



In addition to Germans and British Indians, there came to trade in this 

 Protectorate Persians, Somalis, one or two Greeks, several Armenians, and 

 one Italian. A Persian has opened a soda-water factory at Entebbe. A native 

 of Kach in British India is erecting hotels for British visitors at the principal 

 stations on the Uganda Railway and elsewhere in the Protectorate. 



With regard to the Germans and to the Indians, they appeal to my 

 liking as a Government official because they give little or no bother ; they 

 ask for no guarantee and for no concession. They enter the country and 

 pursue their trade under the laws in force, making the best of things as they 

 find them. In the case of British firms, I am bound to admit that they 

 are somewhat apt to ask for guarantees, for assured contracts, for concessions 



