Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-15

claves set in the background Of
Frances African empire. However,
1t is only by comparison with the
rest Of British Africa that the West
African colonies should be thus
scaled. collectively, they have an
area of 100000 square miles and q
population of 24,000. 900, almost all
native, since West Africa's tropical
climate renders it unsuitable for
white settlement. Already enlarge
ment of the cocoa growing areas OF
the Gold Coast and the extensive
oil-rich nut cultivation in Nigeria,
especially peanuts, are taking place,
together with intensified output of
the latter's rich tin mines and OPEN
ing of extensive coal fields.
Hope in East Africa
At the south of the continent Is
the Union of South Africa. Lying
in the south temperate zone, it is
eminently suitable for white settle
ment and has dominant white ele-
ment exceeding 100000, everything
native elements more than twice as
numerous. The political life of the
union is troubled by the rift between
the British and Dutch or Afrikander
elements, but its economic life Is
fairly mature. And anyway, being a
dominion, it lies outside the scope Of
the Development Act, which per-
tains to colonies and imperial de-
Tendencies.
It Is in the third part of British
Africa that economic empire build
ing had its greatest scope. This
Is the broad band of territory which
stretches UP the eastern side of
Africa, from the northern border
of the Union clear to the Anglo
Egyptian Sudan. It's 100000 square
miles are vertitable treasure house
Of natural resources, few Of which
are developed beyond the embry-
onic stage. Furthermore, East
Africa has been designated as the
strategic heart of imperial military
and air policy, necessarily revised
by British setbacks in the Near and
Middle East. Strategic bases are
now being pushed to completion
there, especially in Kenya Colony,
just to the southwark of Abyssinia
and the Sudan.
Parallel to those military devel-
opments go vast economic projects.
especially for the production of food
and other agricultural raw mate
rails. Millions Of acres are being
cleared of scrub and devoted to the
growing Of peanuts Called by the
British ground-nuts) for their VAL
liable oil. thus paralleling devel-
opments in West Africa previously
noted. Cotton, sisal and other prod
ucts are likewise being pushed on
an extensive scale. The mineral
resources of the region are not
being overlooked. = Rich coal and
iron deposits exist sufficiently near
each other to make possible the
development of heavy industry as
soon as roads and railways render
them accessible to the outsids
world. Finally, there is the mat
ter of electric power.
Hydroelectric Wealth
The fact that most of the region
Is high plateau or mountain, drop
ping sharply to the coast endows
the country with abundant poten-
tial hydroelectric wealth. Two ire
mendous power projects are being
launched-one to the southwark In
Rhodesia, Harvesting the mighty
zambesi River, the other TO the
northward in Uganda at the outlet
OF big Lake Victoria, one Of the
sources Of the Nile.
Another of East Africa's assets
Is Its climate. Although lying
within the tropics, the high aver
age elevation Of the hinterland
back of the hot coast renders 1t
suitable for white colonization.
All in all, Africa presents the best
possibility for the rebuilding Of the
British Empire, recouping its losses
and laying the foundation of q new
prosperity and balanced stability.
Africa will certainly be high on
the agenda with which the coming
Imperial Conference In London will