TRANSPORT. 321 



regiment on the Albert Nyanza requires a chain 

 of railways and steamers from the Yictoria to the 

 Albert Nyanza. 



If we wish to compete with Germany, therefore, 

 in opening up Uganda and the Upper Nile to 

 English trade and commerce, some other way 

 must be discovered, and this is only possible by 

 the African Lakes Route. 



This route is not a new idea, and the advantage 

 of it has been noticed so long ago as 1868, by Mr. 

 R. Arthington, of Leeds. Dr. Parkes was also 

 strongly in favour of it ; but it appears to have 

 slipped out of public notice in England for some 

 years. 



This route is as follows. The important point is 

 simply to utilise the Shire, Zambesi, Nyassa, and 

 Tanganyika waterways, which altogether amount to 

 something like 1,200 miles of water transport, and 

 build railways across the Shire rapids (120 miles) 

 and Stevenson Road (240 miles). 



This would penetrate to the north end of 

 Tanganyika, and to within 180 miles of the 

 Yictoria Nyanza. 



It is quite obvious that of the Congo state, 

 German East Africa, and ourselves, to one of 

 whom the trade of Tanganyika must go, we are in 

 by far the best position, as we have only 360 miles 

 land transport. 



The advantage of this route so far has not 

 escaped German attention : — 



22 



