Vol. VIII. No. 95. 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[November, 1902.] 297 
The committee reported that attention had been drawn to the code of regulations for dairy 
schools for 1902, in which the certificates of various agricultural societies and teaching bodies 
were stated to be recognised by the Board of Education as qualifying schools whose teachers 
possessed these certificates to grants for dairy work. The national diploma in dairying not 
being included among these certificates, the secretary had communicated with the Board of 
Education on the subject, and had received a reply, dated August 29, 1902, to the eftect that 
in future the national diploma in dairying would be recognised as a sufficient qualification for 
the teaching of dairy work under the code. 
Other business having been transacted, the Council adjourned until Wednesday the 5th 
inst. 
The Council of the Royal Agricultural Society have now under consideration the com- 
position of the prize-sheet for the society’s first show to be held on its new permanent 
showyard in London in June, 1903. They contemplate that each established breed of 
horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs shall be represented in the showyard, and that classes and 
prizes shall be offered for such breeds by the society itself. But before proceeding further 
with the detailed consideration of the prize-sheet, the Council desires to have the benefit of 
the views of the representatives of the various breed societies as to the possibility of obtain- 
ing their support and co-operation in supplementing, from other sources, the prizes and 
classes which the society may find itself in a position to provide out of its own funds. 
The Council suggest that it will be of advantage that there should be a conference 
between members of their body and representatives of the various breed societies, at which 
this matter can be fully and frankly discussed ; and they have, therefore, appointed a sub- 
committee of their Stock Prizes Committee to meet any gentlemen representing the breed 
societies who may be able to attend at the offices at 2.30 p.m. on 3rd inst. 
THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 
During the recent meeting of the Association at Belfast, Captain C. H, D. Ryder, R.E., 
read a paper before the Geographical section on the province of Yun-nan. Sir Thomas 
IIoldich, the President, was in the chair. 
Captain Ryder said that of the 18 provinces into which China proper was divided, 
Yun-nan, though one of the largest, was one of the least populated. It was one mass of 
hills with small plains nestling among them, in which resided the Chinese, who left most of 
the hilly country and the deeper valleys to the original inhabitants, such as Lolos, Shans, etc. 
There were some 70 walled cities, many of them cities only in name, each plain as a rule 
containing one city, the official centre of the district. From a geographical point of view the 
most interesting feature was the extraordinary number of large rivers which flowed through 
or rose within the province, affluents of the Irawadi, the Saiwin, Mekong, Yang-tsze, West 
River, and Red River ; the second, third and fourth of these, as they entered the Yun-nan, 
all flowed in deep valleys side by side for many miles, barely 20 miles one from another, 
with a large mountain range intervening. 
Further south these rivers separated, allowing room for the head waters of the Red and 
West Rivers, the centre of the province, the watershed between these various river systems 
thus forming an elevated plateau, the plains on which were mostly about 6,000 feet in 
elevation. The climate varied according to the elevation from perpetual snow to perpetual 
heat, with every intervening stage ; consequently the fauna and flora, and the produce of the 
fields, varied considerably. The seasons were well defined — rains, cold weather, and hot 
weather ; the former the least pleasant, especially to travellers. Trade was nearly at a 
standstill owing to the shocking condition of the roads and the unhealthiness of the valleys, 
which were held in great awe by the Chinese merchants. The hills, except in the neigh- 
bourhood of the towns, were well wooded and abounded in small game, though the larger 
wild animals were conspicuous by their absence. A large quantity of minerals existed, mines 
of copper and silver — some worked, others deserted — being constantly met with. 
Situated as it was in the south-west corner of the empire, with French territory on the 
south and English on the west, much attention had been drawn to Yun-nan, and after various 
schemes had been propounded for tapping the trade, the Yun-nan Company fitted out an 
expedition under Major Davis, to which the author was attached by the Government of 
India, to survey and report on Yun-nan, with a view to deciding whether a line of railway 
was possible from Burma into China. This was successfully accomplished in two successive 
seasons ; but owing to the mountainous country and the poor prospects of traffic, it had been 
decided to abandon any idea of a railway on these lines. In a short time a railway would 
be completed, but it would be from Tongking and not from Burma. Yun-nan was, as regards 
scenery, the flower of China, and most pleasant to travel in, always excepting a certain 
rudeness, which everyone must expect, from the Chinese themselves. 
The President, in thanking Captain Ryder for his paper, said that no country in the 
world illustrated better than that described in the paper the necessity for preliminary 
geographical survey before pushing forward commercial enterprise. All the schemes put 
forward for connecting India and China by railway were based on ignorance of the country, 
and they had to thank Captain Ryder and his colleagues for showing what the nature of the 
country was. 
Mr. R. B. Buckley contributed a paper on “ Colonization and Irrigation in Uganda and 
the British East Africa Protectorate.” Referring to the climatic conditions which affect 
Lake Victoria Nyanza, and the causes of the fluctuations in the lake, it was shown that the 
volume of water which is actually available for storage in the lake for purposes of irrigation is 
not so great as might be supposed. 
The Uganda railway passed through the highlands of East Africa, where a tract of land, 
the size of England north of Liverpool and Sheffield, lay at an elevation of more than 5,000 
feet above the sea, in a pleasant and temperate climate. There seemed to be no doubt that 
this country was eminently suited for colonization, and that, if it could be irrigated, nearly ill 
European crops and fruits could be grown in it. 
As to the possibilities of irrigation in East Africa, Mr. Buckley was not very hopeful. 
The three main rivers, he said, the Juba, the Tana, and the Sabaki, were not well known, and 
their discharges at different Limes of the year were not recorded. The rivers were navigable 
in their lower reaches near the sea. It seemed likely that irrigation from the Juba and Tana 
might be possible in the higher lands, and that 30,000 or 40,000 acres might be irrigated 
from the Sabaki, just below the point wffiere the Tsavo river, which was fed from the snows 
of Kilimanjaro, joined the main stream. But the area commanded lies within the field of 
action of the tsetse fly, which might make cultivation difficult, if not impossible. 
After discussing the possibility of irrigating the great Taru wilderness, which had 
absorbed so many human lives, Mr. Buckley pointed out that in the tract of land, lying about 
5,000 feet above the sea, through which the Uganda railway passed, there were no rivers of 
any magnitude ; and the discharge, in the streams which did exist, was very uncertain. He 
showed that the area which might be irrigated .by the perennial discharge of those rivers 
which had a constant flow would be quite insignificant, and that the only way to irrigate 
effectively would be by the construction of reservoirs in the hills. These reservoirs would 
not probably be on a large scale, but would be formed by earthen banks across the valleys in 
which the streams ran. These embankments would be, probably, at intervals in the course 
of a stream, and farms of moderate size would be more or less dependent on each reservoir. 
Artesian wells would be disappointing as sources of supply for irrigation, although they 
might give a valuable supply of water for cattle on the great grassy plains which abounded in 
the temperate regions. The paper concluded with certain recommendations concerning 
investigations which appeared necessary before colonization, either by Europeans in the 
temperate tracts, or by natives of India in the less temperate areas, could be established with 
a good hope of success. Irrigation would, no doubt, be most valuable ; but as yet it had not 
been proved that crops could not be successfully cultivated by the rainfall alone, if the 
cultivation was conducted with a due consideration of the local seasons. 
In answer to questions from his audience, Mr. Buckley said he did not know that any 
very strenuous efforts had been made to induce the natives of the country to cultivate the land. 
As a matter of fact the natives were not an agricultural people ; they lived entirely on animal 
food. Again, there were really not sufficient natives to cultivate more than a very minute por- 
tion of the country. Traffic on the railway at present was very slack indeed — he should think 
about one or two tons a day — but no doubt it would develop in time. The line was not 
likely to pay for a good many years, but there were many other important results that would 
follow the construction of the railway, which would prove a great deal more valuable to the 
Empire than the return of a few shillings per cent, on the capital expended. 
The President, in offering the thanks of the meeting to Ur. Buckley, described the paper 
as a most interesting and important one. lie trusted it would lead to a more complete 
examination of the sources of the rivers and their capabilities for irrigation. 
■ 
COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT. 
CORRESPONDENCE AND ENQUIRIES. 
V^The following are given as specimens of some of the enquiries which have been addressed to, 
and satisfactorily answered by, the Institute during the past month ( October). 
* * All communications must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer. Enquiries 
which would involve special applications or expense will be a matter of arrangement with 
the correspondent. 
R. M. &Co., Birmingham . — Planters of sugar, cocoa, and coffee in the West Indies, 
British Central Africa, Seychelles, etc. 
F. Pj, , Vienna . — Banana-, cocoa- and orange-planting in British Honduras. 
] 14, B., N.B. — Where to obtain samples of certain kinds of marble. 
W. A. L. , Hastings. — Emigration to New Zealand. 
G L., Chcshi re . — Publications on the commerce and industries of the Colonies. 
M. C.’ A., Manchester. — Lists of cotton manufacturers on the Continent, in America, 
and the East. 
V. , London .— Mining in New Zealand. 
P. A., London . — Cultivation and curing of tobacco. 
REQUIREMENTS REGISTRY. 
In order to provide correspondents with an opportunity of making known special "wants" 
or “needs” in the British Colonies, India, and Foreign Countries, space will be regularly 
devoted to the publication of approved notices in the Imperial Institute Journal. Notices, 
as a rule, should not exceed 25 words in length, for which a charge of 2s. 6d. will be made for 
each insertion. Special arrangements can be made for longer notices. 
Specimens of Foreign and Colonial Woods desired. Purchase or 
exchange. Names and localities must be well authenticated. Address — 
Herbert Stone, Bracebridge-street, Birmingham. 
The Curator of the Canadian Section of the Imperial Institute is prepared to 
furnish information about Canadian Trade and to supply names of importers, manufacturers, 
shippers, etc. 
The following trade enquiries have been received at the Canadian Section of the Imperial 
Institute, from the Curator of which Section further particulars may be obtained : — 
Home Enquiries. — A Liverpool house asks to be placed in communication with Canndian 
manufacturers of birch squares and other chair parts, also drawer bottoms. 
A London firm desires names of Canadian shippers of soapstone of best quality. 
A Midlands firm possessing a large connection in box shooks would like to hear from 
Canadian manufacturers who can supply same in quantity. 
A London firm desires names of Canadian manufacturers of boots and shoes producing 
only ladies' goods. 
Canadian Enquiry.— A Canadian manufacturer of bicycles asks to be placed in communi- 
cation with United Kingdom firms prepared to take up the sale of his machines. 
Foreign Enquiry.— A British house in Japan desires to arrange with a Canadian firm of 
good standing to deal with various druggists' goods which they supply. 

CEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES. 
In the latest report of the Ontario Bureau of Mines for 1902, the following interesting 
observations are given respecting the production and uses of cement in the United States : — 
Cement is classed among materials of construction, but its use is by no means confined to 
buildings in the ordinary sense of the term. The employment of cement has of late years 
been extending in a multitude of directions, and it has been found capable of satisfactorily 
replacing not only clay products and stone, but also wood and iron for many purposes. In 
almost every variety of public works, such as canals, dams, breakwaters, piers, bridges, 
conduits, etc., cement plays a highly important part, and in the composition of buildings it is 
no longer restricted to foundations or floors, but finds much favour with architects, especially 
in large modern steel and iron structures, as a substance for imbedding beams and gilders 
to give additional strength, prevent oxidation, and guard against the destructive effects of 
warping in case of fire. In the construction of highly specialized edifices such as grain 
storehouses, the durability and imperviousness to moisture of cement walls renders it very 
useful. The lead in using cement for storehouses has been taken by builders in some of the 
countries of Continental Europe. But recently a huge elevator w r as put up for the late 
P. II. Peavey at Duluth, Minn., capable of holding 6,200,000 bushels of grain, on the “con- 
crete and wire mesh system with steel tie rods as an additional strengthening,” absolutely no 
wood whatever being used in the building. The grain is stored in 50 bins or tanks, of which 
30 are circular, the others occupying the interspaces between the circles. In one half of the 
building the concrete w 7 alls, which vary from eight to twelve inches in thickness and are 104 
feet high, are strengthened by il, by § inch flat bands placed horizontally and spaced eight 
inches apart. In the other half these straps are supplemented by a system of steel wire built 
into the concrete as a steel mesh. The concrete used was ordinary Portland of a leading 
brand, mixed in the usual way and by machinery. 
The structure is considered fireproof, and no insurance is carried upon it. For roofing, 
tiles, sewer pipes, culverts, for decorative and art purposes, for the manufacture of hollow 
building blocks to take the place of brick or stone, for the foundation of bank barns and for 
a hundred other uses, cement is rapidly wanning its way. One of the most noticeable methods 
of its employment is in the cement or “granolithic” sidewalks which are becomming so 
common in the cities, towns, and villages of Ontario. In nothing is the march of improve- 
ment showing itself more in the smaller places of the province than in the increased care 
which is taken with the streets and sidewalks, and within the last three or four years many 
