AN EMPIRE BUILDER

Evening Star, Issue 19062, 3 October 1925, Page 10

AN EMPIRE BUILDER

SIR GEORGE GOLDIE THE FOUNDER OF NIGERIA “ To his foresight, energy, persevei'ance, statesmanship, and administrative ability Britain owes the largest and in many respect the most valuable of her tropical protectorates,” states the London ‘ Times,’ in recording the death of Sir George Goldie, the rounder of Nigeria. For a quarter of a century ho devoted his life to the realisation of his project to add the lands of the Lower Niger and adjacent territories to the Empire, and he achieved bis object in face of ignorance and apathy in nigh places at home, against the rivalry of France, the determined opposition of Prince Bismarck, and the hostility of Tula Emirs. It was Goldie who revived the method Of government by chartered companies, setting the example followed by Cecil Rhodes in South Africa and Sir William Macfcinnon in East Africa (incidentally the Royal Niger Company alone among African chartered companies was a di-vidend-paying concern). George Dashwood Taubman Goldk was a Manxman, the youngest son of Lieutenant-colonel J. T. Goldie Taubman, Scots Guards, Speaker of the House of Keys. His mother was Caroline, daughter of Mr J. E. Hovedeu, of Hemingford, He was born at the Nunnery, Isle of Man. on May 20, 1846, and in 1887 resumed tho original paternal name of Goldie. The old Norse blood ran in his veins, and he was proud of the strain, which was evident enough in his physique. He was tall, slim, fair, and blue-eyed, and had tho viking’s love for the sea and for lands which can be reached by tidal rivers. He was intended fer tile 1 Army, and after passing through Wool- i wich held for a short period a eomnus- . sion in the Royal Engineers. Bui In?' was presently caught by the lure o| Africa, and ui several years of travel he gained an extensive knowledge of that continent, though he did not play the part of explorer. In 1877 Goldie visited for the first time tho Niger country, and there he found his life work. At that time the traders on the Lower Niger, all of them British, were dependent for existence on the caprice of tho_ river chieftains, and were all engaged in cutthroat competition. The earlier efforts of the British Government to establish European colonies on the Niger had ended in disastrous failure. Goldie saw that the land was rich, if distracted, and ho conceived tnq ’dia oF founding a government ” which would give peace and security both to naUsts and to white men.” This was no idle formula in respect to the negroes. Scrupulous respect for native lights was a fundamental point in Goldie’s policy/ and he sought to preserve them from the ■ evils of the liquor _ traffic, especially in the regions inhabited by , Moslems. One of the things of which ho was most proud was his prohibit'd!, of the import of spirits into the territory north of tho Niger Delta. _ _ Pursuing his main object, Goldie by 1879 had amalgamated ah Gie trading ! concerns on the Niger into a single | company, and in 1881 he applied for a I charter which would give the company practically sovereign powers. But the Government shra ik from assuming the ' responsibility for an extension of Im--1 pire, and it was not until 1886 that the charter was granted. Meanwhile “ The scramble for Africa ” had begun with great intensity. Encouraged by 6ambotta, two powerful French companies had opened trading stations on the Lower Niger, and Goldie saw the insult'of his labors m jeopardy. A conference on Africa questions had been ■summoned to meet at Berlin, and tno I presence of French firms on the Lower 1 Niger might well lead to the putting I forward of French territorial claims. I But when tho conference mot Goldie, who attended it as expert adviser to the British delegates, was able to announce that on the Lower Nigei none but tho British flag flew. It was touch and go. By the keenest competition, by multiplying trading stations, by lavish presents to chiols, Uoldio Jifict 1 o-reatly discouraged his French rivals, but they still held on. Then came a visit to' Paris, Into in 1884, and the offer of terms so tempting that as business men the French directors allowed their companies to bo bought out. Meanwhile, through Joseph Ihoiußon, Hie explorer, and many other agents, over 400 political treaties, all carefully drawn np by Goldie, hud bcon coneluded with the. chiefs of the Lower ' Niger and the Flau.sa States, in inter years Colonel (Sir Frederick) Jmgard ■ also concluded treaties on behalf of -no ; Niger Company. , , , I This treaty-making process brought ! on Goldie, the rivalry of Germany, and I from 1884 to 1890 Prince Bismarck lent all the weight of his influence to aid ; the efforts of the German Colonial Society to secure the Lower Niger. These eiforts failed—Goldie did not hesitate to arrest and put on trial German I agents who were .stirring up tioublo ; but Bismarck's persistent antagonism was more dangerous to the Niger Coni- • pany than the ambitions of Franco. At length, bv agreement with France and Germany, the frontiers were defined, and Nigeria was secured for Britain. , Throughout the negotiations the guiding spTrit on tho British side was Sir George" Goldie, ami in the critical months preceding the signature ot the June, 1898, Convention with trance it was bis resolution and tenacity of purpose which kept Lord Salisbmjy and Air Chamberlain front making too many “graceful concessions.” i Goldie governed the affairs of Ni--1 goria from tho London offices of the .Niger Company. He had none of the arts of the advertiser —indeed, lus aoik was usually carried on with a complete. ! disregard of publicity; few indeed, suspected that from a modest office overlooking tho' Thames Embankment our West African Empire was being built no Tho Niger Company bad many capable and trusted .agents on tho Algor, but Goldie concentrated all authority m his own hands. Throughout bn subordinated commercial to Imperial i,.forests, ami it was to maintain (ns freedom of political action that he di ignnt.lv sought to maintain a monopoly iof tile trade of tho river, an object i which be achieved. V. oaklings had no ebanco of surviving against the com- , petition of the N iger Comp.u y, stronger rivals _ were bought out or amalgamated with it. In JS97 tho hostility of the Umiis of Nupe and Illorin gravely threatened the peace of tho Niger Company ,® 1 territory. Goldie met the situation (with his usual energy and promptitude. !Re personally organised and directed an expeditionary force, which gamed a speedv and complete victory. It was the first and last military operation on a, considerable scale which the Niger Company was called upon to undertake. The international status of Nigeria boin* fully established, the Niger Company surrendered its charter, aud on January 1. 1900, the administration was taken over by the Imperial Government, the task or effectively occupying the greater part ot the area which Sir George Goldie had secured as the British sphere falling to Sir Frederick Lugard. As a member of two Royal Commissions Sir George Goldie was one of the most trenchant of critics on Government waste in the South African War. He also, at the request of the British South Africa Company, visited Rhodesia, and drew up the first scheme for the self-government of that territory.