VI.
70.
West Africa.
Though I have no direct experience of the Gambia and Sierra Leone I presume that the inhabitants are similar in outlook to those of the Gold Coast, and the problem of their development as enclaves in French territory is also similar.
71. Though it is no doubt possible to draw up some form of constitution for the Gembia embodying a good deal of local self government, I doubt if anything will make it a sensible proposi- tion with its present shape and frontiers. The difficulties of the small size could be overcome by attaching it to Sierra Leone and states do exist which have detached parts surrounded by other territory. A new example is Pakistan, an old one Brunswick.
72. I can see the Gold Coast and Nigeria becoming dominions and Sierra Leone having a fair measure of responsible self govern- ment, but I find it difficult to believe that this will be the ultimate solution. I should expect that the more self government there is in West Africa the more the surrounding French territory would feel like the French North African territories. There sentiment has been much affected by British Middle Eastern policy and the growth of independent Arab states. I think that the French and we ourselves will become more conscious that the people of West Africa whether dwelling in the mauve colured territories or the pink are African and not French or British. This I should expect to lead eventually to trouble in French West Africa and the same conflict between French and ourselves as there is over Arab policy. My own contacts lead me to believe that except in the case of the évolués I have met, the African in French West Africa does not like French rule - this is very obvious in the case of the Ewes but I found it everywhore. Some times, therefore, the French will be in difficulties with their Africans and I can only see this ending one way, unless the centripetal and centrifugal aims of French and British policy can be reconciled in time. I am right about this then I do feel that some definite step towards Anglo-French-African partnership would be valuable. Depending on the results of the present enquiry in Togoland I feel an integrated Anglo-French administration staffed as far as possible by Africans in Eweland might be a valuable experiment. (This of course would not be anything like a condominium). it succeeded a similar attempt might be made in Gambia with reasonable frontiers.
If
If
73. I suppose that Sierra Leone is included in the list because of its sizę only half that of the Gold Coast. Though constitutional developments are under consideration there, apparently there is not nearly so much pressure as in the Gold Coast or Nigeria for Sierra Leone does not get itself into the papers so often.
74* Sierra Leone and Liberia having in their origins much the same sort of history and being composed of imported free slaves and local tribes, I presume that the status of Liberia must have some effect on thought in Sierra Leone, even if Sierra Leone does not really wish to be like Liberia. Coussey must also have its effects in Sierra Leone and as it has a population of over two millions and Liberia only 1,500,000 (Political Handbook of the World 1944), I should hardly expect Sierra Leone to be satisfied with anything much less than the Gold Coast gets. Nor do I think it necd. Even if eventually there is not some link up of French and British territory in West Africa, the British territoric › may well have even closer associ ations than now and these will help to overcome the difficulty of the small "dominions".
75. There is a body of experienced opinion which concludes that while indirect rulc in fast developing countries such as
/those