126 SECTIONAL ADDRESSES. 



There can be no doubt that in the conditions of Tropical Africa, where 

 roads are diflficult to construct and even more difficult to maintain, the 

 railway is by far the cheapest, as well as by far the most expeditious form 

 of transport. 



We are only at the beginning of the construction of our arterial system 

 of railways. In the bulk of our African possessions such railways as do 

 exist not only pay directly, but their indirect effect in bringing about 

 production is sensational. When the railway from Baro to Kano was 

 first constructed it was estimated that two trains a week would be all 

 that would be required to carry the produce. When I was in Kano in 

 February this year the average number of goods-trains leaving Kano 

 was eight per day, and the tremendous expansion of the cultivation of 

 groundnuts round Kano is due entirely to the coming of the railway. 

 The export of groundnuts from Nigeria has risen from nil in 1910 to 

 120,000 tons last year. Similarly the expansion of cotton cultivation in 

 Uganda is the direct outcome of the Uganda Railway and the feeder 

 roads and water transport provided as auxiliaries to that railway. 



Railways without roads are of little value, but I have definitely come 

 to the conclusion that in the conditions of Tropical Africa roads are no 

 substitute for railways. Tropical rains alone prevent the use of roads 

 except during the dry seasons of the year. 



Cheap transport is the life-blood of commerce, and everywhere I have 

 been in Africa I have met the same demand by European and native alike 

 for the provision of more roads and more railways. An example of the 

 comparative stagnation of a naturally rich and populous country where 

 the transport facilities are at present inadequate is provided by Nyasaland, 

 where, in consequence of the incompleteness of Lake Nyasa's communica- 

 tion with the sea, some thousands of the most progressive natives leave 

 the country every year in search of opportunity in more developed parts 

 of Africa. 



As in the other questions that I have discussed, the right solution of 

 the many transport problems which arise in Africa can only be brought 

 about by scientific study, and we should do well to watch all new develop- 

 ments in the means of transport, in new fuels and such-like matters which 

 have a bearing upon any undertaking. 



It is quite clear that we cannot develop either the land or the people 

 unless we have easier and quicker means of access which modern rapid 

 transport alone can give, but every line of railway we open, every road 

 we construct, adds to the jiressure of the impact of our coming, and I feel 

 that, in addition to research into all these practical sciences, we shall 

 require in ever-increasing degree the scientific observation of the sociological 

 facts of our development ; mere humanity and enthusiasm is not sufficient. 

 We have to study the problems we ourselves are creating with a con- 

 siderable degree of objective detachment, and make certain that in our 

 natural zeal for material development we are not disrupting more than 

 we are creating. Here again it is Kenya that is leading the way, and the 

 Kenya Government have asked that a portion of the loan to be spent on 

 transport development in East Africa shall be ear-marked for the closer 

 scientific study of what is rather loosely called ' the native problem.' 

 I think I have said enough to show that both our opportunities and 



