PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
།
19
C.O.
Reference :-
BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE
885/9 LONDON
23411
SIR,
74
No. 125.
MALTA.
الخضر
COLONIAL OFFICE to THE ROYAL SOCIETY.
Downing Street, July 14, 1904.
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Lyttelton to acknowledge the receipt of the Royal Society's letter of the 1st of July* relating to the Mediterranean fever in- quiry, and to inform you that he considers it preferable that the accounts for the articles referred to in the 3rd paragraph of the letter should be paid in detail by the Society itself.
a
2. The Governor of Malta has been informed that, provided that he sees no objection, Mr. Lyttelton approves of Major Horrocks being paid the additional allow- ance of 15s. a day mentioned in the last paragraph of the Society's letter.
23411
No. 126.
MALTA.
I am, &c.,
H. BERTRAM COX.
MR. LYTTELTON to GOVERNOR SIR C. M. CLARKE.
(Confidential.)
SIR,
[Answered by No. 134.]
Downing Street, July 14, 1904. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you, with reference to previous correspondence, the accompanying copies of further papers relating to the Mediterranean Fever Inquiry.
2. I approve of your paying to Major Horrocks the additional allowance of 15s. a day, referred to in the last paragraph of the letter from the Royal Society of the 1st of July,* provided that you see no objection.
I have, &c.,
26556
No. 127.
NORTHERN NIGERIA.
ALFRED LYTTELTON.
HIGH COMMISSIONER SIR F. LUGARD to MR. LYTTELTON.
(No. 259.) SIR,
(Received July 23, 1904.)
Northern Nigeria, Shonga, June 16, 1904.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your circular despatch of the 28th of May, 1903, which reached this country during my absence on leave. I regret that it has remained so long without reply.
2. I venture to express my humble but most hearty appreciation of the measures taken, during Mr. Chamberlain's tenancy of office as Secretary of State for the Colonies, for combating Malaria and other tropical diseases (a résumé of which is contained in the circular under reply). The schemes inagurated by him for train- ing of medical officers in tropical medicine, for original research, and for adequate nursing, have been of enormous importance and incalculable good to the West African Colonies and Protectorates.
3. I infer, from your despatch general of 1st January, 1904,§ that you invite an expression of my views on the subjects raised in this circular, in so far as Northern Nigeria is concerned. In the brief summary of results in the various West African Colonies, this Protectorate is dismissed with a few words, indicating that the task of initial organisation had left little time for attention to these subjects. You will, therefore, I hope, be glad to learn the following facts:—
(a.) Segregation. I am myself a strong advocate of segregation on practical
+ [Ca. 1598]. § Not printed.
• No. 119.
† Nos. 119 and 125.
75
and feasible lines. With this view, immediately on the declaration of the transfer from the Royal Niger Company to the Government in 1900, I abandoned that portion of Lokoja which had hitherto been the headquarters of the European settlement in Northern Nigeria by the Royal Niger Company, and which was situated alongside the native town, which had in fact extended all around it. This area is still occupied by the non-official community, viz., the Niger Company, Holt and Company, the Anglo- African Bank, and the Missions. I selected a site, fully a mile off, on two parallel spurs running down to the river, and I began gradually to build a cantonment on the Indian system "with a well-defined European quarter away from the native bazaar,” than which Messrs. Stephens and Christophers say (in the second enclosure to your circular) that "there is no better example" to follow. It is absolutely necessary on grounds, into which I need not here enter, that the officers and British Non-Commis- sioned Officers should be close to the native soldiers, and, as their barracks are full of women and children, these constitute a difficulty which cannot be overcome. The barracks, however, were placed at the maximum possible distance, about 300-400 yards. In laying out the new capital at Zungeru, the same principle has been observed, and the European quarter is as far as possible from the native bazaar, while the soldiers lines are also at what I consider the maximum distance. I hope to carry these principles into effect in the laying out of every single out-station, and I am myself visiting each provincial headquarters, and selecting the permanent site of the station, accompanied by the Director of Public Works, and a Senior Medical Officer. (b.) Mode of life. Not much is said by the malarial experts as to the pre- disposition to malaria, and the inability of the system to contend against a violent attack, which result from a general low state of health and anæmia. This, I believe, to be caused chiefly by three factors. (1) Bad housing, especially by living on the damp ground; (2) By food which is not sufficiently sustaining; and (3) By lack of proper exercise. The Revenue of the Protectorate has only admitted of the erection of good houses for Europeans gradually, but the cantonments of Zungeru and of Lokoja may now be said to be very well supplied with houses raised off the ground, and in every way satisfactory, together with good offices for daily work; and little more remains to complete. The position as regards out-stations (where the bulk of the Europeans are), is not, however, so good. Except at Bida and Yola, no perman- ent house has yet been erected, but I hope that, in the same gradual way every station will, at no very distant date, be fully equipped with its two or three bungalows. I hope to undertake the erection of several this year. There is no doubt that to live on the ground, which in the rains becomes soaked with water, and more especially in a thatched hut which harbours mosquitos and vermin, and constantly leaks, owing to the violent tornadoes which are a feature of Northern Nigeria, is to induce malaria and dysentery. The health of the Europeans at Lokoja and Zungeru has greatly improved since this better accommodation was provided.
(2.) As you are aware very special efforts were made to improve the food supply by the institution of a canteen supervised by Government. The system, however, did not prove a success, owing to the lack of time to devote to its supervision, and the canteens were transferred to the Niger Company. Since that date there have been constant complaints of the insufficiency of ordinary necessaries, such as flour and tea, and I fear that no substantial improvement can be hoped for until European competitors enter the country. (3) Exercise. Mr. Chamberlain sanctioned the pro- vision of a small sum for one or two consecutive years, as the nucleus of a Recrea- tion Fund. Tennis Courts have been built, and a subsidy given to the Polo Clubs; these forms of exercise, I am convinced, have done very much to improve health.
(c.) Mosquitoes, Sanitation, and Water Supply. A considerable amount of drainage of low-lying bits of ground, and swamps in and around Lokoja, has been carried out, and is still being carried out, with excellent results. order to avoid small stagnant pools, a large dam has been constructed across the At Zungeru, in Dago, and a smaller one lower down. These hold up the water in large continuous reaches, which are full of fish. Rain water tanks have been supplied to all houses, and these are fitted with mosquito-proof wire gauze. I instituted a condenser at Lokoja, which has had excellent results, and all Europeans drink condensed water only. Another condenser is being erected at Zungeru also, and a portable one of special type has been sent to Zaria, where it supplies all the garrison. I have now a cantonment Magistrate at Lokoja, and a second at Zungeru, whose duty it is (aided and advised by the "Health Officer "), to thoroughly look after the sanitation of the cantonments. He has a staff of labourers, and, under this system, improvements
18061
K2