ch.xx THE UGANDA RAILWAY 193 



make a report, which report led to the formation of the 

 Uganda Protectorate in 1894 and of the East Africa 

 Protectorate in 1895. At the same date, the con- 

 struction of the railway was decided on " to represent 

 the contribution of this country to the execution of its 

 obligations under the Brussels Act." Seldom has such 

 a lofty moral view prevailed by such a narrow margin, 

 or when it has prevailed been received with such a 

 universal flow of abuse. 



The work of construction actually commenced in 

 December, 1895, an< ^ tne fi rst train reached the 

 Lake Victoria in December, 1901. The line was 

 handed over to the Protectorate by the construction 

 committee in October, 1903. The railway is State- 

 owned. The cost was roughly 5^- millions and was 

 raised on terminable annuities at 3 per cent, which will 

 be all paid off by the year 1929. 



With regard to the actual construction and the 

 technical skill with which it was conducted there have 

 never been two opinions. It was a finely conceived 

 and splendidly carried out piece of work. With 

 regard, however, to the cost of the same opinion is 

 diverse. This division of opinion is of recent date, and 

 is satisfactory inasmuch as up to the view stated by 

 the present Governor that the cost of construction 

 was strictly moderate, expert opinion seemed to be 

 pretty well unanimous that it had been excessive. 

 Sir Percy Girouard's reputation and knowledge of 

 railways stands so high that his opinion, even at so 

 late a date, must almost counterbalance the mass of 

 previous expert opinion with which it is in conflict. 

 Certainly the writer has no intention of arguing the 

 point. Three considerations, however, must be borne 

 in mind. Firstly, that the estimate of the cost pre- 



o 



