The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-11-20
England sValuable Possessions
IN the Heart of Africa

panied with great numlcl.y- IN those
horizons OF the East Africa protectO-
rafe which are propitious 70 the white
settler there Is the tsetse H. OF certain
diseases Of horses which are Invariably
fatal and have bafled all efforts 70
stay their ravages-
In considering the natural conditions
prevailing IN the coast belt wnere
hemp. cocoanuts and rubber are In
dfgenous. and the CULTIVATION OF Wnicn
and Of cotton may be carried on with
prodt the question OF incOmpatibility
~ climatic conditions 70 the average
white man at once presents Itself Ef-
forts are being made TO encourage the
growth OF cotton In the iOWlanos. and
with some highly satisfactory results.
in small quantities OF Egyptian cotton
in particular Sample shipments 20
England have been pronounced equal 70
the best Egyptian cotton The large
development OF cotton growing on the
low-lying coast belt appears 20 be
awaiting the advent OF the white set
tier In large numbers and in the con-
version OF the black native 20 the idea
that X is necessary for him TO work.
These conditions will hardly be met
for many years. There are too many
attractive fields for the English emf
grant. and at present the native stead
lily refuses 10 work for longer periods
than three or at best four months out
requires an experience and skill which
the native barely acquires within that
time, IL Is a fact admitted by all that
the question OF labor is the one almost
insurmountable obstacle in the way OF
large production OF cotton
Uganda offers better conditions for
cotton growing by natives. as also tbs
Lake Nyanza district in British East
Africa. where natives have grown mar
ketable cotton for some years During
the fiscal year ended March 81, 1905.
upward OF 100000 pounds OF cotton
were exported in about equal quantities
from these two areas, valued at So
900 in round numbers
As regards hemp. an American CON-
pany has obtained a concession OF 100
square miles near the station OF V0i
103 miles from Mombasa on the Uganda
Railway. for cutting hemp. and Il is
believed that dbers from 10 feet TO
10 feet in length are readily obtain
able from the sanseaveria which grows
In natural profusiOn IN that section
Rubber Is being planted at various
places along the coast. and while the
industry is still in it's first or unpro-
duetiVe stage IL promises good fu-
ture- The favorite variety appears 10
be the ManihOt Gladiovi or ceara IN
Uganda rubber-tree planting has been
engaged IN TO a considerable extent and
the conditions there are reported 70 be
ideal for large production OF this
article.
The cultivation OF the eocoanut palm
In the lowlands for obtaining copra
is looked upon as being a source from
which large returns from capital may
be obtained.
The mineral resources nav be de-
scrioed as non-metallIe, inasuuch a.
neltner the precious metals. iron. nor
those other metals necessary in rha
arts and manufactures have been
round In paying quantities. Stone for
Dullolng purposes IS plentiful. lime
stone deposits are quite general: large
supplies OF soda have been located
Gays suited to making tiles bricks
and pottery are being worked az dfr-
ferent places Mica in attractive ouan-
titles have been found which with mar
ole, constitute about the present known
minerals OF commercial utility That
any or these can be OF more than local
use Is doubtful. with the possible ex-
eeptfon OF soda. for which there does
not appear TO be a sufficiently atrrac-
tive demand in the worlds markets TO
warrant expectation.
The foreign trade or these prOtec-
torates Is practically all done at Nom
hasa. where there are located two
banks. the National Bank OF india. with
a branch at Naviohi. and the Chartered
Bank OF India Australia and China
The transfer OF money between points
In the protectorate II effected through
these banks. and also by means OF pos
tai money orders. for which latter
method q charge OF per cent IL made
Money Is also frequently shipped by
rail. on account OF the cheapness OF
this method This has recently been
made more desirable. through the is
suance by the East Africa Professionals
OF notes OF Ave. ten and afty rupees.
The standard currency (specie) in these
=
which Is the unit.
The value OF the rupee IN English
money Is equal to Is 4d, with Is rupees
equal to Fl sterling. While the silver
rupee is the recognized medium IN all
commercial transactions among the
Europeans. there are various standards
by which natives conduct their barter.
Those who live In the immediate vicin-
ity Of the business centers and are in
constant contact with white people pre-
fer the copper pice q pics equals I
anna; Is annas equal 1 rupee) even to
the silver rur &c. and those living at a
distance from civilization require paw
ment for their produce in cotton cloth.
beads, wire. and other articles OF per-
sonal adornment. refusing to accept
legal currency. For many years Amer
icanf' american cotton cIothl was the
basis OF values with the natives in
their dealings with whites OF Indians.
who conduct most OF the barter with
them.
The standards OF weights and meas
ures differ with commodities The XII
baba is the standard in determining
the weight OF grain. and Is equal to
one and half pounds avoirdupois. The
following table shows the various
weights with their avOirdupois equiva-
Tents. 1 kibaba-11z pounds; A kibabas
Il kaila or pishi of s pounds: kailas
i ngoma OF frasila OF IS pounds: 10
ngomas-1 gisla OF $50 pounds
While the kibaba is constant. the re-
lation of the gisls and frasila or nxOna
TO the kibaba varies. The frasiia il
used in weighing native produce OF
various kinds. including LIQUIDS. al
though the karasia. equal to IL pinss.
Is used in ordinary small transactions.
but in large quantities recourse is had
TO the frasila- which is counted as
thirty-fve karasias- Some EFFORT is he
ing made 10 establish a uniform or con-
slant frasila- which is now inadvertently
calculated at thirty-five pounds or
thirty-six pounds
10