CO885-24 — Page 393

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-~~-

C.O. 885

24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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Page.

Transmite copies of replies from the 22

Governors of the West African dependencies to despatch sending them the report of the Committee on Sleeping Sickness, and of Nos. 14 and 15; observes that financial gon- siderations prevent expenditure on the lines suggested by the Committee and Dr. Bagshawe at present, and that before it can be undertaken fur- ther experience will enable a more deoided opinion to be formed as to its value.

FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE

[1915]

RELATING TO

THE CONNEXION BETWEEN BIG GAME AND SLEEPING SICKNESS.

45568

No. 1.

NYASALAND.

COLONIAL OFFICE to FOREIGN OFFICE AND THE BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY.

[Copy to High Commissioner, South Africa, 11th January, 1915. No. 24. L.F.]

SIR,

[See No. 2.]

Downing Street, 4th January, 1915.

WITH reference to the letter from this Department of the 5th of June, 1914, (No. 11567),* transmitting copies of the Report of the Interdepartmental Committee on Sleeping Sickness,† I am directed by Mr. Secretary Harcourt to state, for the information of [Secretary Sir E. Grey,] [the British South Africa Company,] that he has now received a despatch‡ from the Governor of Nyasaland on the subject of action to be taken in that Protectorate for carrying out recommendations of the Committee.

2. The position with regard to the various proposals mentioned in the letter under reference may be summarized as follows:-

Paragraph 3.-The proposed inoculation experiment to determine whether man is a reservoir of the human trypanosome will be postponed until circumstances permit of adequate staff being detailed for the work.

Paragraph 4.-Similarly, the further investigation as to the incrimination of the bush pig, aardvark, etc., as hosts of trypanosomes pathogenic to domestic stock must stand over for the present.

Paragraph 5.-Mr. Harcourt has informed the Governor that no steps should be taken in respect of the proposed experiment of fencing a given area and killing off all the game within it.

Paragraph 6.-The Governor has been asked to furnish an estimate as soon as possible of the cost of certain clearing operations along the Domira Bay-Fort Jameson and the Liwonde-Fort Johnston roads. It is proposed that the clearing operations, if finally sanctioned, should be conducted in every case as an experiment, the strip of clearing being gradually increased in one trial so as to determine the precise width which is required, and, in a second trial, selected kinds of shrubs or small trees being alone removed, with the object of discovering which kinds are essential to the fly and of effecting economy in future clearing operations.

Paragraph 7-Mr. Harcourt has informed the Governor that he is of the opinion that action on the lines indicated in paragraph 124 of the Committee's report should be initiated as soon as possible, and he has asked for full particulars of the measures taken by the local Government. Wherever practicable the destruc- tion of the animals should be carried out on organized lines, but, as the arming of natives with weapons of precision for this purpose cannot be approved, the Governor will have to consider how best the destruction can be controlled. A list of the areas thrown open in the vicinity of centres of population and trade routes where fly exists will be furnished by the Governor. If organization of the work is imprac- ticable, certain selected areas will be thrown open experimentally to settlers and natives, after suitable conditions have been prescribed by the Government, e.g., as to the exact extent of areas where free destruction will be allowed, the submission of accurate returns of animals killed, division of ivory, etc., between the Government and the person who kills. In view of the possibility that in these circumstances elephants may be killed off too rapidly, for the sake of the profit to be derived from

* No. 81 in Miscellaneous No. 287.

4 [Cd. 7349], May, 1914. No. 92 in Miscellaneous No. 287