PLATE
Part of Marina, Lagos, Southern Nigeria[1]
Marina, showing Customs, Lagos, Southern Nigeria[2]
Lagos[3]
Lagos. Amongst the Palms[4]
Bird’s-eye View showing Marina and Town, Lagos[5]
A portion of Lagos Town from Roof of New Mosque[6]
Lagos[7]
West End of Lagos from the French Factory[8]
Steam Tram, Marina, Lagos[9]
Lagos[10]
Business Premises, Marina, Lagos[11]
Part of Marina, Lagos[12]
The Marina, Lagos[13]
Club House, Lagos[14]
Post Office, Lagos[15]
Government House, Lagos[16]
Public Wash “Houses,” Lagos[17]
Public Washing Place, Elegrata, Lagos[18]
Railway, Iddo[19]
Yams (potatoes) on the Beach, Lagos[20]
Fruit Market, Lagos[21]
Corner of Market, Lagos[22]
Iddo Station, Lagos[23]
Railway Engine, Iddo[24]
Fulani Sheep, Lagos[25]
Bullock Cart[26]
Forcados, Southern Nigeria[27]
“Sir Alfred” Dry Dock, Forcados[28]
Botanical Gardens, Ebute Metta, Lagos[29]
Botanical Gardens, Ebute Metta, Lagos[30]
Railway Crossing, Ebute Metta, Lagos[31]
On the Road to Ebute Metta, Lagos[32]
The Market, Burutu, Southern Nigeria[33]
Burutu Market[34]
Government Boat at Burutu[35]
Palm Oil Stores, Burutu[36]
Hospital, Burutu[37]
Kwa River, Calabar Motor Boat “Spider,” Draught 9 inches[38]
Two Jakrie Women, Burutu, Southern Nigeria[39]
Jakrie Chief and one of his Wives[40]
Large “Cotton Tree” at Okuni, Cross River[41]
Jakrie Woman, Burutu[42]
Chief Okrododo and two of his Sons, Burutu[43]
Chief Okrododo, his Sons and Daughters: Jakrie Tribe, Burutu[44]
Native Dancers at Awka in the Onitsha Hinterland, between Niger and the Cross River[45]
Native Market at Itu on Cross River[46]
A Landing-place on Cross River[47]
On the Ewayong, a Tributary of the Cross River[48]
A Bridge over Auja River near Ogoja[49]
Bridge built of Vines by Pagans[50]
The “Spider” at Itu[51]
Oshogbo Railway Station: Lady Egerton and District Commissioner Mr. Gladstone, in Foreground[52]
Cocoanut and Banana Palms[53]
Sir Walter Egerton, Lady Egerton, Capt. Lawrence, Private Secretary, Capt. Lloyd, A.D.C.[54]
Lower Niger[55]
Lower Niger[56]
On the Banks of the Lower Niger[57]
Shipping Rubber, Lower Niger[58]
Village on the Lower Niger[59]
Idah, River Niger[60]
Messrs. G. W. Christian’s Store at Idah, Niger River[61]
Ejaws: Village Scene, Lower Niger[62]
Bridge of Sighs, Lokoja, Northern Nigeria[63]
Main Street, Lokoja Market[64]
Native Judge or Alkale at Lokoja (A Copy of the Koran on his Lap)[65]
Asaba Boys, Southern Nigeria[66]
“Boys” who work the Cargo[67]
Shipping Cotton, Lokoja, Northern Nigeria[68]
Niger Company’s Depot at Lokoja[69]
Produce Stores, Lokoja[70]
Lokoja Market[71]
Lokoja Market[72]
Lokoja Market[73]
Lokoja Market[74]
Yams on the Beach, Lokoja[75]
At the River-side, Lokoja[76]
Lokoja[77]
Lokoja[78]
Marine Bungalow, Lokoja[79]
European Hospital, Lokoja[80]
Canteen at Lokoja[81]
Bank, Lokoja[82]
King Abiga, Lokoja, Northern Nigeria[83]
Devil Man, Lokoja[84]
Lokoja[85]
Lokoja[86]
Camp Road, Lokoja[87]
Camp Road, Lokoja[88]
Barracks, Lokoja[89]
The Serrikin (King of Lokoja) and his Chiefs at the King’s House[90]
Meat Market, Lokoja[91]
Guard on Government Treasury, Lokoja[92]
Messrs. Christian’s Store, Lokoja[93]
Hausas Love Soap and Water[94]
Coming in from the Country, Lokoja[95]
Lokoja[96]
Bridge of Sighs, Lokoja[97]
Government Officials and others watching Gymkana, Lokoja[98]
Hausa Women Hairdressing, Lokoja, Northern Nigeria[99]
Barbers, Lokoja Market[100]
Native Barber[101]
Preparing Foofoo (Crushed Yams), Lokoja[102]
Children at Play, Lokoja[103]
Children in the Market, Lokoja, Northern Nigeria[104]
Washing up, River Nigeria[105]
A Quarrel, Lokoja Market[106]
Washing Day on the Niger River, Northern Nigeria[107]
Native Trading Canoe, Upper Niger, Northern Nigeria[108]
Group of Hausa and Nupe Chiefs (Serrikin of Lokoja in Centre)[109]
Black Bluejackets on the Government River Steamer “Kapelli”[110]
S. W. “Ndoni” (Cargo Boat) on the Niger River[111]
“Halstead” (Cargo Boat) on Niger River[112]
High Commissioner’s Yacht “Corona” on the Niger[113]
Hausa Canoe[114]
Chief’s Canoe being saluted on the Niger[115]
Nupe Town of Egga on the Niger[116]
Egga, Northern Nigeria[117]
Egbohu, Northern Nigeria, Landing-place of Expedition against Beda[118]
Part of Rabba Village, Northern Nigeria[119]
Unloading Salt, Jebba[120]
Loading Steamer, Jebba[121]
The S.S. “Scarborough” at Jebba[122]
Looking up the Niger from Jebba[123]
Mohammedan Mosque, Northern Nigeria[124]
Palm Village, Northern Nigeria[125]
Shonga, Northern Nigeria[126]
Fulani Cattle, Northern Nigeria[127]
On the Benue River[128]
Camping on Benue River[129]
Market at Lamugo, near Keffi[130]
Cowrie Men paying Carriers per Basket[131]
Making Lama Mats[132]
Making Stools[133]
Grinding Guinea Corn[134]
Jukums at Abinsi[135]
The Emir of Kano. (Now a Prisoner in Lokoja. Was the cause of the Kano Rising in 1907)[136]
Three Hausa Traders with Bundles of Skins from Kano[137]
Cattle, near Nafada[138]
Camels at Nafada[139]
Selling Cotton in Nafada Market[140]
Chief of Kanam[141]
Head Men in Vom[142]
Miango Chief and Head Men (Ex-Chief on Left)[143]
Chief of Wase[144]
Camps in Hos[145]
Hausa Loom[146]
Second Chief at Ibi[147]
Wase Rock[148]
Amo Men[149]
Hausa Girl[150]
Kabba Boy[151]
Hausa Woman[152]
Hausa Boy[153]
Brother Healy and some of his Pupils, Onitsha[154]
View on the Niger River[155]
Messrs. G. W. Christian’s Store, Onitsha[156]
Sir William Wallace, K.C.M.G.[157]
Mr. S. R. Bastard[158]
Mr. Laws in front of Office with Bars of Tin ready for Transport[159]
First Camp at the Tin Mines, Naraguta[160]
Naraguta Camp[161]
Part of the Fuel Market, Bauchi[162]
Surveying Party at Juga[163]
Pagans paying a Visit to discuss Matters at Jos[164]
Pagans bringing in a Present, Jos[165]
Naraguta. Pagans coming in for Tin Loads to Jermaan. (We were fighting them a year before)[166]
Carriers leaving Naraguta Camp[167]
Carriers crossing Delimi River[168]
Naraguta. 190 Bars of Tin leaving Camp by Asab Pagans[169]
A Camp. Survey Camp at Jos[170]
Horses being brought as Tax[171]
Part of actual Working Face, Naraguta[172]
Launders at end of Tail Race at River’s Edge, Naraguta[173]
Naraguta. Making Dam[174]
Naraguta. Construction of Dam. Rukubar Pagans[175]
Naraguta. View showing Back of Dam[176]
Naraguta Dam[177]
Naraguta[178]
Naraguta[179]
Naraguta[180]
Naraguta. Four Sluice-boxes in Labourers’ Creek[181]
Naraguta[182]
Naraguta. View of Sluice-boxes, Labourers’ Creek[183]
Naraguta. Moving Boxes to Face of Stope, Bala’s Stope[184]
Naraguta. Two Sluice-boxes[185]
Naraguta[186]
Naraguta[187]
Naraguta Camp[188]
Opening Foot-bridge, Delimi River, Naraguta[189]
Labourers’ Camp on the Tin Fields[190]
Naraguta. Tin-workers working the Bed of the River in dry season[191]
Naraguta. Construction of Leat by Rukubar Pagans[192]
Naraguta. Construction of Leat by Rukubar Pagans[193]
Washing Tin in Delimi River, Naraguta[194]
Delimi River[195]
View of Delimi River between Naraguta and Jos[196]
Naraguta. View showing Flood-boxes on Leat[197]
Naraguta[198]
A Camp[199]
Naraguta. Tributers washing Tin[200]
Tin Washing[201]
Naraguta. Half-length new Main Tail Race[202]
Naraguta. No. 2. Looking up Main Tail Race[203]
Naraguta. Lower View, No. 2, Main Tail Race[204]
Naraguta. Close to Main Working Face, No. 2 Stope[205]
Naraguta. Tin Mining. Yorubus Working in the Ground[206]
Troops leaving Naraguta Camp for Bauchi[207]
Nafuta Gorge, looking towards Juga. The Juga River runs down the centre and passes to the Nafuta Flats[208]
Nafuta Gorge. The River at this point is lost to sight to thirty feet below the big boulders in the middle of the Ravine[209]
Proposed Dam Site, Juga[210]
Prospecting on Dubbo or Topaz Valley[211]
Mr. C. G. Lush’s Camp at Juga[212]
Camp of Messrs. Lush, Huddart and Walter Wethered[213]
Messrs. Huddart and Lush prospecting on one of the Creeks of the Dubbo or Topaz Valley Property[214]
Face of Alluvial, 16 feet deep, averaging about 6 lbs. of Tin per cubic yard; Dubbo or Topaz Valley Mine[215]
Juga Camp: Pay-day[216]
Rafinsiroma Camp[217]
Rafinsiroma Dam, looking south-east[218]
House-building, Rafinsiroma Tin Mines[219]
A Group of Natives[220]
View in Amo[221]
A View in Vom[222]
Mr. G. W. Christian, a Nigerian Trader[223]
Steamers discharging at Baro[224]
Baro Yard[225]
Baro Beach just before the Railway was begun: Baro-Kano Railway[226]
Setting out Earthwork at Patatifi, Baro-Kano Line[227]
Temporary Bridge over the Bakogi River, Baro-Kano Line[228]
Engine of the Emir Class on Steel Bridge, Baro-Kano Line[229]
Earthwork in Progress, Baro-Kano Line[230]
Straightening Road at Railhead, Baro-Kano Line[231]
Niger End of the Line: View from Baro Hill[232]
General View of Baro Station[233]
Mr. H. W. Laws, Engineer to the Niger Company[234]
Map of Southern Nigeria[235]
Map of Northern Nigeria[236]
Map showing Route of Railway from Baro to Rigachika[237]
Map showing Railway and Roads to Tin Fields[238]
Alluvial Tin Districts in the Bauchi Province[239]
Plan of the Naraguta Tin Mines showing Workings[240]
Properties of the Juga (Nigeria) Tin & Power Company, Limited[241]
Properties of the Lucky Chance Mines, Limited, in the Dubbo District[242]
The Dubbo or Topaz Valley Property, belonging to the Lucky Chance Mines, Limited[243]
Rafinsiroma Tin Property, belonging to the Lucky Chance Mines, Limited[244]
The Polchi Alluvial Tin Property, belonging to the Lucky Chance Mines, Limited[245]
The Bilidi Alluvial Tin Property, belonging to the Lucky Chance Mines, Limited[246]
The Federri Alluvial Tin Property, the Tin Fields of Northern Nigeria, Limited[247]
Doss or Dila Tin Property, the Tin Fields of Northern Nigeria, Limited[248]
The Kurdum River Alluvial Tin Area[249]
The Rein, Forum, Ribon, and Kurdum Alluvial Tin Areas[250]
The Rein Alluvial Tin Area[251]
The Farum Alluvial Tin Area[252]
The Shen Alluvial Tin Area[253]
South Bukeru Tin Area[254]
Juga District[255]
Gel Tin Lode and Alluvial Company[256]
The Northern Nigeria (Bauchi) Tin Mines[257]
Route from Minna to Tin Fields[258]
New road from Railhead to Tin Fields[259]

NIGERIA & ITS TIN FIELDS

EARLY DAYS IN NIGERIA

In 1879, when Sir George Taubman Goldie organised the amalgamation of the rival trading firms of the Lower Niger and formed the United Africa Company, only a few far-sighted people could have had any idea of the possibilities of future commercial greatness that were possessed by this utterly unattractive and uncivilised region. “The Niger,” as Colonel Mockler-Ferryman tells us, “was absolutely tabooed; its name was mentioned only in whispers, and the British public regarded it as an unlucky, pestilential spot, out of which no good could ever come.” It must be remembered, in explanation of this pessimistic attitude, that all attempts to explore Nigeria and open up commerce on the river had failed more or less completely; a great number of lives had been sacrificed in successive expeditions, and no practical good had been accomplished. McGregor Laird, some quarter of a century earlier, had founded the African Shipping Company, with monthly sailings to the West African ports and, with the grudging co-operation of the Government, had contracted to keep a steamer on the Niger. But Laird died in 1857, when his spirited enterprise appeared to be on the point of yielding tangible results, and the country was still under a cloud when, twenty years later, the first organised attempt was made to develop its commercial resources.

THE PROTECTORATE PROCLAIMED

The United Africa Company’s efforts were recognised by the grant of a Royal Charter in 1886, but its mission and its potentialities failed to appeal to the general public; and even when in 1900 the Territory, with its area equal to that of Germany and the British Isles combined, was added to the Dependencies of the Empire, the new Protectorate was regarded with indifference and suspicion as a present burden and a probable source of future trouble.

That was but a decade since, yet it was only the other day that Lord Crewe declared that “there is no part of the Empire about which higher hopes may properly be entertained than the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria;” and the Colonial Report, in emphatic corroboration of this optimistic opinion, asserted that “very few countries have witnessed such great changes for the better in such a short space of time, as has been the case with this Cinderella of the British Dominions.”

It must be admitted that the Nigerias have been of late years more favoured in the matters of ocean transport and inter-communication. Since McGregor Laird started his monthly service to Lagos, the African Shipping Company has been succeeded by six shipping lines—the British and African Steam Navigation, African Steamship, Elder Dempster, Woermann, Hamburg-America, and the Hamburg-Bremen-Africa—the first three of which, to all intents and purposes, may be classed as Elder Dempster’s. Twenty-five liners and Elder Dempster’s regular services call at Lagos each month—one nearly every day of the week. Two vessels of some four thousand tons are exclusively employed in bringing Welsh coal to Lagos; and a cargo service, another Elder Dempster enterprise, now runs from inside Lagos Lagoon to Hamburg, thus avoiding the transhipping of cargo in Lagos Roads or at Forcados. Persons who only know of Elder Dempster’s famous service of ocean liners, which leave Liverpool every Wednesday and arrive at Lagos Roads sixteen days later, may be surprised to learn that they have a large and distinct inter-colonial service between Lagos and Secondi. These vessels, built of light draught to enable them to cross Lagos bar, not only afford shippers a short and rapid means of forwarding their produce, but are of immense service to the growing number of natives who travel, mostly for trade purposes, between Lagos and the smaller ports along the Gold Coast; while another Elder Dempster service runs weekly to and from Porto Novo in Dahomey and Lagos, carrying general outward cargo and bringing back produce for shipment to the United Kingdom and the Continent.

These services, which cater for the ramifications of the commercial activities of West Africa, are practically unknown at home, and the organisation and development of this enormous industry was, to a great extent, the work of one man—the late Sir Alfred Lewis Jones. It has been said of him that “when the story of our times comes to be written comprehensively, he will be bracketed with Cecil John Rhodes. One obtained a large territory for the Empire; the other enhanced immeasurably countries formerly judged as of questionable value. He was a pioneer in building up their commerce, and is of still higher estimate—he was instrumental in making them more fit to live in by revolutionising the health conditions.” His varied commercial enterprises in West Africa are well known, and it is unnecessary here to enlarge upon them. They ranged from coaling and engineering companies with dry docks, to banking—which facilitated relations between the natives and the European traders—and included his cold-storage scheme, which the medical faculty admit has been one of the most powerful factors in lowering the mortality of West Africa. This object was also largely assisted by the investigations carried out at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. The school was financed by Sir Alfred Jones, who also provided the means for putting the resultant discoveries into practice. He further established a branch of the School at Grand Canary, and arranged with Elder Dempster a cheap service from the West African Coast to the Canary Islands for malaria patients, whose lives depend upon their reaching that Mecca for invalids. By such means the dead merchant prince has lowered the death-rate among Europeans and natives in West Africa to a degree unthought of fifteen years ago, and he has built in that part of the Continent a monument to his name more enduring than brass, because the foundation was made for the betterment of his fellow-men.