Page:The empire and the century.djvu/921

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876
THE EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE

resemble Southern India. Secondly, I think that Uganda and East Africa should be treated as a whole, and the dense and intelligent population of the former Protectorate encouraged to migrate into select areas of the latter, due precaution being taken to prevent the spread of the sleeping sickness. The proposal to send natives of Uganda to work in the mines of South Africa did not seem to me feasible, but I see no reason why they should not be encouraged to labour for a period as cultivators on the coast of East Africa, which is comparatively near their own country and not unlike it.

It would appear that the majority of white immigrants into East Africa are South Africans. It has often been suggested that they were not the best class of colonists for the country, and it was suggested that New Zealanders or Australians would be preferable, But the fact of the preponderance of South Africans, if it proves to be true, must be accepted, and is likely to have important consequences which can hardly be disadvantageous as tending to draw two British Colonies together. Among those consequences may be the opening up from Uganda of. communications with Rhodesia by land, and the establishment of a sea-trade between Mombasa and the ports of the South. East Africa can at present supply maize and European vegetables if they are required by southern markets, and to these may shortly be added wheat and barley.

In view of this connection with the south, attention should be given to the question of assimilating the coinages of the two countries and abolishing the rupee currency at present used in East Africa. It is also most desirable that the East African Colonies should be included in the South African Customs Union. This project was mooted a year or more ago, and I believe was not thought favourably of in the South African Legislatures, but a closer connection between two groups of British dependencies may lead to a different result. Perhaps Lord Milner's visit to Nairobi in last spring may be an augury of more friendly relations.