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thus avoid the demand for security bonds and the consequent withdrawal of many who would otherwise apply to join the school.

34389

No. 87. UGANDA.

I have, &c.,

W. EGERTON.

THE DIRECTOR OF MILITARY OPERATIONS to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received September 27, 1907.)

[Answered by L.F. transmitting copy of No. 91.]

Topographical Section, General Staff, War Office,

Whitehall, S.W., September 27, 1907.

The Director of Military Operations presents his compliments to the Under- Secretary of State for the Colonies and begs to make the following observations with reference to Sir Arthur Hardinge's letter of the 10th September, 1907,* containing an account of a discussion with M. de Cuvelier on the subject of the measurement of the 30° arc in Uganda:

1. It is clearly desirable in the interests of both Governments that advantage should be taken of the presence of the Joint Commission to measure the arc, a measurement which will not only be of international scientific interest, but which will provide a rigorous geodetic framework on which all future geographical work in that region will depend.

2. The astronomical and geodetic observations necessary for the measurement of the arc are of a special scientific character, and knowledge of this kind is not as a rule possessed by boundary commission officers. Special instruments are, moreover, required. The theodolites should be not less than 10 inches in diameter reading to seconds, and for the latitudes a zenith telescope should be employed. It is very desirable that an astronomical expert should be sent out.

3. The political work will not be retarded on account of the measurement, but the measurement will greatly strengthen the accuracy of the geographical work of the Commission.

4. The line of triangulation must be generally to the East of the 30° meridian because the Ruwenzori group is usually covered with mist and cloud, and because the dense forest of the middle Semliki Valley renders trigonometrical work impossible in that region.

5. Estimates of the expense of carrying out, in tropical Africa, work of the nature indicated can never pretend to any great degree of precision. The rapidity of the work depends chiefly on the absence of haze and mist. For this reason the time proposed is that period of four or five months.extending from the beginning of February to about the middle of June, during which the weather is clearest.

The simplest way of adjusting expenses will be for the Congo Government to defray all the expenses connected with the skilled astronomer, i.e., his pay, travelling expenses, cost of caravan, and purchase of instruments. The only other sum which the Congo Government would be asked to pay would be the half-share of the cost of publishing the joint account of the measurement.

6. If the Congo Government do not see their way to assist in the manner proposed, the work would be carried out by the British Government alone. But on account of the shortness of the period of clear weather it would be necessary to limit the number of latitude stations, and the effect of the non-co-operation of the Congo Government would thus be to reduce the scientific value of the measure- ment.

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7. The Congo Government should be pressed to give an early answer, as it will be necessary to commence preparing the instruments and equipment, and the selection of star pairs, about the 15th November.

8. If the Congo Government accept, the various technical details can best be discussed vérbally; and it is suggested that the Congo Government should be asked to send over the selected astronomer for a few days to London for the purpose of such a discussion.

Enclosure in No. 81.

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SIR,

139

No. 88.

UGANDA.

COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE.

[Answered by No. 91.]

Downing Street, October 1, 1907. In reply to your letter of the 18th of September, I am directed by the Earl of Elgin to transmit to you, to be laid before Secretary Sir Edward Grey, the accom- panying copy of a memorandumt which has been received from the Director of Military Operations on the subject of the measurement of that part of the arc of the meridian 30o east which lies in the neighbourhood of the Uganda-Congo boundary. 2. Lord Elgin trusts that this memorandum, in conjunction with the former memorandum, a copy of which accompanied the letter from this Department of the 29th of August, will enable His Majesty's Minister at Brussels to make clear to the Congo Government the nature of the arrangements which it is proposed to make, and his Lordship will be glad to hear that that Government is willing to participate in the work in the direction suggested by Major-General Ewart.

35846

No. 89.

I am, &c.,

R. L. ANTROBUS.

COLONIAL SURVEY COMMITTEE. Meeting of October 4, 1907. PRESENT:

Colonel R. C. HELLARD, C.B., R.E., Director-General, Ordnance Survey. Major C. F. CLOSE, C.M.G., R.E., Topographical Section, General Staff,

War Office, and

Mr. H. J. READ, C.M.G., Colonial Office, and Mr. W. C. BOTTOMLEY, Colonial Office, Secretary.

1. Southern Nigeria Map.

The Committee expressed satisfaction at the receipt of the map prepared in the Survey Department under Mr. Cotton's direction. The opinion was expressed that it would be well to fix a time limit within which the next section of the work should be completed.

2. Gold Coast Survey Department.

The Committee recommended that the arrangements proposed by Major Close and Major Guggisberg should be adopted, namely, that the Colonial Office should apply for the services of Lieutenant E. F. W. Lees, R.E., and Corporals Mathieson and Kilby for the reconstituted Survey Department, Captain Symons to be set free for duty under the War Office after the 31st of October.

3. Courses of Instruction at Southampton.

Colonel Hellard said that, in view of the many other courses of instruction to be provided for, it was difficult to lay down definite periods during which instruc- tion could be given each year. Candidates could be received during the winter, but there was a risk that their instruction would be materially interfered with by weather. He undertook to consider further what arrangements could be made to ineet, as far as possible, the situation entailed by the uncertainty of the periods for which officers might be at home on leave.

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• No. 84.

↑ No. 87.

‡ No. 81.

$ 2