Travels in Eastern Africa, volume 1 (of 2)

by Lyons McLeod

Sir George Grey, in inviting the co-operation of the landed proprietors of the colony for the introduction of emigrants, writes on the 7th January, 1858:—“The present time is very favourable for making an effort in this direction. The rapid progress which the colony has recently made—the prospect of future immunity from the constantly recurring alarm of Kaffir outbreaks—the extraordinary development of the productive powers of the colony, notwithstanding the paucity of its population—the demonstration of its fitness for yielding the principal sources of agricultural wealth, grain, wine, and wool—and of its capabilities of consuming the productions of other countries in large and increasing quantities, as indicated by the returns of importations, and by the rank which it now holds in this respect among the colonies of Great Britain—all hold out great inducements to persons contemplating emigration from Great Britain to turn their attention to this country, and the strongest incentives to the government and people of the colony to avail themselves of such an opportunity of offering every encouragement to the best classes of emigrants to select it for their future home.”

During my stay at Cape Town, I proposed that the mail should be carried from England to this colony by way of Aden, ensuring, in the first place, a greater certainty in the arrival of the mail, and the return of post in a shorter period; besides affording to the colony direct communication with the Portuguese Colonial Possessions and the Dominions of the Imâm of Muskat in Eastern Africa, by which an inter-colonial trade, highly renumerative to all parties, and truly beneficial to the Cape Colony, would be established.

But I regret to say that my plan was objected to, on the very narrow-minded ground that the neighbouring enterprising British Colony of Natal would be more directly benefited than the Cape people; and, more especially, that the Natal merchants would by that route receive their advices from England before the Cape merchants, and would also have the great advantages of the last quotations, both from the Cape and Natal markets, in addressing their correspondents, in England, which objections appeared to outweigh the advantages to be derived from a terminus to the route, and the opening out of the rich produce of Eastern Africa.

The experience of the last two years has proved what I then predicted, viz., that the steam communication between the Cape Colony and Natal would pay; for now, instead of there being only one steamer, there are no less than three on that line. The communication by steamer being thus successfully established between the Cape of Good Hope and Port Natal, it remains only to complete it by establishing a line from Natal to Aden. The Natal people have the matter now entirely in their own hands; and I have so great confidence in their energy, that I feel assured that steamers will be running, before two years are over, between Natal and Aden, calling at Iniack Island (in Delagoa Bay), the mouths of the Zambesi, Mozambique, Zanzibar, and one of the outlets for the commerce of North Eastern Africa; throwing a brilliant ray of light to illumine the darkness of East Ethiopia; an advancement in civilization which the world will owe to the energy of the young and enterprising British Colony of Natal.

The recent discoveries of coal on the Zambesi have given an immediate practicability to the early development of the resources of South and Eastern Africa, which could scarcely have been anticipated a few years since.

It may not be generally known that Great Britain exports 700,000 tons of coal annually to the East of the Cape of Good Hope; and now that railroads are being introduced into the colonies of the Cape and Natal, and new steam lines of ships are coming into existence for the requirements of those young and thriving colonies, eager to place themselves in communication with neighbouring settlements, it is not too much to say that double the amount of fuel already named will be required to carry out these necessary projects, cramping them in their infancy by the enormous expense entailed in carrying fuel from England to those colonies.

In the colony of Natal it is true that a seam of coal has been discovered, which may be found, on more careful examination, to be of a quality and in quantity suitable for the already great demands for fuel of that colony, from its sugar, indigo, and other mills; and that in the same locality further discoveries of coal may be made; but until these points are satisfactorily cleared up, it is to us a subject of great interest, as well as thankfulness, that rich supplies of coal have been discovered by Dr. Livingstone on the Zambesi, with which that practical discoverer is now working the engine of his small steam launch, the “Ma Robert.”

When it is stated that one British steam company, namely, the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, expend the enormous sum of 600,000l. per annum on coal alone, for the supply principally of their depôts at Aden, and other places to the east of the Cape of Good Hope, it ought to stimulate our colonists in South Africa to make diligent search for this valuable commodity.

Those now residing at Cape Town are aware of the serious item which fuel makes in the expenditure of a family; and, as the colonists increase, of course this must be looked forward to with serious consideration.