Science in Public Affairs 



Nigeria. In return, it has undertaken to buy all 

 seed cotton offered for three years at id. a lb., 

 provide ginning and expert instruction, establish 

 plantations, and expend .10,000 annually for three 

 years in each of the above-mentioned colonies. 

 But the best results have so far been obtained, not 

 in West Africa, but in British Central Africa and 

 in the West Indies, which have turned out cotton 

 of excellent quality and conforming to the require- 

 ments of Lancashire. The Government, it may be 

 added, have made an increased grant to the Im- 

 perial Institute for the purpose of experiments in 

 regard to cotton. 



Their general action towards the crown colonies 

 cannot profitably be discussed until some idea has 

 been formed of what can rightly be expected 

 of them. The scientific development of these 

 countries must be carried out at the expense of 

 the local taxpayer, or by grants-in-aid from the 

 Government of the United Kingdom. As to the 

 local resources, they are, in the majority of cases, 

 extremely limited, and progress must necessarily 

 be slow in the absence of extraneous assistance. 

 The only marked exception is the Federated Malay 

 States (not strictly a colony), which, owing to their 

 valuable tin mines, raise an annual revenue of 

 nearly $10,000,000 from an export duty on tin. 

 Their finances are in a most flourishing condition, 

 and they have been able to construct railways out 

 of their current resources. But, in the less satis- 

 factory cases, it is arguable, in view of the domestic 



requirements of the United Kingdom, how far 



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