348 



Effect is being given to these conceptions, but affairs have 

 necessarily reached only an elementary stage as yet. 



The native has been assured an undisturbed possession of 

 his land. Transport for his produce is provided by 1,500 miles 

 of railway and some 2,500 miles of navigable waterway. A 

 new harbour has been built at Port Sudan; the system of roads 

 and wells is now extended, and motor traction is being intro- 

 duced. Six thousand children are being educated in various 

 schools. Slavery has been abolished. 



Irrigation schemes are also being developed in Dongola 

 Province for wheat growing, and in Tokar for the cultivation 

 of cotton. Kassala offers good prospects for an irrigation 

 project, both for cotton production and for cereals. 



Cultivation by means of rainfall in districts where irrigation 

 is impossible may be improved in course of time by instruction 

 in methods of dry farming, but this must inevitably be a slow 

 process. 



The Sudan is not by any means a one-crop country. Its 

 pastoral potentialities are very great, and a valuable export 

 trade in cattle and sheep has already been established. The 

 preparation of meat extract for export is likely to be taken up 

 very soon, and should be followed by a frozen meat trade. 



Other Sudan products for which there is a steady and in- 

 creasing demand in Europe are oil seeds (i.e., sesame, castor, 

 ground nuts), wheat, barley, maize, sorghum, and tanning 

 materials. The Sudan is already the largest producer of gum 

 arabic, and it possesses an asset, likely to be of great value 

 in the future, in its numerous fibre-producing plants. It is 

 also a natural habitat of the ostrich, and breeding experiments 

 have recently been commenced. 



The country now appears to be well launched on a career of 

 progress. 



[DISCUSSION.] 



The CHAIRMAN : Gentlemen We have listened to a most 

 interesting and valuable paper. It is a paper which does not 

 lend itself to discussion, but probably some of you may wish 

 to get further information, and I am sure that Mr. Hewins will 

 be very pleased to answer any questions addressed to him. 



Captain, BENNETT DAMPIER : Mr. Chairman Mr. Hewins told 

 us at the end of his address of the very valuable uses of 

 papyrus for paper making. I think it might be of interest to 

 Mr. Hewins and to other gentlemen here to know that 

 experiments have been made with regard to the use of papyrus 

 for paper making, and, as a matter of fact, we shall have some 

 two tons of papyrus from the Sudan in this country next 

 month. 



