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animals. The second method would increase the grazing area of the country for Gambian cattle, and to a great extent prevent the introduction of contagious disease from other countries, and the third method would increase the value of the best. animals, and promote a desire to possess the best instead of the most, and so encourage competition and trade.
Sir George Denton informed me that some few years ago a little trade had been done by sending slaughter cattle to other Colonies down the coast, but that owing to some of these cattle dying after arrival," these animals were now being supplied by the French Colonies. It is unfortunate that such a trade between British Colonies should have been nipped in the bud.
An investigation at the time might have resulted in the discovery of something which would have prevented the cattle dying, and kept the trade in the Gambia.
If at any future time it is decided to send a veterinary surgeon to the West Coast, I suggest that this should be inquired into in those Colonies to which the cattle were sent. The visit should be made about the beginning of the year, so that the disease referred to in my previous report, which breaks out in February and March, could be investigated. The inquiry should also include the investigation of the disease from which cattle die when sent to Niume from other parts of the Colony.
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respecting the Veterinary Department, I have the honour to transmit herewith copies of a letter from the Chief Veterinary Officer and of a covering minute by the Com- missioner of Lands showing the general scope of the work of that Department and the lines on which it is carried on.
2. I am entirely in accord with the views expressed by Colonel Montgomery and Mr. Stordy as to the importance of maintaining a strong and efficient veterinary staff in a country like this, which, though excellently adapted for stock-raising, has to contend with many diseases.
3. We have moreover advertised to some extent the possibilities of East Africa in this direction and it would perhaps be scarcely fair to those whom we have induced to invest their capital here to weaken in any way a department on the advice of which they must often have to depend. I trust, therefore, that it may be maintained and even extended, if occasion arise, so as to be able to cope with the development of the Protectorate.
4. As regards Mr. Stordy's salary, I venture to ask, in view of his past good work, whether your Lordship would reconsider the question of granting him an increase of £50. No other head of a department receives less than £600 a year.
I have, &c.,
F. J: JACKSON,
Acting Commissioner.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
19
Reference :-
C.O. 885
20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
SIR,
No. 86.
NORTHERN NIGERIA.
COLONIAL OFFICE to TREASURY.
[Answered by No. 88.]
Downing Street, 14 February, 1907.
I AM directed by the Earl of Elgin to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th of February* conveying the approval of the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury of the proposed veterinary survey in Northern Nigeria, subject to the condition that the honorarium granted to the Veterinary Officer should be fixed at £150 for each six months.
2. Lord Elgin would, however, explain that it has been a matter of consider- able difficulty to obtain the services of an officer with the requisite experience and ability, and he has learnt that, should the officer recommended by the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries (Mr. J. Brand, F.R.C.V.S.) decline the appointment, it will not be possible for the Board to obtain the services of another equally com- petent officer. Mr. Brand has stated that he is not prepared to proceed to Northern Nigeria at a less remuneration than that proposed in my previous letter.†
3. A similar survey, extending over a period of three months, was recently conducted in the Gambia, and it was found that, in order to obtain the services of a properly qualified officer, Captain Todd, of the Army Veterinary Corps, it was necessary to fix his emoluments at £200 for the three months, or at the rate of £800 a year, in addition to free ocean passages and transport, incidental expenses and outfit.
4. As this expenditure was found necessary in the healthier climate of the Gambia and there is in Mr. Brand's case the further consideration that he is married, Lord Elgin trusts that their Lordships will now be prepared to approve of the honorarium to be granted to Mr. Brand being fixed at £200 for each six months of service.
6481
No. 87.
I am, &c..
H. BERTRAM COX.
EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE.
ACTING COMMISSIONER JACKSON to THE EARL OF ELGIN.
(No. 26.) MY LORD,
(Received February 20, 1907.)
Commissioner's Office, Nairobi, January 22, 1907. WITH reference to your Lordship's despatch, No. 725, of November 13th,
† No. 81.
+38639 not printed.
• No. 84.
(No, 2.)
Enclosure 1 in No. 87.
Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer,
Nairobi, January 14, 1907. YOUR EXCELLENCY,
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of copies of Colonial Office despatch, No. 725, with enclosures, and, in accordance with instructions from the Commissioner of Lands, I beg to submit the following report upon the future scope of the Veterinary Department of this Protectorate.
It must first be remembered that British East Africa possesses far greater advantages than any of the other Crown Protectorates for European settlement and stock raising, and its highlands probably rank among the foremost stock-raising areas of the Empire. Stock raising is the industry upon which East Africa's pros- perity must mainly depend; the suitable areas in the highlands and in many of the lower altitudes of the Protectorate are rapidly becoming colonized with settlers, who are making an earnest endeavour to develop the country and stock their holdings, and such endeavour demands co-operation on the part of the Government.
Infectious and contagious disease among live stock is rife in the Protectorate. and unless Veterinary control is exercised over settlers' and native stock throughout the interior, as well as at the ports of entry, no headway can possibly be made.
At present the Veterinary Department is endeavouring to stamp out African Coast Fever which has devastated South African herds.
This disease demands continuous vigilance for, should it spread to the large herds outside the infected areas, stock owners would suffer great financial loss, and the Protectorate would have a set-back from which it would take many years to Outbreaks of contagious pleuro-pneumonia are constantly occurring and con- certed action is necessary in order to stamp out this scourge.
recover.
Many of our epidemics have been introduced by cattle imported from adjoining Protectorates and our interests must be guarded by expert supervision being exer- cised on the movement of live stock from these territories.
Now is the time to exercise veterinary control, for by this means alone can the stock industry be placed on a sound footing and its success assured.
Once thoroughly established, many of the diseases suppressed or eradicated, large areas fenced and natives located in reserves, then a reduction of the Veterinary Establishment may be considered.
East Africa has been widely advertised as open for colonization, particularly as
38639 not printed.
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