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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference:

C.O. 885

20 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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

38

When stationed at Busu, blood slides which I took from a bullock which died in camp in August, 1908, a few weeks after coming from the Bukedi District, showed a high infection of the red blood corpuscles with minute piroplasms, some corpuscles containing as many as six organisms. I was of opinion that this case was one of east coast fever. In September, 1908, a cow died, and in spleen and liver smears I found peculiar bodies which I thought might have something to do with the disease from which the animal died. These specimens I kept, and can now identify the bodies as being Koch's granules.

There is no reason for supposing that the disease from which the Sesse cattle which died after crossing to Buddu and other districts suffered, was different from the one which has been found at Mpumu to be east coast fever.

Conclusion. The cause of the high mortality among the Sesse cattle may, then, be said to be due to east coast fever occurring in an endemic form on the mainland. The herds from the islands, by reason of there being no brown ticks there, must necessarily be susceptible to the disease, and on their coming to the mainland, unless, as seems to have occurred in some instances, they are taken to a clean village, and so escape infection, they become attacked, and a large percentage of them succumb.

I am indebted to Colonel Sir David Bruce, C.B., F.R.S., the Director of the Royal Society's Sleeping Sickness Commission, for his able advice in all matters connected with this investigation, and especially for the excellent instructions and demonstrations which he gave me on arrival at Mpumu on all the most recent work connected with cattle disease, and without which I feel certain that the investiga- tions on this disease could not have been completed. Colonel Bruce also personally conducted all post-mortem examinations.

My best thanks are due to all the other members of the Commission for kindness shown to me in the laboratory.

All expenses connected with the special work were defrayed by the Sleeping Sickness Commission.

Mr. E. Hutchins, M.R.C.V.S., the Principal Veterinary Officer, when at Mpumu, shared with me in the ordinary routine work.

A. D. FRASER, Lieut.,

39859

No. 19. NYASALAND.

COLONIAL OFFICE to SIR W. MANNING. [Answered by No. 20.]

1940

No. 21.

EAST AFRICA.

SIR E. P. C. GIROUARD to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 20 January, 1911.)

[Copy to Acting Governor, 'Uganda, 2 March, 1911. Confidential. L.F.] [Printed with the exception of the portions in in the paragraphs printed here,

us No. 14 in [Cd. 5775] July, 1911.]

Colonial Office, London, 18th January, 1911. Though in East Africa we are not troubled by any great depredations from I refer to the elephants, there is another source of evil which is a very great one. presence of the Southern Game Reserve, practically in contact with a large number of European farms and native reserves. Though the Society viewed with a certain amount of equanimity the reduction of elephants in Uganda-by administrative methods to a point where they could not commit excessive damage, they appeared totally unwilling to in any way consider a similar situation, now becoming very grave, owing to the presence of enormous herds principally of hartebeeste and zebra. One member contended that as the game was there before the settler, the settler should be moved where to, was not ascertainable. Such an attitude exemplifies the general attitude of the Society.1

I have mentioned the fact that the construction of a game fence as from Nairobi to Kiu, along the railway line, might in a measure prove effectual, though I have grave doubts of it, and the expenditure on such a project would hardly be justifiable. CI may state incidentally that the Council objected to even a game fence-on æsthetic grounds.]

2940

No. 22.

THE SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE WILD FAUNA OF THE EMPIRE to COLONIAL OFFICE.

(Received 30 January, 1911.)

[Copy to Acting Governor, Uganda, 2 March, 1911. Confidential. L.F.]

R. A. M. C.

DEAR SIR,

Downing Street, 31 December, 1910. SIR,

I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a despatch* from the Officer Administering the Government of Nyasaland, and to enquire whether you concur in his proposal that the Elephant Marsh Game Reserve should be abolished.

177

No. 20. NYASALAND.

I am, &c.,

G. V. FIDDES.

SIR W. MANNING to COLONIAL OFFICE. (Received 3 January, 1911.)

66, Grosvenor Street, W., 2nd January, 1911. SIR,

In reply to your letter, No. 39859/1910, of the 31st ult.,t I would prefer that the question as to the cancellation of the Elephant Marsh Game Reserve should be deferred until after my arrival in the Nyasaland Protectorate, where I am due in the course of the next few weeks.

I have, &c.,

W. H. MANNING.

[Answered by No. 24.]

2, Temple Gardens, E.C., January 27th, 1911. I BEG to tender to you the thanks of the Wild Fauna Society for your kindness in seeing Mr. Buxton, Mr. Whitbread, Mr. Russell, and myself on behalf of the Society. I much regret that the short notice of forty-eight hours prevented my sum- moning a number of the members of the Society who are more acquainted with the present conditions in Uganda. I trust that you or the Colonial Secretary will give us an opportunity at an early date of giving our reasons for asking that the minimum weight of elephant tusks allowed to be dealt in, or exported from, the Uganda Protectorate should be raised to 30 lbs. apiece, which is the minimum weight in the adjoining East African Protectorate.

We were very glad to learn that the Department was prepared to raise the limit in all British possessions in Africa to 25 lbs. or 30 lbs. per tusk as soon as there was a reasonable probability of other Powers having territories in Africa, particu- larly Germany and Italy, following England's lead.

Everything that can be done by private endeavours shall be done, but we still hope that when we have laid our arguments before the Department the desired order will be made in Uganda without delay, and that the Colonial Office and the Foreign Office will take energetic steps to induce the other nations interested to co-operate.

I would like to repeat that the Society has never raised any objection to local measures being taken for killing or driving off mischievous elephants. It would appear from the Blue Books that this has been the practice for some time. See No. 37 of the 1910 Blue Book* on African wild animals.

Yours, &c.,

RHYS WILLIAMS.

• No. 10 in [Cd. 5775].

† No. 19.

• [Ca. 5136], June, 1910.