NOTES ON THE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17701, 30 January 1918, Page 4

NOTES ON THE WAR.

The current operations in East Africa, of course, aro concerned only with the rounding up of independent enemy columns, which are mainly in Portuguese territory. "What was German East Africa wa« reported some weeks ago to ba clear of the enemy, and the task of organising tho civil administration of tho conquered territories is proceeding apace. No official announcement on the subject has yet been made, but it may bo taken for granted that the British authorities will ostablish a complete system of Government, doubtless with Portuguese and Belgian representatives co-operating, to carry on until tho ultimate fate of the colony is decided at the peace conference. Sir Harry Johnston, who is one of tho competent authorities on East African problems, holds firmly to the view that the conquered territory ought to be administered by Britain. In tho course of a long article in tho "Daily News," Sir Harry sketches tho earlier history of the coast lands, showing how tho Germans came to bo installed in country that had been explored and mapped by British travellers. Tt was the hesitation of Bifftsh capitalists that gave the enemy his opportunity, and private German enterprise had Government support that had not been afforded to the leaders of British enterprise in the region.

Tho natives did not want the Germans as over-lords, Sir Harry says, and for several years after the assumption of tho Protectorate, Germany had to fight for her possession, first against the Arabs, and next, and moro severely, against warlike native tribes. But after ten years of trouble the country settled down to peace. It was fortunate in having several good Governors who regarded tho natives sympathetically. Gorman rtile, ho declares, from tho 'nineties of the last century down to the outbreak of war, was not unpopular in East Africa. Tho leading motive chiefs were treated as the British treat Indian Rajahs, the' Arabs were soon conciliated, and eventually became strong allies of tho German power. There is no evidence of anyconsiderable alienation of native lands. European colonies —plantations —were established in the beautiful hill country of Usambara, in the mountains of Usagara and IJldnga, steamers were launched on all tho threo great lakes, and German science was turned most effectively on to tho investigation of tho resources of this hugo territory in minierals, vegetable produce, and adaptability for stock-rearing.

Tho British Indian merchants on the coast wero won over to transfer their allegiance to Germany, and in return were helped to prosecnte a very lucrative commerce, Sir Harry continues. Altogether it seemed, prior to the outbreak of war in 1914, that Germany was going to make her greatest success as a colonising Power in East Africa. The success was not to bo achieved merely by creatine a now "white" Germanyon tho uplands of East Africa—black-water fever and other germ diseases not as yet overcome by science militated against success in that direction—but,-in tho way that Britain has succeeded in India and Holland in Malaysia, by educating a large coloured population to develop a region rich in many valuable products. This development would eventually as much redound to Germany's commercial and industrial importance as the possession of India has done for us and Java for Holland. Tito trunk line to Tanganyika was finished, and would tap all the wealth of tho eastern basin of the! Congo, aided by the navigation of that four-hundrod-miles-long inland sea. Moreover, Germans who had invested much capital in East Africa looked forward to further developments of a pacific character. A portion, a considerable portion, of the Eastern Congoland might bo purchased from Belgium, and Portugal might agree to sell or to lease neighbouring territories.

This account is rather more favourable to tho German occupation than most reports on the subject have been, and the explanation probably is that Sir Harry Johnston is looking at tho broader aspects of Grrman colonisation rather than at the details. As a matter of fact an American traveller who spent some months in tho region and who frankly confessed his admiration of tho thoroughness of the Germans and the efficiency of their municipal organisations, for instance, brought away the impression that tho Germans were deliberately planning either to bend or to break the natives. He described tho brutality of the German methods away from the towns, attributed the cleanliness and rapid development of tho settled districts to the severity of tho military domination, and declared that tho methods adopted in recruiting native labour wero not far removed from those of undisguised slavery. It is not easy to reconcile this account with Sir Harry Johnston's views, but the American's sincerity is not in doubt. Like Sir Harry, tho American was impressed bv the magnitude of the work the Germans had undertaken, and he. too, acknowledged the sympathetic attitude of certain of the Governors of the colony, but his first impressions underwent important modifications whon he looked beneath the surface.

Discussing the future of "German East Africa," Sir Harry Johnston says that "the ideal settlement would, of courso, bo that these conquered domains should be vosted once more in their nativo population; but since few if any of these African, Asiatic, or Oceanic territories are at present capable of governing themselves, they must be entrusted to the management of the Allied Powers in a way that shall bear some relation to s tho moneys expended, other sacrifices made or losses incurred to the wishes of the local inhabitants, and to geographical contiguity. Under such conditions German East Africa is certain to come to Great Britain, just as the bulk of the Camcroons and Togoland will doubtless go to France. There, will bo no doubt as to our being welcome to the bulk of the people as their now riders; save in the case of a few Arab slave-owners. But when we undertake to replace Germany in East Africa it imist not be with any idea of ' carving out farms' for eager pioneers, or otherwise disposing of native property in land. We must give to this vast country of intelligent Bantu negroes (more or less tinged with Muhammedanism, and often with an aristocracy of Arab or Gala strain) much the same type of administration as we have set up in Nigeria, Uganda, or JNyasaland. There will, of course, remain open, as in British East Africa and Nigeria, immense opportunitaes_ tor the profitable investment of capital, and creat additions to our imperial resources in the way of minerals, cotton, rubber, oil, cattle, hides, fibre, and vegetable food stuffs."