208 A COLONY IN THE MAKING chap. 



of the grant-in-aid received by the Protectorate. This 

 grant-in-aid the majority of settlers in the country 

 would like to reduce to a vanishing point at the earliest 

 possible opportunity. The reason of this sentiment is 

 twofold : the feeling that it is unfair that the taxpayers 

 in England should be mulcted on their behalf a 

 moment longer than necessary, and the more selfish 

 consideration that when they no longer exist on charity 

 the white population are likely to get a more just 

 appreciation from the Colonial Office of their legiti- 

 mate demands. 1 Before, however, touching on the 

 question of disbandment, reduction, or redistribution, 

 it may be as well to append a short history of the 

 3rd or East African Battalion of the King's African 

 Rifles, which form the force with which we are 

 primarily interested. 



In July, 1895, the Imperial British East Africa 

 Company ceased to exist and the territory ruled over 

 by this Corporation together with its then existing 

 armed forces were taken over by the Imperial 

 Government. 



In 1896-7 the reorganisation of the British East 

 Africa Company's old forces into the East African 

 Rifles was carried out. 



In 1899 the establishment of the battalion was raised 

 to nineteen British officers and eight companies. 



In 1902, the East African Rifles became the 

 3rd Battalion King's African Rifles, the headquarters 

 were fixed at Nairobi, and the present lines erected. 



In 1904, the strength of the battalion was raised to 

 ten companies by the transfer of two companies from 

 Uganda. 



1 The grant in aid ceased in the spring of the present year, which fact 

 caused the most widespread satisfaction throughout the Protectorate.— C. 



