TRADE 



as in the case of the murderers of the late Mr. 

 A. C. W. Jenner, go generally unpunished. It must 

 be remembered that one thing the Government 

 cannot afford is a reverse, for anything that would 

 tend to lower our prestige further would be absolutely 

 disastrous. It has been brought too low already 

 by the way we have acted in the Somaliland 

 Protectorate. 



Now I believe there is only one factor that will 



solve the problem which the administration of 



Jubaland presents, and that is trade. The Somali 



are quite intelligent enough to realise the value of 



trade, indeed, they are beginning to do so, and have 



already grasped the value of money. They possess 



enormous herds of cattle, goats and sheep, and they 



need rice, maize, cloth and iron. But before this 



trade can be developed the country must be opened 



out, and, if possible, the natives must settle down in 



their respective districts. In other chapters I have 



indicated all the main water-holes and swamps, which 



are at present semi-permanent, and which if cleared, 



and in some cases deepened, could be made into 



permanent reservoirs at a low cost. If this were 



done and the native trails cleared and broadened into 



roads, the natives would settle down permanently 



round the reservoirs, only too glad to be rid of the 



constant anxiety as regards a sufficient water-supply 



for themselves and their cattle. At these points 



police posts could gradually be instituted, and the 



roads would not only be invaluable for police patrols 



and for enabling the officials to move from one place 



to another, but would give a very real impetus to 



trade, the value of which, for purposes of civilisation, 



cannot be overestimated. 



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