TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION E. 847 
except as to its future development. Had time permitted, I should like to have 
discussed the route leading directly from the Cape to Mashonaland, its relative 
merits in comparison with the Beira railway, and as to where the two will come 
into competition one with the other. But I must pass on at once to consider the 
main trunk routes from the West Coast leading into the interior of Africa. 
Passing over those regions on the West Coast where railways would only be 
commenced because of the probable settlement, temporary or permanent, of white 
men—passing over, that is, the whole of the German sphere of influence—we first 
come to more dense native populations near the coast towns of Benguela and 
St. Paul de Loanda. The latter locality is the more hopeful of the two, accord- 
ing to our map, and here we find tbat the Portuguese have already con- 
structed a railway leading inland for 191 miles to close to Ambaca. The intention 
of connecting this railway with Delagoa Bay was originally announced, and I am 
not aware to what extent this vast project has now been cut down, so as to bring 
it within the region of practical proposals. A further length of 35 miles is, at all 
events, being constructed, and 87 more miles have been surveyed. The Portuguese 
appear to be very active at present in this district, as there are several other rail- 
ways already under consideration ; one from Benguela to Bihe, of which 16 miles 
is in operation, another from Mossamedes to the Huilla Plateau, and a third from 
the Congo to the Zambesi. It is difficult to foretell what will be the outcome of 
these schemes, but our population map is not very encouraging. 
Next we come to the Congo, and here there is a grand opportunity of opening 
up the interior of the continent. In going up this great stream from the coast we 
first traverse about 150 miles of navigable waterway, and afterwards we come to 
some 200 miles of cataracts, through which steamers cannot pass. Round this im- 
pediment a railway is now being pushed, 18 kilometres of rails (117 miles) being 
already laid. Then we enter Stanley Pool, and from this point we have open 
before us—if Belgian estimates are to be accepted—7,000 miles of navigable water- 
way. If this fact is correct, and if the population is accurately marked on our 
map, then there is no place in all Africa where 200 miles of railway may be ex- 
pected to produce such marked results. The districts traversed are unhealthy, 
and the natives are, generally speaking, of a low type; but in spite of these draw- 
backs, which no doubt will delay progress considerably, we may contidently predict 
a grand future for this great natural route into the interior. 
To. the north of the Congo, the next great navigable waterway met with is the 
Niger. Again, granting the correctness of the population map, it can be scen at a 
glance that there is no area of equal size in all Africa so densely inhabited, and no 
district where trade with the existing native population appears to offer greater 
inducement to open up a commercial route into the interior. Luckily little has to 
be done in this respect, for the Niger is navigable for light-draught steamers in the 
full season as far as Rabba, about 550 miles from the sea; here the navigation 
soon becomes: obstructed by rocks, and at Wuru, about 70 miles further up the 
river, the rapids are so unnavigable that even the light native canoes have to be 
emptied before attempting a passage, and there are frequent upsets. From Wuru 
the rapids extend to Wara, after which a stretch of clear and slow-running river 
is met with. Above this, again, the Altona Rapids extend for a distance of 15 
miles ; then 15 miles of navigable waterway, and then 20 miles more of rapids are 
encountered. Yelo, the capitalof Yauui, is situated on these latter cataracts, above 
which the Middle Niger is navigable for a considerable length. ‘The Binue is also 
navigable in the floods for many miles, the limits being at present unknown ; part 
of the year, however, it is quite impassable except for canoes. The trade with 
the Western Sudan, which has been made possible by the opening up of this river, 
is still only in its infancy, and to get the full benefit of this waterway a line of 
railway ought to be carried on from Lokoja to Kano, the great commercial centre 
of Hausal and Mr. Robinson's recent journeys over this country, which we hope to 
hear about at a later period of our proceedings, have served to confirm the impres- 
sion that no great physical difficulties would be encountered. The political con- 
dition of the country may, however, make the construction of this railway quite 
impossible for the present; for here we are on the borderland between Mahom- 
