72
It is found impracticable to furnish figures respecting traffic as requested, but Committee submits following figures calculated 3 years and 10 years after completion of railway.
(1) Estimated production yearly in areas served less requirements for local consumption.
(a) Three years after completion of railway :-
Maize
Flax, fibre and tow
73
(b) Earning of increased traffic on existing line: -
Maiso
Flax
Coffee
Sundry
Timber
Inward traffic
Coffee
Sundry crops Timber
11
(b) Ten years after completion of railway:
Maize
Flax, fibre and tow
Coffee
Sundry crops
Timber
...
Pigs 18,500, converted to
Milk
66,000 tone.
6,700
1,100
1,900
#7
26,000
JJ
131,250 tons.
12,900
2,200 "
J7
3,900
"
28,000
1,200
Native personal
Bacon and bacon products Butter and choose
Cattle
Total
Rs.815,000
226,000
63,000
39,000
515,000
810,000
50,000
48,000
7,500
20,000
... Rs.2,583,000
232
bacon and bacon pro- ducts.
1,000,000 gallons (of which 350,000 gallons
milk and 55,000
These figures based on cultivation, &c., of about 150,000 acres in 3 years and 300,000 acres
in 10 years after completion of railway, leaving balance of about 800,000 acres good cultivable land for future development, chiefly in Uasin Gishu Plateau and Trans-Nzoia. All figures furnished are on conservative basis and on existing railway rates.
Before proceeding to deal with Thika extension, Committee would be glad to know what area is it desirable to cover.-BOWRING.
Cattle railed
gallone cream, aleo 180 tons cheese and 112 tons butter would be railed). 5,000 head.
(2) Other traffic under (a) inward, 21,000 tons, native personal 50,000 single journeys; under (b) inward 42,000 tons, native personal 100,000 single journeys.
Following are estimated earnings on new and existing lines of railway, after deductions made covering traffic now loaded at Nakuru and Londiani, and also truffle which would result from development and would be carried if proposed railway not constructed. Calculations made
allow for proportion traffic consumed or used in East Africa Protectorate, remainder carried to coast to be exported.
(1) Three years after completion of railway-
(a) Earnings proposed railway: -
Maize
Flax
Coffee
Sundry
Timber
Inward traffic
Native personal
Total
Rs.120,000
40,000
12,000
8,000
108,000
80,000
75,000
Rs.443,000
(b) Earning of increased traffic on existing line:-
Maize
Rs.365,000
Flax
106,000
Coffee
26,000
Sundry
20,000
Timber
420,000
Inward traffic
400,000
Native personal
25,000
Total
Rs.1,362,000
(2) Ten years after completion of new line:-
(a) Earnings new line:-
Maize
Flax
Rs.238,000 80,000
Coffee
25,000
Sundry
· 17,000
Timber
117,000
Inward traffic
162,000
Native personal
150.000
Piga
10,000
Bacon and bacon products
16,000
Milk, cream, butter, cheese Cattle
18,000
20,000
Total
Ra.853,000
No. 8.
MAJOR E. H. M. LEGGETT to THE SECRETARY OF THE COMMITTEE,
British East Africa Corporation, Ltd.,
96, Gresham House, London,
DEAR MR. EZECHIEL,
March 26th, 1920.
Major Taylor showed me your letter to him saying that the Colonial Development Com- mittee proposes before long to consider some of the trunk routes for development of the portior of East Africa lying between the Sudan and Zambesi, and he has asked me to tell him my ideas on the subject to pass on to you. I was only able to do so very hastily yesterday, but it may be
of some use to your Committee if I drop you a note, as I do in this personal form,
I can claim no knowledge of the districts between the Zambesi and Lake Victoria, but between Lake Victoria and the Sudan I think I may say that my experience and knowledge of their output and potentiality, gained by local knowledge and practical working over a good many years in those areas, is thus fairly complete.
My very strong view is that the line from Nakuru to the Uasin Gishu Plateau should be continued into Uganda by a route just south of Mount Elgon. To pass north of the latter would not only be without much local traffic on its eastern side, but would get into a district south of Elgon, and take the line too far from the really big producing areas of the Eastern Province of Uganda.
After passing to the south of Elgon, the line should turn north and run through, or a little to the east, of Mbale and Soroko, but not too far to the east, otherwise the bridging of the streams that run westward from Mbale would be a heavy matter. Per contra, to go too far to the east would mean bridging or causewaying swamps which extend from Lake Chioga towards Elgon. Thus the line should run to the east of Luke Gedge and turn westwards about such a point as Usuku, leaving Mount Debasien on the right. The good cotton-growing land follows the semi- circle which this line would traverse, but the more you go to the north-east from Lake Gedge and from Usuku, the more you lose the rains and get on to sandy land of little fertility and small population.
Passing to the south of Lake Kirkpatrick, the line would then run down the Assua River Valley for about 75 miles, with an important tributary from the north-east, and with its very rich land lying to the south-west all the way along. This land to the south-west is all capable of cotton, and in the Gulu direction the simsim fields are almost one continuous cultivation from mile to mile.
I do not think that the line should follow the Assua right down to the Nile, but should turn north about 50 miles from the Nile at a point about on the opposite to Gulu, and would then traverse the rich Fatiko district so well described in Sir Samuel Baker's book (published 1864), where cotton and simsim were growing even in those days. Such a line would open an entirely new cotton area, capable of at least 25,000 bales, and probably much more. I sent one of our best cotton men through these areas some years ago, and. his reports were most favourable. I think that the re-adjustment of frontiers actually results in part of this area now lying on the Sudan side.
From about 50 miles east of Nimule the line would then run towards north, and come into the Nile opposite Lado with a sweep from the east.
It may interest you and your Committee to know that in 1911 Lord Kitchener, during his visit to the Sudan, Uganda and East Africa, went into this matter very fully with me, and he
• Not printed.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Co
Reference :-
885/26
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.