458 REPORT—1905. 
many cases, however, a bank has been found, deep in the ordinary acceptation of 
the word, but much less deep than the surrounding sea—solitary ridges, in fact, 
rising from the ocean floor. Frequently, in examining these banks in search of 
shoaler spots, breakers have been reported and recognised as such on board the 
surveying ship from a distance, but on approach they have proved to be small 
overcurls caused by tide ripplings, and the depth of water has proved to be 
several hundred fathoms. These ripplings are clearly caused by the small tidal 
motion in the deep water, generally in these cases of over 2,000 fathoms, meeting 
the slope of the submerged mountain range, being concentrated and accelerated 
until the water finally flows up the top of the slope as a definite current, and 
taking the line of least resistance, that to the surface, makes itself visible in the 
shape which we are accustomed to associate with comparatively shallow water. 
These cases form remarkable instances of the manner in which extensive 
motion of water may arise from very small beginnings. 
An observation I was anxious to make in 1894 has been successfully carried 
out since. This was to ascertain whether there was any permanent undercurrent 
in the Straits of Bab-el-Mandeb due to more water being forced through the strait 
on the surface by the persistent S.E. wind of winter than could be evaporated in 
the closed Red Sea. 
Such return undercurrents have under somewhat similar circumstances been 
shown to exist in the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar, and in the Suez Canal. 
The observation at Bab-el-Mandeb was difficult. The wind is strong and tbe 
disturbance of the sea is considerable, while the water is 120 fathoms or 700 feet 
deep. But a surveying vessel maintained herself at anchor there during four 
days, and, by the aid of an ingenious apparatus sent from England for the purpose, 
clearly proved the existence of a current of 14 knot flowing steadily at depths 
below 70 fathoms out of the Red Sea, whilst in the upper strata there was a 
similar current flowing in. In such ways is interchange of water provided for 
by Nature in places where tidal action does not suflice. 
In what I fear is a very discursive Address [have not mentioned the interior 
of Africa, In the first place, it is a subject of itself ; and as we shall have, I hope, 
many papers on African subjects I have thought it better to deal mainly with 
generalities. 
Still I cannot refrain from a few words to express the astonishment I always 
feel when I hear people complain that Africa goes slow. When I look at what 
has been effected in my own lifetime, it appears to me that, on the contrary, it 
has been rushed, The maps I learnt from as a boy showed the whole interior as 
a blank. There are now no parts that are not more or less known. The great 
lakes have all been revealed ; the great rivers have all been traced ; Europeans are 
now firmly fixed with decent governments in parts formerly a prey to tribal wars 
and the atrocities of the inland slave traffic. Railways are running over regions 
unknown forty years ago, and one of the most astonishing things to me is that I 
should be able to hope now to visit in comfort and luxury the great Victoria Falls 
which my old friend Sir John Kirk—whom [| left the other day hale and hearty— 
was, with the exception of Livingstone, the first white man to see, after a long and 
laborious journey in his company in 1860. 
I could not help being amused as well as interested at seeing a short time ago 
a proclamation by the Government of Northern Rhodesia, dated not far from Lake 
Bangweolo, calling on all concerned to observe neutrality during the present war 
between Russia and Japan. I think that if anyone had prophesied to Livingstone, 
as he lay in 1878 lonely and dying by the shores of that newly discovered lake, 
that such an edict would be issued in thirty years he would have expressed a 
doubt as to its fulfilment. 
To Southern Africa Nature has denied two of the features that facilitate rapid 
progress—good harbours and sufficient rainfall—but the energy of man bas done 
wonders to provide the former where possible, and will doubtless do more; whilst I 
believe that the lack of the latter will also be overcome in the same way. The 
co-ordinated—or, in other words, the scientific—observations made in many other 
countries have pointed out a possible solution. On the other hand, the height of the 
