158 COTTON 



There are also considerable cotton possibilities in 

 North-Eastern Rhodesia, which geographically is part of 

 Nyasaland. The Association is working in co-operation 

 with the North Charterland Exploration Company, and is 

 giving considerable financial assistance to planters and 

 others. Cotton cannot, however, ever become a big question 

 in this country until better means of transport are provided. 



ANGLO-EGYPTIAN SUDAN. 



When the Association commenced operations there 

 were no economic means of transport to the interior of the 

 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, but as soon as the Suakm-Berber 

 Railway was completed in 1906 the Association offered to 

 do what they could to assist, but they were informed that 

 their help was not required, and no further steps were taken 

 in the matter. In 1909 the Egyptian cotton crop was an 

 absolute failure, and it became evident that one must look 

 elsewhere for an addition to the supply of cotton of the 

 Egyptian type, and the Association again began to make 

 inquiries as to the possibilities of the Sudan. On October 

 1 3th, 1910, Sir William Mather gave an important address 

 at the Manchester Town Hall on the cotton possibilities of 

 the Sudan, and the Association then decided to take up 

 5,000 shares in the Sudan Plantations Syndicate, which was 

 far and away the most important cotton growing firm in the 

 Sudan. The Association appointed a representative to join 

 the Board of Directors of the Syndicate, and subsequently 

 took up a further 4,000 shares. 



The Sudan Government had commenced an important 

 practical experiment at Tayiba to prove whether cotton 

 could be grown on the Gezira Plain with irrigation between 

 July and March, and they wisely handed over the manage- 

 ment to the Syndicate. In view of the great importance of 

 the question, and with the object of acquiring more definite 

 information on the subject, the Council decided in 1911 to 

 send out a deputation, and representatives of the Association 

 visited the Sudan in January, 1912. The Deputation were 

 most deeply impressed with the cotton possibilities of the 

 Sudan, and they were particularly struck with the excellent 

 quality of the cotton which was being grown there. Their 

 report has been published in full, but the results of their 

 investigations may be summarised as follows : 



I. TOKAR : Good possibilities of producing 



10,000 to 20,000 bales of cotton of fair quality in the 



immediate future. 



