A BUILDER OF EMPIRE

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 79, 27 December 1929, Page 10

A BUILDER OF EMPIRE

THE LATE SIR HARRY JOHNSTON

The hopes, ambitions, and disappointments of the late Sir Harry Johnston are revealed in a newly-published biography written by his brother, who for some years, acted as his secretary and travelling companion.

Johnston went to Africa with Lord Mayo’s shooting party in 1882, when the Powers’ scramble for Africa was quickening. After journeying 300 miles inland he left Lord Mayo’s party to travel and explore on his own. He soon met the great explorer Stanley, and they were mutually attracted, though Johnston was then a mere youngster of 23. Later he came in contact in London with Cecil Rhodes, and again there was mutual attraction, but this friendship was afterwards broken, Rhodes becoming a bitter enemy.

The quarrel with Rhodes led to the greatest disappointment of Johnston’s life. Rhodes wished Johnston to make a raid in Portuguese territory, and to seize a seaport as an outlet to the landlocked province of Nyassaland. “It was a struggle of wills,” writes the author. “My brother gained the victory by keeping his honour and that of Great Britain unblemished, but it was a victory for which Rhodes made him pay very dearly personally.” In 1596, the year in which Johnston was married, it was generally assumed that he would be the next High Commissioner in South Africa, and, in fact, the private secretary of Lord Salisbury (then Prime Minister) assured Johnston that he would be appointed, but Joseph Chamberlain opposed the Premier’s nominee at, it is believed, the instigation of Rhodes, and Sir Alfred Milner was appointed. Lord Salisbury admitted to Johnston that he had been overruled in the appointment. He was growing old and weary of politics, and had no mind to oppose his popular ally, Joseph Chamberlain, in the latter’s own Department, the Colonial Office.