338 A NATURALIST IN MID-AFRICA. 



miles over easy country, it would reach the Albert 

 Edward which thus opens up the rich district 

 about Ruwenzori. 



From the north end of Lake Ruisamba to the 

 Albert there is probably 70 miles of land transport. 



If we assume these figures to be near the truth 

 and take an equal rate of £3,000 a mile, this would 

 give by — 



Miles?. Cost. 



Somerset Nile 95 £285,000 



Albert Edward 130 390,000 



Of course there can be little doubt that the 

 latter opens up a much richer country to traffic 

 and settlement, and apparently at not much 

 greater cost. 



The time of transit to the Albert Nyanza would 

 probably be twenty-one days by the African Lakes 

 Route and Kagera, twelve days by the Mombasa 

 railway and Kagera, and eight days by the Mom- 

 basa railway and Somerset Nile. 



It must be, I think, obvious from the preceding, 

 that the African Lakes Route is far superior to the 

 Mombasa railway in cheapness and in the prospect 

 and value of the country opened up. 



The disadvantages of slowness of transit only 

 apply if the Mombasa railway is to be extended 

 to the Albert Nyanza, which involves a further 

 unproductive expenditure of £285,000. We could 

 not without this attempt to put a British or Indian 

 regiment on the Albert Nyanza, and certainly such 



