The mirror., 1921-02-10

tives. The latter are of Mamito- Negroid
origin and the majority are spirit wor-
shippers. The principal part of the coun-
try consists of the great Central Plateau
from which rise many huge mountains in
cluding Kilimanjaro, which has the high
est peak on the continent 1921 feet.
Rubber, cocoanuts, sugarcane, cotton,
coffee, vanilla, bananas, rice, hemp and
corn, are among the natural products.
Teak and mahogany are obtained from
the forests. Cattle, sheep and goats are
the principal live stock products. The
minerals include gold, coal, copper, mica,
garnet and other precious stones. Ivory
is one of the valuable exports. The ele-
phant, the buffalo, the giraffe, rhinoceroses,
hippopotami and antelopes are among the
big game that abound in the interior.
While the various elevations from sea
level, to snowline provide wide range
of climate much of the plateau is suitable
for the production of European cereals,
fruits and vegetables. The coastal plain
is narrow, tropical and moist; the driest
and most sterile area is on the western
side of the great plain west of Tabora.
Tabora is the chief inland town. 1t has
a population of about 10000, and in the
old days was great market for slaves
and ivory. 1t is on the line of the East
Africa Central railway which crosses the
country from Dar-es-Salaam, the capital,
to Ujiji, distance of 7S0 miles. 1t was
completed in 1914. Ujiji is city on the
shore of Lake Tanganyika towards the
upper end of that body. 1t was there that
the historic meeting of Stanley and Living
stone took place.
1t is is interesting to know tina, the Ger
mans put themselves to great trouble and
expense in the economic development of
this, the best of their African colonies.
They set up large experimental statiens
and farms, where they tested exhaustively
the suitability and economic possibilities of
many plants and trees not native to the
country. They introduced and acclima-
tised many economic plants, and exported
large quantities of sisal, hemp and rubber.
Their towns were most carefully and
economically planned. They undertook
sanitation and medical supervision to re-
duce mortality. from malaria and other
tropical diseases so that even the coastal
plain became habitable for Europeans.
They gained control of the best forest lands
for merchantable timber, and introduced
new breeds of cattle, sheep, and goats.
The coastal ports are somewhat ham,
pered by the coral reefs which stretch
along it for many miles. Dar-es-Salaam,
"the Haven of Peace" is the chief port.
1t lies 4S miles south of Zanzibar, opposite
a gap in the coral reef, which admits
ships to its harbor.
AS the island of Zanzibar is off the
coast of the Tanganyika Protectorate, a
few words about it may be of value here.
The Zanzibar dominions became indepen-
dent in 1856 under the rule of Seyyid
Maid. The territory extended along the
mainland as far south as Tunghi Bay and
as far north as Warsheikh; but the ces-
sion of the coast line from the Rovuma
river to Wanga just north of Tanga, in
cluding the island of Malta to Germany
in 1890; and of the Benadir coast to Italy
in 1904 left the Dominion of Zanzibar
confined to the islands of Zanzibar and
Pemba and some other small islands with
in short radius.
Zanzibar has been British Protectorate
since November $780, The legal status of
slavery ceased to be recognized in the is
lands of Zanzibar and Pemba in 1897 by
a decree of Sultan Hamoud. AS the CEN
tire of the Arab Power Zanzibar domi-
mated the trade of East Africa from the
beginning of the 10Th century until quite
recently. The city of Zanzibar is the lar
T.