Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-31

! 1t, had as yet received no news OF wha
Peters had done in Uganda. and when II
did become known this treaty made his
work of no avail.
Bismarck's Bad Bargain.
Heligoland, the country which they
thus got in exchange for one of the best
regions of the African continent, com
prising a territory larger than the whole
German Empire and far richer and in
! Guiding population of four million OF the
best of the African natives, was a little
! island In the North Sea covering less
than 40 acres and populated only by
! fishermen to the number of something
| like two thousand. Moreover, that island
! is fast being eaten up by the sea. A
! few centuries ago it was five times Its
present size, and Il grows less every year
! On the other hand. Uganda is now setting
out cotton plantations. There are roads
| all through it. and the people claim that
You can go over them for distance OF
! COO miles in an automobile. The land is
/ rich in rubber and other resources. and It
also controls the source of the Nile Verify
the British had the best of that bargain.
/ The German officials here seem to be
we'll satisfied with their colony. They say
It is richer than British East africa. and.
in support of their statement. point to
the fact that 1t already has larger ma
tive population British East Africa has
country has seven or eight millions. The
most of the colony is high ard healthy.
1t has extensive grass lands. and many of
the natives more than ordinarily
thrifty
Take for instance. the lands along the
Kagera river which flows into the lake
on the edge of Uganda. I met two officers
here who have been stationed in that
country. They tell me that the soil is
fertile, and that it is covered with a
ic1y sod ~ f3pn ,-ic n a
country is a mile above the sea and Is
we'll suited to he the residence of white
men. These officers tell me that when
railway communication can be made
German colonists will come in, and the
country will be developed as an agri-
cultural and stock raising region. At
present it is thickly populated by natives
who rear many cattle. sheep and goats
The kagera river rises not far from
Lake Tanganyika and the lower portion
of 1t can be made navigable for steamers
1t flows not far from the line of the Cape
to Cairo road, and 1t may form an i'm
portant link in the chain of rail and water
which is to go north and south through
this continent. 1t will connect that road
with Victoria Nyanza. I am told that If
the bar at its mouth Is dredged out. boats
of considerable draft can steam so near
to Lake Tanganyika, that the building of
fifty miles of railroad will practi
cally connect the two lakes.
Bismarck In AFRICA.
AS 1t is now, it is the intention of the
railroad builders to use Lake Tangan-
yika which is 400 miles long. and Lake
Albert Edward and Albert Nyanza. both
quite extensive. as a part Of the Cape to
Cairo system. They are all deep and
easily navigable Indeed the richest part
of that route will be through the Nile and
It's waterways. The road is now within
about 400 miles from the southern end of
Lake Tanganyika. and it will need only a
short strip to join this chain Of lakes, and
anot her short strip from the end of Albert
Nyanza to Gondokoro, where there Is
steam navigation for a thousand miles
down the Nile to Khartum, the end of the
Egypt and Soudan railway system.
The Germans have erected a monument
to Prince Bismarck out here on the south
ern shores of Victoria Nyanza. 1t stands
with its back to the lake and its face
towards the town of MwanZa. 1t con-
sists of bronze medallion as big