96 THE GREAT COMPANIES 



realising the high hopes which were at one time 

 entertained for its future. In the first few years 

 of the present decade, considerable movement 

 was visible in the port of Beira, but, from the 

 conclusion of the South African War onward, each 

 year has disclosed more and more evidence of the 

 unresponsiveness of events, until at length, after 

 considerable expenditure of its modest capital, the 

 Mozambique Company now finds itself still at a 

 distance from the dividend-earning period for which 

 it has so ardently and courageously striven during 

 a chequered history extending over nearly twenty 

 years. By dint of almost superhuman exertion, 

 economy, and retrenchment, its annual deficiencies 

 have, it is true, been greatly lessened, and it is to 

 be hoped that by doubling its native hut-tax, as 

 has, I understand, been of late resolved upon, and 

 by other means still under consideration, the future 

 may yet do something to enable this association to 

 fulfil the useful mission which was originally pre- 

 dicted for it. 



The same unhappy fate which has pursued the 

 governing body would seem to have largely befallen 

 its subsidiary companies, were it not that from 

 this unfortunate background one enterprise stands 

 boldly out as the exception which may pave the 

 way to other successes of a similar character. This 

 is the recently established British Sena Sugar 

 Factory, Limited, which there is little doubt, 

 judging by the success which has attended the two 

 kindred associations already in existence in the 

 same neighbourhood, has a fine future before it. 

 These three important organisations, and the valu- 



