CO885-(18-19) — Page 249

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

EREEN C.O.885

18 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

| ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH—NOT TO

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Ordnance Survey may be requested to reproduce and forward to him one hundred and six copies of the map in question.

With reference to the last paragraph of Major G. E. Smith's letter, a copy of which accompanies the despatch above mentioned, the Under-Secretary of State would further be glad to learn the views of the Director of Military Operations regarding the proposal that this officer should correspond direct with the Director- General of the Ordnance Survey.

11805

(No. 228.)

SIR,

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No. 31.

NORTHERN NIGERIA.

THE ACTING HIGH COMMISSIONER to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received April 20, 1907.)

(No. 115.)

[Answered by No. 50.]

Government House, Northern Nigeria, MY LORD,

Lokoja, March 23, 1907. WITH reference to Your Lordship's despatch, No. 12, of the 8th January,* and to previous despatches on the subject of the proposed cadastral survey of the tin-mining area in Northern Nigeria, I have the honour to transmit herewith copy of a minute by Mr. James Scott, Surveyor.

2. From all I can gather with regard to Mr. Scott's work, I conclude that he is well qualified to carry out this survey. He is at present on leave and will, no doubt, be able to supply any further information required.

I have, &c.,

WM. WALLACE,

Enclosure in No. 31.

Acting High Commissioner.

MINUTE by Mr. JAMES SCOTT, Surveyor.

Referring to paragraph 2 of the Secretary of State's despatch of 8th January, 1907, the Niger Company is now working the deposits in the tin-mining area, and took out about 130 tons of black tin (Cassiterite) during the year ending 31st January, 1907 (their first year of working), from their Naraguta Mining Area, and the production from this area is only limited by the available water supply, which they are taking steps to increase by the construction of dams, and so ensure an increased and constant production of tin.

The Jos Mining Area has not yet been opened up, but this apparently is due to their staff being at present inadequate, owing to the death of one of their mining engineers.

I understand that a mining licence at Ngell, where the deposits are of excep- tional richness, will shortly be applied for.

The mineral area, as known at present, does not far exceed 200 square miles, and the survey of this could probably be undertaken by a surveyor with one European Assistant and two native surveyors in a tour of 18 months, i.e., two dry seasons with a recess in the height of rains, when plotting, calculations could be carried on. The cost of such a survey would not exceed £2,500. A general survey of the total area on the scale 1/25,000 (the scale adopted by me on the survey just carried out) seems to me suitable, with enlargements of the mining areas on scale 1/5,000.

The country is well adapted for a trigonometrical survey, but of course the survey would to a large extent be based on the boundaries which have been already aligned and measured with great accuracy and masonry beacons left. Naraguta mines are 12 days' march from Loko on the River Benue,

The

March 6, 1907.

JAMES SCOTT.

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No. 32.

EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE.

THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE ACTING COMMISSIONER.

[Answered by No. 81a.]

Downing Street, April 23, 1907. I HAVE the honour to inform you that a letter, dated the 21st of February,* has been received from Major E. H. Hills, C.M.G., R.E., enclosing his report on the Survey Department of the East Africa Protectorate. I understand that you have been furnished with a copy of the letter and report, but two further copies are enclosed herewith for your convenience.

2. With regard to Major Hills's remarks as to the survey of the Sotik country, I understand that the step was taken advisedly as the result of consultation between Colonel Hayes Sadler and the Commissioner for Land, with the object of avoiding inconvenience and delay in dealing with applications for land in an unsurveyed country.

3. I concur generally in Major Hills's view, and I desire, in particular, to draw attention to paragraph 6 of his letter* and to emphasize the importance of bringing the Cadastral Branch up to a proper standard of systematic working and efficiency.

4. It seems desirable that the assembly of the Land Board should not be deferred longer than is absolutely necessary, as Major Hills considers it essential for the satisfactory and economical conduct of the land settlement work. Steps are now being taken for the appointment of Commissioners of Agriculture and Forests, and there would be no difficulty in the way of the Board being formed at an early date.

5. My attention has been drawn to Major Hills's suggestions in regard to the size of the sheets of maps issued by the Survey Department. It appears that all War Office maps on the scale of 1/250,000 are now issued in sheets one degree square, and this size should be adopted in East Africa, with the corresponding size (30 minutes square) in the case of maps on the scale of 1/125,000.

6. I observe that Major Hills does not hold out any hope that it will be possible to make much use of natives of East Africa in survey work. I shall be interested to learn the result of any experiments which Captain Smith may make with boys trained in the mission schools, and I shall give further consideration to the question of employing natives of West Africa in the coast districts when the scheme for training native surveyors in West Africa is more advanced.

7. I concur with Major Hills in the desirability of detaching a survey section to accompany military expeditions. The practice is always followed in India and, I understand, is attended with good results. There is no reason why it should not be of equal value in East Africa, especially if the work so done could be joined up with the previous work of the Department. I recognize that with a small staff the temporary absence of the section might seriously inconvenience the Survey Department in its ordinary work, but I shall be glad if you will bear the recom- mendation in mind.

8. I shall address you in another despatch on the subject of the appointments necessary to complete the staff on the scale authorized by the approved estimates for 1907-8.

14542

No. 33.

EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE.

I have, &c.,

ELGIN.

THE DIRECTOR OF MILITARY OPERATIONS to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received April 25, 1907.)

Topographical Section, General Staff, War Office,

Whitehall, S.W., April 24, 1907.

The Director of Military Operations presents his compliments to the Under-

• No. 7.

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• No. 27.

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