The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1903-03-18 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

CITIZENS SOCIAL LIMELIGHT LECTURD ON UGANDA.  On Saturday evening Mr. John Holt presided over the Citizen Social, which. n°withstanding the inclement stets of the weather was well attended. In the course of his remarks introducing the lecturer Mr. Holt said he had thought while sitting there how little a man might know of what was going on at his door. Until the other day he would have been compelled to have pleaded ignorance of the Citizen Bocials. but it had given him great pleasure to be there that evening, and he sincerely congratulated the committee on its work. As an earnest of his interest in the matter, it would afford him much pleasure to give a donation towards the funds (applause). With regard to Africa, he might say that he kncw something of Western Africa, but nothing of Uganda. Mr. Kristen Borup had' lived ;n Uganda for five years, and if they required testimony to the fine climate in that district they ehad only to look at him. Mr. Borup said that prior to 1875 Uganda had scarcely been heard of, but in that year it was vidited by Stanley, who was requested by the King of that country to send Christian missionaries, in compliance with whirls he dispatched a message to General Gordon at Khartoum. The meseengcsr was intercepted and murdered, but his message finally reached the proper quarter, and from 1876 the history of Uganda might be said to date. Wisat the country was like prior to Stanley's visit might be judged by a picture whirls was exhibited at this point, of a mound of skulls and thigh bones piled on "Execution Hill." It was a country that ran with blood. Human life was of no earthly account whatever, and the King's subjects usight be carried off to execution for treading on the royal leopard akin, or on the tail of his favourite dog. The opening up of the country had not been accomplished without loss of life, and the grave of Alexander Mackay might be seen in a native cemetery. To-clay things were greatly altered. Uganda boys were to be seen playing football, and the roads had been so much improved as to render a bicycle trip through Uganda a most pleasant affair. The natives were born traders, and the British Administration were encouraging the circulation of rupees as a medium cf exchange in preference to the cowry shells formerly in use. The present ruler of Uganda was a little boy of six years, who was paid .1200 a year by the British Government, end who was actually to be seen clothed in a long, white garment like a night shirt, and mounted on the shoulders of a native chief. Though under British rule most of the questions affecting the government of the country were ieft to the native chiefs, and this method had secured peace throughout the whole protectorate. The missionaries were also hard at work teaching the natives to read and write and to teach others, so that there were now upwards of ten thousand native instructors in Uganda. The religious aspect of affiairs was equally encouraging, forty thousand Christians having been gathered in from heathendom. Mr. Borup's remarks were listened to with deep attention, and inuoh interest was manifested in the series of slides exhibited by Mr. W. A. Douglas, portraying scenes in 'Uganda. The musical part of She programme, arranged by Mr. W. 11. Elston, consisted of solos by Miss Clara Collier, Miss Fraser, and Mr. W. G. Hughes, while Miss Dorthy De Vin was responsible for violin solos which roused the audience to a high pitch of enthusiasm.