Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-15

operated and trains are ready to be run
from Cape Town to the center of the
Barotse country. Next spring, when the
line 20 Kaloma is in full operation, the
question of the further extension of the
railway toward Tanganyika will be dis
cussed BY that time there will be evil
dence OF the wealth of the mineral deposits
In northwest Rhodesia. to the south OF the
lake The proposed lines through the Congo
and the German territory, the first via
Stanley Falls and the other through Ger
man East Africa, via Tabora, will open an
entirely new country and will establish
trade relations in Africa with three Inn
portant nations. which will be directly I'm
terested, to say nothing of the trade with
the world at large. This plan includes con-
nections with the Congo Free State river
and railway system. and with Dar-es-
Salaam on the east African coast and its
feeders east and west.
Promoting SETH sment.
The English in opening South Africa have
| realized that the greatest need OF the
country is an increased white population.
and In order to induce colouists TO go there
| have offered free grants OF land OF 100
| acres each to bona-fde settlers all along
| the territory tapped by the Cape to Cairo
railway No grant of land will be more
| than three miles distant from the railway,
and this plan is being carried out from
| Bulawayo to the Zambesi and will go as
far beyond the railway extends. The
soil is very fertile, the best paying pro-
| ducts being cotton and tobacco.
Other railroads will follow the construc-
| ton OF this first through line In Africa.
The government of Soudan has already
undertaken, at a cost of IS, go, OOO the con-
struction Of the Suakim Berber railway.
which is TO have length of 1892 miles, and
will probably be in operation during the
early part Of next year. The main diff
hculties in constructing this line are the
absence OF water along the route and the
! occasional severe storms In the Saukim
hills. The road will take a northerly
course, ascend the plateau for a distance OF
800 feet running parallel to the coast line
and then turn in a southwesteriy direc-
ton, reaching the Atbara about twenty
miles from its junction with the Nile. and
after following that river for some dis
lance, join the line now in existence a mile
north Of the Atbara bridge. One Of the
principal reasons urged for the necessity
OF building this road was that until II
was constructed there could be no hope
OF any development In that part OF the
country. Wheat, for instance. can be sent
from Chicago to Liverpool at practically
the same freight rates as from Khartoun
to Wady Halfa, the reason being the higt
price of coal in the Soudan, necessitatinl
that tall freightage be brought TO khar
toum from Alexandria. One of the results
that is expected to come from the building
of the road is the trade that will be estab
lished with the Arabian markets.
Area and Formulation
Another great railway project originated
with the khedive OF Egypt II Is a lin,
toward the frontier OF Tripoli. and tn,
first steps have been taken In the worl
by ordering 10000 tons Of steel. The roat
will follow the present Mariout line for tn
first part OF the route. The decision OF tn
J khedive 10 construct a railway TO Tripoli
opening Of the Cape to Cairo line. mark
following as II does so closely after tn
an event Of great Importance in the histor
OF the development of Egypt as a railroa
center, forming an outlet for the vast re
sources OF equatorial Africa. The immens
extent OF territory In Africa controile
by civilized nations will be realized whe
, II is known that more than 1880. 900 squar
miles are held by different countries. onl
10000 square miles being inappropriate
The population In this great territory
l3O,ls5.OOO The major part OF this popula
tion Is composed OF the native negro tribes
although in the civilized sections the whit
man is rapidly encroaching on the origins
! race. Thus in Cape Colony the total popu
: iation or 2,40o.b5z. OF which l.s25, l72 ar
negroes and $50 $50 whites. The ratio /
other parts OF the continent that have bee
settled by white men show about the sam
results. The estimated area OF the eouu
|
: trolled by the various nations are
q Square Popu-
Miles latiOn
4 Great Britain .2B7082s ~ 7e4 h
= France .......................2e 02 62l 2s7ss n
L Portugal ....-.s.s...sss.ss.... 6l,OA b,16,0
, Spain .......................... 2o3,767 437.0