46 In the Heart of Africa 



districts existed that were under the dominion of one sultan, the 

 ruler over some one and a half million people. To anyone with 

 an intimate knowledge of African affairs it seemed a sheer im- 

 possibility that so powerful a sovereign would voluntarily submit 

 to the new regime, and agree to enter upon no undertakings 

 within his vast realms except by permission of the European 

 Resident. To compel him to do so would have meant bloody 

 wars and an enormous sacrifice of human life as the inevitable 

 consequence. The sudden change of existing conditions, too, 

 would have involved a heavy pecuniary sacrifice, as the Govern- 

 ment would have found it necessary, with such a large popula- 

 tion, to appoint a relatively large number of European officials. 

 As such measures would have proved impracticable, complete 

 anarchy would have followed. So the country was therefore 

 allowed to retain its traditional organisation, and the Sultan was 

 given full jurisdiction over his fellow-people under control of 

 the Resident, who was to suppress cruelty as far as possible. In 

 one word, the Government does not acknowledge the Sultan as 

 a sovereign lord, but fully recognises his authority as chief of 

 his clan. Kindred tribes, non-resident in Ruanda, are therefore 

 not subject to the Sultan's jurisdiction, but are under the 

 administration of the Resident. 



The fundamental principle is the same with all Residents. 

 It is desired to strengthen and enrich the Sultan and persons in 

 authority, and to increase thereby their interest in the continuance 

 of German rule, so that the desire for revolt shall die away, as 

 the consequence of a rebellion would be a dwindling of their 

 revenues. At the same time, by steadily controlling and direct- 

 ing the Sultan and using his powers, civilising influences would 

 be introduced. Thus by degrees, and almost imperceptibly to 

 the people and to the Sultan himself, he eventually becomes 

 nothing less than the executive instrument of the Resident. 



This may explain the apparent breach of the rule so readily 

 quoted — divide et impera; only apparent, for both Resident and 

 Sultan play off the subordinate chiefs one against the other, and 

 retain all the privileges which a strong centralisation gives them. 



