The Rise of Our East African Empire (1893)

Early Efforts in Nyasaland and Uganda (Vol 1, of 2 Vols)

Lord Frederick J.D. Lugard

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• eBook ISBN: 9781134707775
• Edition: 1
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World History
• Index: History

First published in 1968, this is volume I of a two volume set of a reprint of the original from 1893. This account includes a chapters on sport, the slave-trade and commerce in the areas of Nyasaland in Africa.

CHAPTER XVI.

EAST AFRICA AS A FIELD FOR DEVELOPMENT.

Commercial zones—Areas and altitudes. I. The coast zone—Present products—Coconut, &c.—Rubber—Cotton—Grain and miscellaneous—Products possible to introduce—Characteristics of northern portion—Of southern portion. II. Second zone—Aloes and fibre—Irrigation needed—Diversity. III. Third zone—Altitudes—General description—Machako's—Masailand—Kenia—Kikuyu—Mau—Scene of possible experiments—Present products—Possible industries—Tea, cotton, and fibre—Trees—Stock-rearing. IV. Fourth zone—Altitudes and areas—Description—The inhabitants—The soil and pasture—Rainfall—Testimony of those who have been there—Products—Ivory—Coffee—Vines—Cereals—Tobacco—Oil-plants—Bananas—Date-palm—Cotton—Rubber—Miscellaneous—Summary—Population—Prices of products. V. Fifth zone—Testimony of residents—Areas—Nile waterway—History—Products—Provinces to north-west—Products. VI. Sixth zone.

I WILL limit the remarks in this chapter to East Africa, for the commercial possibilities of Nyasaland have already received much attention,¹ and, since that country is now a British protectorate, they will doubtless form the subject of consular reports. The interior of East Africa has not yet been placed under direct British administration; and, while its future is still not definitely decided, it may be useful if a few remarks are offered on its economic capabilities.

Division into Zones.

To facilitate description, I will divide the area into a series of suppositious zones, and in order to enable my reader to readily grasp the extent of each, I have attached a small map, upon which they are coloured in different tints. The first zone is the coast area, and includes a strip along the seaboard, almost identical with the delimitation of the Sultanate, but increasing in breadth at the mouths of the three big rivers—the Sabakhi, Tana, and Juba—from ten to thirty or forty miles. The second zone includes the country behind the coast area, extending to the foot of the central plateau. It is about one hundred and forty miles broad, but, like the first zone, it increases in breadth along the depressions in which flow the three rivers. It is a gradually rising area, but the increase in altitude is so uniform as to be almost imperceptible. In the first hundred miles there is, roughly speaking, an ascent of 1000 ft. The third zone includes all the great central plateau, varying in elevation from 5000 ft. to 9000 ft., above which rise the mountain masses of Kenia (18,370 ft.) and Kilimanjaro (19,700 ft.), both with perpetual snow, together with the lofty hills of Mau and the Aberdare range, which rise from the level of the plateau. The fourth zone includes the depression of the great lakes and their surrounding countries. From Kavirondo, on the east, across the level of the Victoria (3900 ft.), throughout Uganda, Ankoli, and Unyoro, the general level of this zone is 4000 ft. On the extreme west the Albert Edward falls to 3100 ft., and on the north-west the plateau gains an elevation of over 5000 ft., and then falls sharply to the trough of the Albert, 2300 ft. In the fifth zone I have included the whole of the Nile valley and what was formerly Emin's Equatorial Province. The sixth and last division embraces the great depression which contains the Lake Rudolf (1310 ft.) and the wild and little known countries of the Suks and Turkanas, the Gallas and Somals. Only a very small portion of this vast area has been explored, and my remarks will therefore primarily apply to the central line from Mombasa to Uganda. The information we have of the country to north and south of this route affords us grounds for supposing that it is fairly typical of the whole, except as regards the fifth and sixth zones, which I have therefore dealt with separately. In so far as we have information of these areas, I have endeavoured to embody it.

The Coast Zone.

The coast belt forms in the German sphere (and southwards) a low-lying, swampy, and malarious tract. In British East Africa it is not so, and this belt is entirely free from any such characteristics. Only some ten to fifteen miles from the coast rise the hills of Rabai, and, indeed, almost from the very seashore we begin to ascend gradually into undulating and healthy country. This zone is almost entirely under cultivation, more especially around the coast towns and ports. It is divided up into shambas (estates), which are owned by Arabs and Swahilis. On the agricultural possibilities of this zone there are the recent reports of Mr Fitzgerald,¹ who was deputed by the Company to examine this district as an expert in tropical agriculture. His report may briefly be characterised as enthusiastic in its praises of the richness of the soil and its capabilities for agricultural development.

Products.

The main products are: coconut-palms, the produce of which—coir, copra, poonac, and toddy, &c.—are by no means fully utilised.² Indeed, it may be said that this most important industry is wholly neglected. Copra alone is utilised, all the other valuable products of the palm being thrown away. The total export of coconut produce from Zanzibar in 1891 amounted to some £7700 as against £800,000 from Ceylon in 1884,¹ while from the mainland there is practically no export at all.² The vast magnitude of the demand for coconut produce can be gauged from Mr Symonds’ statistics. This industry, if developed, might become a staple of commerce, since the palm grows luxuriantly on the coast, and is one of the most remunerative of all cultivations. Mango-trees thrive in great abundance, and in Africa yield two crops yearly. The excellent timber of this tree is not sufficiently utilised.³ The areca-nut, useful for export to India and for its fibre, the Jack-fruit, good for timber, the cashew-nut, the cotton-tree, which yields the “kapok” of commerce, and the papaw, from which is obtained the milky juice for the manufacture of “papain,” are other products of this area.

India-rubber vines grow abundantly in the coast forests, and it is probable that, by the introduction of more prolific American varieties, very great extension might be given to this industry.⁴ Indeed, Mr Fitzgerald claims that the soil, climate, and rainfall are so well adapted for their naturalisation, that he believes their introduction “will revolutionise the country,” and that “no doubt will be felt that East Africa is destined to become one of the great rubber producers of the world.” The rubber collected in 1891-1892 by the crude methods at present practised amounted to close on 10,000 lb., and realised an average price of a fraction under 2s. per lb. Tobacco grows luxuriantly, and the introduction of good seed will make it a valuable export. That grown in Witu is the best.¹

Cotton has been successfully introduced,² and Mr Fitzgerald remarks that “the wild cotton plants scattered about the country attest its extreme suitability for this cultivation… . It is a product admirably suited to the people, and the Wanyika have taken to it most kindly. It supplies work for all—for the men the heavier field work, to the women and children the picking and cleaning of the staple.” The Witu cotton, the Company state, has been reported upon in Liverpool most favourably.³ It is also stated that the natives are eager to produce it, and that the simultaneous culture of palms on estates laid down with cotton would nearly double the profit.⁴ It has been stated that we pay forty millions yearly to America for our supply of raw cotton, and are yet confronted by hostile tariffs and fluctuations of supply.⁵ If it should be proved that throughout East Africa (for, as will be seen, it is not the coast area only which is suited to its production) cotton of the best quality can be grown, it would be a very great gain to Lancashire trade.

Gum-copal is collected for export, and there are very many oil-bearing plants, such as sesame, ground-nuts,¹ castor-oil,² &c. Of the grains millet and maize are the most important, and grow luxuriantly. Bazi (dhal—a small yellow pulse), wimbi (Elusine coracana), and many other kinds are also grown. There is already a considerable export of grain in native craft to Persia, Arabia, &c. Of roots the cassava (yielding the tapioca of commerce), sweet potatoes, yams, and colocassia are grown. Other products are chillies,³ many varieties of peas, beans, and pulse, sugar-cane, bananas, various vegetables, &c. Hemp grows freely, and the orchilla-weed is largely collected and exported.

To tabulate and describe the various new plants which might be successfully introduced and cultivated would be, in fact, to write a work on tropical agriculture; for, since the soil, climate, and rainfall are reported as being most favourable, there is practically no tropical product which might not be introduced.⁴

The cocoa-tree¹ especially would appear suitable and extremely remunerative. The West African oil-palm is stated by Burton² to grow in Zanzibar and Pemba. The nutmeg, cinnamon, pimento, pepper-vine, rhea-grass (for fibre) have all been recommended as profitable for cultivation. There are endless others which might be named. Many, if not most of these, were introduced into Zanzibar by Sir John Kirk,³ and would be equally adapted to the mainland; but their cultivation has been neglected. New products should be grown on experimental Government plantations⁴ in the first instance till their success is assured. The capabilities of the country can only thus be fully tested, and improved methods of agriculture introduced, such as the use of manure, of the plough and simple agricultural implements, of wells and irrigation, and of the bullock for agricultural purposes. Such methods will largely supersede human labour, and enormously increase the returns.

Northern Area.

The coast district from the Sabakhi to the Juba river has not yet been so fully reported upon as the southern portion,⁵ with the exception of Witu, which is stated to be the most fertile and promising district along the whole of the coast. I have already spoken of the tobacco and cotton it produces. The district around the mouth of the Tana is reported by the Company to be extremely fertile and promising.¹ and Captain Dundas, R.N., who ascended the river, states that cultivation and forest (which betokens a rich soil, and natural products such as rubber, &c.) extended for a great distance along its banks, through “populous and fertile districts.”² To the same authority we are indebted for our knowledge of the Juba river, and he describes its valley as very fertile, the district of Gusha being “one long plantation of maize, millet, plantain, semsem, tobacco, and cotton.” Onwards densely populated areas alternate with heavy forest, till the limit of navigation was reached some 200 miles or more from the coast as the crow flies. In the Gusha district [80 miles] the natives were friendly, but beyond this point they were excessively hostile and fanatical Somals.³

Southern Area.

The district south of Mombasa to the German sphere is reported equally fertile with the northern portion. It also produces mangrove timber for building purposes,¹ and the river Umba has already been used by...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• GENERAL STUDIES
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
• INTRODUCTION
• I. START FOR AFRICA—ARRIVE QUILIMANE
• II. QUILIMANE TO BLANTYRE
• III. THE ORIGIN OF THE WAR—SLAVE-TRADE AND MISSIONS
• IV. BLANTYRE TO KARONGA’S
• V. THE ATTACK ON THE SLAVERS—LIFE AT KARONGA’S
• VI. EVENTS AT KARONGA’S—NYASALAND TO ENGLAND
• VII. AFRICAN SLAVERY
• VIII. METHODS OF SUPPRESSING THE SLAVE - TRADE—ARMS AND LIQUOR-TRADE
• IX. SAIL AGAIN FOR AFRICA—MOMBASA TO MAKONGENI
• X. LIFE IN THE JUNGLE
• XI. MAKONGENI TO MACHAKO’S AND BACK TO MOMBASA
• XII. WORK IN MOMBASA—START AGAIN FOR INTERIOR—MOMBASA TO MACHAKO’S
• XIII. MACHAKO’S TO THE LILWA RIVER
• XIV. LILWA RIVER TO UGANDA
• XV. COMMERCIAL POSSIBILITIES OF EAST AFRICA
• XVI. EAST AFRICA AS A FIELD FOR DEVELOPMENT
• XVII. METHODS OF AFRICAN TRANSPORT
• XVIII. LABOUR SUPPLY IN EAST AFRICA
• XIX. THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT AND ZEBRA
• XX. SOME OTHER AFRICAN ANIMALS
• XXI. SOME OTHER AFRICAN ANIMALS—continued
• APPENDIX I.