432 REPORTS ON THE STATE OP SCIENCE. ETC. 



that such study is actively prosecuted from their point of view, it is most unlikely 

 that adequate work will be put into the relationship of the native to the land he lives 

 in unless the geographers of this country insist that much greater stress be laid on 

 this geographical question than has hitherto been the case. 



1. In view of the fact that it is desirable to have as many distributions both 

 physical, biological and human plotted upon the maps of British Tropical African 

 territories, it is necessary to know the relative reliability of the existing map in each 

 of its parts. The Geographical Section, General StaflE, might be asked to furnish a 

 statement upon this subject. Preferably the statement should be supplemented, if 

 possible, by making accessible for inspection sheets of the map of Africa (1 : 2,000,000) 

 upon which areas are marked to show the degree of accuracy which the compilation 

 represents. 



2. The preparation of systematic geographical bibliographies of the various 

 territories is desirable, with index maps to show the areas to which data refer. This 

 will require the undivided attention of a considerable staff, and would have to be 

 done in London, where alone the references can be traced. 



3. Arising out of (2) it would be possible to classify knowledge according to its 

 character, and the fields of various sciences whose data are useful in geographical 

 research of a physical character — geology, climate, vegetation, fauna. But, since 

 each of these subjects falls within the province of workers other than geographers, 

 it was felt that the pressing need for research by geographers lies in the field of human 

 geography, and that studies should be energetically pushed forward in this subject 

 in order that the attention of all concerned with the future welfare of the inhabitants 

 may be directed to the all-important fact that African peoples cannot adequately be 

 studied or treated except as in relation to the land they inhabit. 



Work done in accumulating and disseminating data upon the human geography 

 of Tropical Africa will serve two purposes. It will give an opportunity to those 

 concerned with and familiar with conditions in one territory to learn the conditions 

 prevailing in other territories, and to make practical use of the comparison. It will 

 further be of the greatest service to people in Great Britain and elsewhere who are 

 engaged in teaching the geography of Tropical Africa. For it will enable them for 

 the first time to spread an accurate knowledge of the essentials of native life associated 

 with the different types of environment. 



Data upon the human geography can probably be most rapidly accumulated by 

 seeking the co-operation of two types of people : (a) those at home who are familiar 

 with the literature of Africa, and who might be asked to make extracts of pertinent 

 matter from literature at their disposal ; (b) persons who as residents in Africa are 

 in a position to obtain new data ; and this class is by far the more important, since 

 it is believed that existing literature (mainly anthropological) contains relatively 

 little that is pertinent. 



It was therefore felt that a memorandum should be prepared and circulated as 

 wdely as possible in Tropical Africa with a view to interesting residents in this matter. 

 The classes of people who, it is hoped, may be expected to respond and to yield an 

 ever-increasing stream of information include {a) Government officials, (6) mis- 

 sionaries, (c) planters, and other private individuals who may be discovered. 



The memorandum should contain (1) a suitable explanation of the reasons why 

 this information is desired ; (2) a reprint of excerpts of the best account yet published 

 of the human geography of an African region ; (3) a list of desiderata, and an exhorta- 

 tion to furnish not merely statements in words, but also maps illustrating the state- 

 ments. 



If possible the memorandum should go out with the approval and recommendation 

 of the Colonial OflSce and of the missionary organisations. And, since the work of 

 collecting the data can probably be most effectively done by the district officers of 

 the Governments, it is desirable that an effort be made by the Colonial Office to procure 

 sufficient leisure for the proper officers in order that they may perform this valuable 

 service. The information desired falls into two categories : — - 



The first group of data is sought with a view to the preparation of a uniform map 

 of the distribution of population density in British Tropical Africa ; and this informa- 

 tion should be supplied by the Government Authorities. 



{a) The latest census figures, given for the smallest possible administrative 

 divisions ; (b) A map with these divisions marked (where they do not appear on a 

 published and accessible map) ; (c) !Votes to supplement the above as to the distribu- 

 tion and density within these divisions and the apparent causes of such differences 



