EAST AFRICA
In the early days of modern African history, when Portugal was at her
zenith and her richly laden galleons were plying between the Cape of
Good Hope, Goa, and Calicut, practically the whole of the trade of the
east coast of Africa north of the Zambezi River was in the hands of
Arab-descended "Sultans" and Portugal--who had extensive "settlements"
along the coast.
A trade with India, which in the past has been the _raison d'être_
of more strife and bitterness than any subject--excepting religious
intolerance, for which nations have contended--had been established for
centuries, and the glamour of the East pervaded the whole atmosphere of
social and commercial relations.
When the European nations started competing for supremacy in the east
coast trade, which had always been a valuable one, the Arabs made the
Island of Zanzibar the centre of their activities.
The island was only chosen as the headquarters of the supreme Sultan
of the east coast and his palace built there at a comparatively late
date, when the Powers had already begun to bring under their direct
administration lands to whose native rulers they had hitherto only
extended a "protection," a benefit which had not been sought with any
spontaneity.
The selection of Zanzibar as the Sultan's headquarters was due to the
fact that it afforded a much-needed secure place of retreat; but a
trade between Zanzibar, India, and the African mainland was built up
that rivalled that of the British East India Company.
The trading expeditions of the Arabs, moreover, took the form
of devastating raids, and their territory on the coast was but
precariously held.
The importance of Zanzibar grew apace, and more and more of the
adjoining coast, sixteen miles distant, came under the sway of the
Sultans, whose caravans pushed farther and farther into the interior,
returning laden with ivory and accompanied by gangs of slaves, for
which Zanzibar became the market of the world.
The slave trade indeed assumed enormous proportions, was almost
entirely in Arab hands, and although an international movement for
the suppression of the iniquitous traffic had been on foot from the
beginning of the nineteenth century, the British Government alone took
active measures in East Africa to apply their humanitarian principles
of freedom.
With the wane of Portugal's power the influence of Great Britain in
Zanzibar and its dependencies, the chief centres of which were the
Island and Bay of Pemba and Witu, grew and intensified until Great
Britain became, as was meet on account of her possession of India,
supreme in the Zanzibari regions--a British Consul at Zanzibar being
appointed as early as 1841.
Up to 1884, although there had been no definite annexation of
territory, British influence was extending in every direction,
as British explorers ventured farther and farther into the
interior--adventurous spirits stirred by the reports of the Arabs of
the great lakes existing in what was then unknown Africa.
Central Africa remained a no-man's-land, inhabited only by aborigines,
and under no control whatsoever excepting that exercised by the Arab
leaders of marauding and slave-trading expeditions, whose principal
commercial object was ivory--white and black.
To mention but a few names, Burton, Speke, Grant, Baker, all added to
the world's knowledge of the Dark Continent, and mapped out the region
about Lakes Tanganyika and Victoria and Albert Nyanza; Burton, indeed,
penetrated far enough west to plant a British flag upon the majestic
mountains of the Kamerun, above the Gulf of Guinea.
Their wanderings were inspired by the spirit of adventure innate in
the British, and undertaken with no sordid motive; while the results of
their labours became the property of the civilised world.
In the course of their explorations the wanderers unfolded the mystery
of the source of the Nile in Lake Victoria Nyanza, which had been the
subject of conjecture for centuries.
Of explorers other than British, was the German Van der Decken, who had
extensively explored the interior round about Kilima 'Njaro, and who
had undoubtedly before him the attractive idea of a new German Empire,
embracing a large portion of Central Africa; and who urged upon his
countrymen the desirability of acquiring part, if not the whole of what
was practically no-man's-land, from the east coast opposite the Island
of Zanzibar to the mouth of the Congo in the west.
H. M. Stanley had explored Uganda, his report on which caused that
country to become infested with missionaries whose subsequent squabbles
about forms and dogmas gave rise to more serious disturbances amongst
the Mazai and Waganda than the slave trade.
Stanley had also crossed the continent, and in the employ of Leopold,
King of the Belgians, made that far-seeing monarch's private venture
an enormously successful enterprise--embracing a huge area, taking in
from the western shore of Lake Tanganyika (which it covered) the whole
country across the continent to the mouth of the Congo.
The Congo Free State was born of King Leopold's venture, and remained
his private concern until his death, when by his will he bequeathed the
territory, over 800,000 square miles in extent, to Belgium.
It might be mentioned that the Belgian Congo shut off along Lake
Tanganyika British Central Africa (Nyasaland) from British East Africa
(Uganda).
A Frenchman, M. Labaudy, in 1904 endeavoured to emulate King Leopold,
and proclaimed himself Emperor of the Sahara; but his resources not
being quite in proportion to his ambitions, the Sahara was not brought
under his august rule.
While stamping out the slave trade, Great Britain was, in 1884,
bringing under her sway the tribes on the east coast; and this was
being accomplished without much difficulty, accompanied, as her
dealings with natives were, by justice, which more than any virtue
appeals to the native mind.
From the north Great Britain had advanced along the Nile, and to all
intents and purposes taken under protection the Nile country up to Lake
Albert Nyanza.
Round about Kilima 'Njaro Mr (now Sir) H. H. Johnston had obtained
concessions of territory; but the necessity of actually and formally
annexing was not apparent to the Government, who preferred to rely
upon a process of gradual absorption.
As early as 1874 German traders were establishing themselves in
Zanzibar and the territories of the Sultan on the mainland, and "making
a bid for a fair share of the trade"; while Germany, which had really
only existed since 1871, made the affairs of the Sultan of Zanzibar
her business, "because of Germany's interest in suppressing slavery,"
which, however, the Germans did not hesitate to practise extensively
themselves as soon as they had territorially established themselves.
There was never a more disinterested act than the freedom of these
human machines on the part of Great Britain; for while she was
insisting upon the release of thousands and thousands of slaves, to
whose "masters" she paid large sums as compensation, many industries
in her Colonies were not only hampered but closed down altogether on
account of the impossibility of procuring the native labour necessary
for their continuance.
The idea of Colonies forming a new German Empire in Africa, which
obsessed the minds of a few individuals and later on appealed to the
cupidity of the German merchants, could not obtain the all-powerful
Bismarck's support until their proved value as commercial propositions
should justify him in extending to them the Imperial protection. At the
opportune moment, however, he struck and struck hard with his weapons
of blood and iron.
Unending warnings were conveyed to our Government as to the result
of inaction in proclaiming sovereignty over their "spheres of
influence" on the east coast, and in 1880 Sir Bartle Frere made strong
representations to the Government as to Germany's growing influence;
but the Government remained incredulous of German designs.
The events of 1884, however, proved prognostications to be correct, and
the "scramble for Africa" entailed a division of the territories of the
Zanzibari Sultan.
While Herr Luderitz was busy establishing trade stations at Angra
Pequena and St Lucia Bay, and pushing inland to girdle Africa with a
German belt, other and less open methods were employed on the east
coast.
Dr Carl Peters was President of the new-formed German Colonisation
Society which was at the back of the initiatory steps for acquiring
oversea territory; and he, with two friends, set out for Zanzibar as a
base of operations, being justifiably doubtful of Luderitz's success in
operating from St Lucia Bay.
All Dr Peters's proceedings were enveloped in great secrecy.
In workmen's garb the three made their way across France and travelled
as steerage passengers to Zanzibar, and thence, towards the end
of 1884, proceeded up country and obtained, under the pretext of
"autograph collecting," the signatures of Arab and native chiefs to
treaties, with which they hurried back to Berlin early in 1885 and
founded a company to exploit their "concessions"--the company being
known as the German East Africa Society.
The territories covered by these concessions had, through the British
Consul, been offered by the Sultan of Zanzibar to Great Britain, who,
however, declined to assume the protection until a real necessity arose.
The necessity had now arisen, but Peters and his friends were guarded
by treaties bearing the signatures of natives potentates, which
according to the ethics of German _kultur_ were worthy of respect.
In 1885 the Sultan of Zanzibar was acquainted by the British Consul
of the annexation by Germany of a large portion of his territory
on the mainland which had been proclaimed by Bismarck, and instead
of supporting the Sultan in his righteous protest our statesmen,
having been forestalled, determined to give Germany all assistance
to establish herself as a neighbour; and the British Representative
received instructions "to co-operate immediately with the German
Consul-General in forwarding German interests."
Lord Granville, however, reproached Bismarck with not disclosing his
real designs, which must have caused that statesman many a sleepless
night.
On his part Lord Granville went out of his way to inform Bismarck,
in 1885, that British capitalists intended to build a railway from
the east coast (the Nairobi Railway) to the Nile lakes, and that "the
project would only receive the support of the Brittanic Government if
the latter were assured that it would in no way interfere with German
designs." This to Bismarck might very easily have appeared to be veiled
sarcasm had he been dealing with a man of his own kidney.
A demonstration of force on the part of Germany was necessary to induce
the Sultan of Zanzibar to adopt the same humble attitude as the British
Government; and a formidable German squadron appeared before the
Sultan's palace on the 7th August, 1885, and presented an ultimatum, on
which the Sultan bowed to the inevitable and stoically watched himself
depleted of his possessions on the mainland, though he retained a
considerable portion of the coastline.
Zanzibar Island, indeed, itself fell under a German form of suzerainty
from this date until 1890, when Germany resigned all claims over the
island to Great Britain, in exchange for the cession of Heligoland.
The slopes of Kilima 'Njaro were the scene of the busiest activities
of German agents prior to the appointment of a Commission for the
delimitation of the respective British and German boundaries.
Although the concessions granted to Mr H. H. Johnston in this desirable
region were considerably earlier than any German grants, our
Government agreed to allow all claims to remain in abeyance pending the
deliberations and decision of the joint Boundary Commission.
Under the agreement come to by Great Britain and Germany as the result
of the report of the Commission (1886), a strip of coastline 600
miles in length was left to the Sultan of Zanzibar in addition to his
islands, while he gave up all claims to Kilima 'Njaro.
Under the agreement practically the whole of the magnificent Kilima
'Njaro region, with its fertile slopes and foothills, was, through
an uncalled-for fit of generosity on the part of Great Britain, made
over to Germany--a concession which was made, it was said, to humour
a sentimental wish expressed by the Kaiser to possess the highest
mountain in Africa.
The effect of this concession was, however, to place severe
restrictions upon the development of British East Africa, and
threatened to confine British enterprise to exceedingly narrow limits.
Meanwhile Portugal could not look on with equanimity at the
partitioning out by Great Britain and the upstart Power, Germany, of
territory the history of which was permeated by her traditions, and
protested against being excluded from the deliberations of the Powers.
In view of the fact, however, that Portugal's claims were based upon
ancient rights held only by hazy recollection, and that she had never
exercised effective jurisdiction over the territory she claimed,
she was treated with scant consideration by Great Britain, and no
courtesy at all by Germany, who, however, emphatically demonstrated the
hopelessness of the position by warning Portugal that any action on her
part displeasing to Germany might result in the loss to her of any and
all territory she then held in Africa.
Portugal could but raise a loud lament and stamp in impotent rage; but
when, after the agreement of 1886, the Sultan of Zanzibar made coarse
references to the status of Portugal, the latter found her limit of
endurance, and developing a fit of naughty petulance, proceeded to
bombard for three days several unprotected native villages on the Bay
of Tungi, on the main coastline belonging to the Sultan, thereby by no
means impressing the world with an appreciation of Portugal's might.
The Germans after the agreement of 1886 proceeded with energy and
determination not only to test the resources of their new "Colony," but
to extend their territorial sphere in every direction--a proceeding
which evoked a British protest and necessitated a fresh delimitation
of boundaries in 1890. This was effected by the Caprivi Treaty of
1st July, 1890, under which Germany received ridiculously favourable
consideration in every demand.
In 1888 the whole of the remaining territory of the Sultan of Zanzibar
on the mainland was placed under the administration of Germany
by virtue of a lease from the Sultan. The new area included the
magnificent harbour of Dar-es-Salaam, which became the principal port
on that portion of the east coast.
Five days after taking possession of the newly leased territory, the
Germans managed to organise an "insurrection" amongst the natives; and
the assistance of the Imperial (German) Government was invoked by the
German East Africa Society to repress the "rebellion" which they had
deliberately incited.
Captain Hermann von Wissmann was at the beginning of 1889 accordingly
sent out with full instructions to deal with the native revolt, and
having enlisted a thousand or more ex-British _askaris_ (native
soldiers) and Zulus, he proceeded to slay, burn, and destroy. A huge
area was devastated and the "rebellion" was quelled, while the natives
were thoroughly terrorised.
The principal sufferers, however, were British Indians, owners of
plantations and trading stations, and these fled for protection to
British territory or crossed to Zanzibar.
The German East Africa Company was severely censured in various
quarters in connection with the "insurrection," but pleaded that it was
a movement organised by the Arabs through jealousy at the success of
German trading stations.
This was credulously accepted by Great Britain, who went to the length,
when her co-operation was sought by Germany in her need, of dispatching
a fleet which united with the German ships in establishing a blockade
all along the coast in Zanzibari waters.
The Reichstag voted the sum of two million marks "for the suppression
of the slave trade and the protection of German interests in East
Africa," and this sum was used to meet the expenses of the "campaign."
So far from expending millions of marks on the cause of humanity, the
Germans, on their own admission, were largely employing slave labour on
their tobacco plantations.
The natives were not finally terrorised into submission until late into
the year 1890; and the Germans, being firmly established, made their
position unquestionably secure by purchasing from the Sultan, in the
name of the German East Africa Society, the whole of his territory on
the mainland for the sum of four million marks--only a part of which
was, however, ever paid.
The fact that the whole venture had passed into the hands of the German
Government was only manifested by the fact that the Reichstag voted ten
and a half million marks partly for the purpose of paying the Sultan
of Zanzibar and partly for use in the improvement and development of
Germany's new "Colony."
The territory under the sway of Germany on the east coast of Africa
was the largest of Germany's Colonies, comprising an area double the
size of Germany itself, 387,000 square miles. On the north the Colony
is bounded by British East Africa and on the south by the Portuguese
Colony of Mozambique.
Situated between the 2° and 10° S. the climate is tropical, and in
parts on the coast there are dense mangrove swamps, with the usual
luxuriant tropical vegetation.
The country rises rapidly, however, towards the interior where the
Tanganyika plateau forms a high and healthy tableland over 3,500 feet
high.
Range after range of mountains and foothills divide the coast from the
majestic peak of Kilima 'Njaro on the borders of British East Africa,
and whose slopes offer splendid conditions for European settlement.
The white population numbers roughly 5,500, mainly German officials,
traders, soldiers, and managers of plantations; for, as in the other
German Colonies, there are no settlers in the true sense, although
Professor Bönn has said that there are "even some close settlements
reproducing German village life."
The civil population indeed is composed chiefly of Britishers or
Greeks, while there are, as elsewhere along the coast, a great many
Banyans or Indian traders, who are British subjects, nearly every
German being a soldier or an official.
The native population numbers 9,000,000--the two principal tribes being
the Urundi with 1,500,000 and the Ruandi with 2,000,000 respectively.
From the German point of view this was an ideal "Colony," for there
were abundant natural resources and a dense native population whose
industry might assure prosperity for their German masters.
In acquiring East Africa the Germans had made a bid for the dominant
interest in Central Africa and had by no means lost hope of absorbing
the Congo Free State, which by international agreement was open to Free
Trade. They went so far indeed as to offer to take the Congo Free State
under "protection" when the atrocities of the Congo rubber-collecting
trade were the subject of European concern. The aim and end of such a
"protection" may easily be surmised.
Having settled down to the exploitation of the territory Germany,
with her trade methods, began to oust the once all-dominant trade of
Zanzibar.
The latter depended on her trade with India and the mainland, and the
Germans instituted a direct service of luxuriously appointed steamers
to stop goods from going to Zanzibar and being handled twice. In the
way German traders are able to cut prices, it is probable that the
saving of one handling of the goods constituted the profit on them.
A direct Indian service was also inaugurated which further cut into
Zanzibar trade; while a line of steamers started to circumnavigate
Africa, going down the west coast to Cape Town and returning up the
east coast leisurely through the Suez Canal back to Hamburg.
It was not long before the Germans had practically the whole of
the east coast trade in her hands, and the German description of
Dar-es-Salaam as the metropolis of the whole of the East African coast
began to have some foundation in fact.
After quelling the "insurrection" in 1889, Major von Wissmann set
the corps he had formed to the building of Government offices and
residences, and the imposing edifices round about the lagoon at
Dar-es-Salaam are tribute to their skill.
A strong force of police was enrolled and consisted of 260 Europeans
and 2,750 men, who, uniformed in khaki, were armed with the most modern
guns and rifles. They constituted a formidable fighting force of
sixteen companies, each of which had several machine guns.
The natives are in the main mild-mannered; and as long association
with the Arabs made a condition of slavery quite a natural existence,
they were readily terrorised, and the Germans found ideal ground for
cultivation.
Energetically the administration set to work to open up the country by
establishing centres of trade; the country was intersected in every
direction by paths six feet wide for _machela_[F] travelling, and the
natives were compelled to make these paths free of charge and maintain
them in good order.
The administration, German like, was all by rule of thumb, and even the
prices of food were everywhere fixed by tariff. German home methods
were applied everywhere with a mixture, as in Zanzibar itself, of a
shoddy imitation of Indian life.
The Port of Dar-es-Salaam (the "Haven of Peace") was made the capital,
and from here the principal railway runs into the interior.
From the coast the town is hardly visible, the quiet lagoon on which
it is built being so shut in by bluffs; while the entrance is between
coral reefs, the passage through which is in some places not much over
fifty yards. The harbour is small but is perfectly sheltered, and with
its fringe of palms makes a striking picture.
The town is laid out on luxurious lines with wide well-paved streets,
an extensive botanical garden, electric light, and a powerful wireless
installation. The neighbouring native town is a striking contrast,
being squalid in the extreme.
The railway system extends for nearly 1,000 miles, and a line from
Dar-es-Salaam to Lake Tanganyika was being pushed on energetically.
The territory is eminently suited for the cultivation of tropical
agricultural products, and the export of these amounts to roughly
£1,800,000 per annum--about equally divided between European and native.
The Germans have done no development themselves for the production
of raw material, but the European plantations are huge farms in the
lower-lying country; and though on the slopes of Kilima 'Njaro there
are small holders, these are in the main Englishmen, Greeks, or British
Indians.
The Germans did not grant a full title to land, and intending planters
had to buy their land from natives and run the risk that their titles
might not be recognised, as the natives' claim to land had not yet been
adjudicated--which means, of course, that, as elsewhere, the land had
been "confiscated"; though it did not suit German policy immediately to
take it out of the hands of the natives.
The products grown on the European plantations by what has passed from
actual to semi-slave labour, are principally coffee, rubber, cotton,
and sisal hemp. The European products were heavily subsidised.
The natives contribute from the natural resources of the country grain,
medicinal herbs, copal, beeswax, hides, wild coffee, wild rubber,
palm-oil, copra, and dairy products. They have been encouraged in
every way to increase their production of raw materials by brutality
and terrorism, which almost depopulated the Ruanda country, and by
instruction in the methods of growing and collecting.
A translation in the journal of the African Society quotes Hans Zache
in "Dressig jahre Deutsch-Ost-Africa" (Thirty years of German East
Africa): "It is a falsely reasoned and falsely proved humanitarianism
which seeks to take no cognisance of the education of the native _for
manual work_. Work is provided by the European planters so that the
Colony may benefit by increased production, and not least also is it
provided for the blessing of the negro."
The blessing is not altogether so apparent to the negro, regarded in
conjunction with the fruit of his labour--usually dishonourable stripes.
The European plantations are in the hands of 758 planters, and cover an
area of about 250,000 acres--of which 80,000 were planted with rubber,
50,000 with sisal, and 35,000 with cotton; while 1,000,000 cocoa-nut
trees were also put in.
Ivory, which for years was the chief article of export, has given place
to sisal; and in 1913 the value of sisal hemp exported approached
£500,000, rubber taking second place with £325,000.
Sisal culture in East Africa is of recent origin, and was started in
German East Africa with a few plants imported from Central America.
The cultivation is difficult and the treatment of the leaves equally
so, but millions of plants now exist in both German and British East
Africa. The exportation of sisal plants was prohibited by the German
Government. While sisal takes about seven years to mature in the West
Indies, it takes only three in East Africa.
In contrast to the tropical Colonies on the west coast, the
cotton-growing is chiefly in the hands of the whites--not solely in the
natives. In 1912 it formed the principal crop, with an output of 1,882
tons.
The "slump" in rubber proved a set-back in the economic development of
the Colony.
A report of the Consul at Dar-es-Salaam states the number of rubber
trees planted and ready for tapping were 19,000,000.
The report proceeds: "Owing to the low prices, all the plantations have
limited the number of hands employed, and two of the largest suspended
tapping entirely. The planters are heavily handicapped by having to pay
the costs of recruiting labour in the interior and its transport down
to the plantation. The costs often amount to about £2, 10s. per head
before work is begun, and the rate of wages is high--about 16s. 6d. per
month for a Wanyamwezi tapper. Owing to a slight rise in the price of
rubber, tapping has been resumed by some of the planters, and there is
a more hopeful feeling. The small planter has probably a better chance
than the large company; his working expenses are less, he can often
obtain local labour cheaply or get time-expired hands without paying
recruiting fees; and, in addition, he can keep his men under more
personal control.
"The outlook for the larger estates is far from reassuring, and it is
said that some of them have already begun to cut down the rubber trees
to make room for other crops. The Colonial Economic Committee is taking
steps to introduce a standard quality of East African rubber, the
absence of which is another difficulty which has hampered the planters.
"There is only one large washing and curing factory in the Colony, at
Muhesa, though there are several smaller ones in Usambara. Most of the
planters wash the rubber themselves, with the result that it has often
to be done again in Europe."
The natives collect rubber from the wild forest vines, but rubber balls
sent in by Europeans and natives alike are cut through the middle to
detect the presence of a core of leaves or other foreign substance.
Cotton and coffee are articles also jointly produced by planters and
natives.
As elsewhere in tropical Africa, cotton grew wild and is now
extensively cultivated--the value exported in 1912 being £105,000.
The coffee produced by the natives is either collected from the trees
which grow wild or by cultivating the indigenous plants. The wild
coffee has a small misshapen bean, but is excellently flavoured, the
quality of the bean improving with each year of keeping. The value of
coffee exported amounts to about £100,000 per annum.
On the highlands oats, barley, and wheat are grown successfully; and
other articles of export are hides and skins, coming chiefly from the
district round Lake Victoria and from the provinces of Ruanda and
Urundi, which abound with millions of head of cattle and other live
stock.
The slopes of the highlands are covered with short sweet grass, and are
well watered with perennial streams, which might easily be diverted
into channels to irrigate the land below.
Though sheep do well in parts, the grass in the main grows too coarse
for any small stock, and requires feeding down.
The cattle are still nearly all in the hands of the natives, but the
Germans turned the hides to profit, £200,000 worth having been exported
in 1912.
The exportation of cattle is prohibited, but traders from Rhodesia
have made their way up into German East Africa, where they traded
cattle from the natives at prices averaging about 40s., and managed to
return with large herds of the quaint "hump-backed" beasts, known as
"Madagascar cattle," to southern Rhodesia, where they found a ready
market at an average price of about £7, 10s.
Horses do fairly well in parts of the country only, but a small variety
of extremely hardy and strong donkey is plentiful; and these are most
useful for transport work, being able it seems to live on the memory of
a pannikin of maize, and capable of being packed with any weight.
The cultivation of chillies and pea-nuts is exclusively a native
industry, and the export of pea-nuts in 1912 amounted to £62,500.
The collection of palm-oil and copra, too, is in native hands, the nuts
being collected from the wild palms which grow in their thousands on
the coast belts.
The European planters in recent years commenced cocoa-nut palm
cultivation, but the million trees planted have not yet come to
maturity.
Gum-copal, the resin of an indigenous tree, used for varnishing, and
the wax of wild bees is also collected by the natives in the forests,
and the export of beeswax in recent years has averaged about £50,000.
This system of collection by natives means the reduction of economic
resources, as in collecting wild rubber the vines are destroyed and so
are the swarms of bees in the search for wax.
There are other trees capable of commercial exploitation, such as the
baobab (cream of tartar tree), cazou, the nuts of which are largely
exported from Jamaica, and wattle, the bark of which produces tannin.
The timber possibilities are great, as large forests of cedar exist and
a certain amount has been exported.
The geological formation is similar to British East Africa; and
although prospecting for minerals is not encouraged, gold in payable
quantities has been discovered and worked, and gold to the value of
about £30,000 has been exported annually for some years.
Mica of good quality is found in the Uluguru Mountains on the
Tanganyika railway about 124 miles from Dar-es-Salaam, and about 100
tons are exported annually.
A promising proposition exists at Magadi in a large lake of carbonate
of soda, which a British company has endeavoured to secure. In time
this should prove one of the principal industries, as the deposit
appears to be unlimited. The inter-native trade does not amount to
much, as in this direction the Indian can compete with and outreach
even the German.
As a "commercial" Colony for the production of raw materials, the
Germans looked upon their East African territory as the jewel of their
possessions.
It was intended to give in August, 1914, a demonstration of the
economic life of the Colony, and to hold at Dar-es-Salaam an exhibition
for the whole country, to be connected with the opening of the working
of the whole length of the Tanganyika railway.
The exhibition was to have been held under the patronage and graced by
the presence of the German Crown Prince, and festivities extending over
a fortnight were arranged for. German firms were to have sent a large
number of exhibits, and numbers of visitors from Europe were expected.
Visitors have certainly since arrived, but not in the guise it was
anticipated.
On 8th August, 1914, H.M.S. _Pegasus_ and _Astraea_ appeared before
Dar-es-Salaam and proceeded to destroy the powerful wireless station,
and in a few hours the town and several liners in the harbour
surrendered.
The _Pegasus_ was subsequently attacked by the _Königsberg_ while
the former was at anchor, and being outranged was destroyed.
The _Königsberg_ did not, however, have a long spell of liberty, for
she was shortly afterwards discovered by H.M.S. _Chatham_ hiding in
shoal water, sheltered from view by dense palms, about six miles up the
Rufigi River Opposite Mafia Island, and put out of action.
Meanwhile British forces composed of Sikhs, other Indian troops, and
King's African Rifles, whose headquarters are Zanzibar, proceeded from
British Central and British East Africa to occupy the German territory.