Carriers.Human carriers are only obtainable with difficulty on the Upper Nile and in the Bahr El Ghazal. They carry 50-lb. loads besides their rations.
Elephants are still a dream of the future as regards pack and transport work.
Section 5.—Posts and Telegraphs.
Posts.In March, 1897, a Sudan postal service was commenced. The first office opened was at Halfa camp, and following in the wake of the Army, offices were opened in the same year at Kerma, Dongola, Korti, and Merowe, and a regular bi-weekly mail was established.
In 1898 offices were opened at various places between Berber and Khartoum, and the postal service was rapidly further extended over a great part of the Sudan. In February, 1901, the postal and telegraph services were combined, and the head office was transferred from Cairo to Khartoum North, and subsequently in 1902 to Khartoum.
There are now 26 post offices in the Sudan open to the money order service, and a travelling postmaster issues and pays money orders at stations on the Halfa-Kerma Railway.
There are various other offices open dealing with correspondence, sale of stamps, and ordinary parcel service (vide below).
An increasing amount of money passes through the post in the shape of money orders. In 1902, a total of £E.355,000 was paid in at Sudan offices by the public for transmission, and a total of £E.145,000 was paid out. The figures in 1901 were £E.267,500 and £E.107,700 respectively.
Mails in the Sudan are carried by railway, steamers, camels, donkeys, or runners, according to the locality.
Mail services now extend to Gallabat, Roseires, Gondokoro, Meshra El Rek, and Nahud.