New-York tribune., 1905-04-16
4 BIG CANE PARADISE.
British East africa as a Field for
SpOrtsmen and Settlers.

The ; East ,,,,1 INPIA PIoTECToRATE- TOR BY Sir
thiEty-one Illustrations Svo. Pr. xii, "a Long
mans Green & Co.
Although Sir Charles Eliot felt compelled 20
resign his post as commissioner for the East
Africa Protectorate, because he felt that he was
not properly supported by the British Foreign
Office he is loyal both to his home government
and to that portion Of its overseas dependencies
which he ruled for three and a half Of 'the
happiest and most interesting years OF his life
The chief aim Of his book is to direct attention
10 the Protectorate as 4 field for colonization
Although bisected by the equator, Of which no
man should speak with dsrespect, that part Of
British East Africa which lies away from the
coast IS situated on lofty plateau from five
thousand 10 seven thousand feet high, varie-
gated by lofty mountain peaks and cut by deep
and fertile valleys. The altitude Of the interior
results in a climate at temperate and
equable, deprives the great circle Of its terrors
and relegates il to the unimportant position Of
IAN imaginary line" The author enthusiastic
cany describes this plateau as "a white mans
country par excellence fact which seems to
be intuitiEely recognized by the black man; for
it is but sparsely populated by native races
and large areas Of il are entirely uninhabited.
For this there is a twofOld reason In the
first place, the African has a deep rooted antip-
Protectorate disdaining even the conventional
fgleaf so that they find it more comfortable to
dwell in the hot Ioyvlands. In the second place.
those who had sufficiently overcome their natu-
raj inertia to seek the cooler regions were large
ly carried off into slavery. the vegetation not
aTording the protection from raiders that is
furnished by the characteristic tropical jungle
The country however, ''is one IN which Euro
peans can live and breed declares Sir Charles.
"as is shown by experience Of some years"
adding:
This. OF course does not mean that the climate
has no faults. Europeans. though not critical Of
any climate home. become exceedingly exact
che worst climate / have ever experienced is that
Of New-YOrk. which presents alternately the dis
never heard Of any being deferred from going
TO America by climatic considerations.
II the climate is better than that Manhat-
tan Island, New-Yorkers, at least, viii concede
that il must be pretty good. The land is suita-
bic for grazing and for raising the crops COM
mon to both temperate and subtropicaI regions,
and the author presents at some length his rea-
sons for believing that it is especially adapted
10 cotton culture. II is not rich in minerals
Gold and silver are found. but not in paying
quantities, and. though there is considerable
iron, there is, unfortunately no coal. This lack
however. should not interfere with the agri-
cultural development Of the country.
one great resource that East Africa Possesses
Is the Uganda Railway. which runs from Nom
hasa on the coast TO Victoria Nyanza. 5S4 miles,
affording easy access TO some Of the most de-
sirable lands for settlement. The line was not
originally constructed for the convenience OF
settlers, or il might have been laid out even
rEsoFe adYantageously. In fact, Sir Charles con-