GERMAN EAST AFRICA.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1916, Page 6

GERMAN EAST AFRICA.

A VALUABLE COUNTRY. BIG TASK BEFORE BRITISH FORCES. A good many articles, more or less informative, have been published concorning German East Africa, the country that a British force is planning to conquer, but the best brief account that has come under notice is one contributed by Mr. H. G. Bibby to the Rand Daily Mail. Mr. Bibby spent two years and a-half exploring the colony, and he regards it as the finest tract of land in all Africa. No better cattle eountry is to be found, he says, and thj variety of products and the great range, of elevation, and consequently of climate, together with the uniformity of the supply of moisture, make the colony wonderfully rich. The paradise oi East Africa is said to be the rolling hill eountry lying south-east oi Kilimanjaro. It has an equable and even temperate climate. To the south is a hotter tract, consisting of vast undulating grassy plains, teaming with game and cattle. Except for the 1 hot winds and the high temperature generally thia would be excellent country for the rancher, for apparently it is healthy and comparatively free from pests. The eastern half of the colony is divided by the route of the main railway from Dar-es-Salaam. To the north of the railway the country ie good >and the climate hiwlthy, though the Pangani and Usambara districts suffer from excessive heat. To the south of the railway the conditions are less satisfactory, and apparently a great area ,is still imperfectly explored, though modern maps show a number of the bet-ter-known trade routes. Fuller information is available concerning the eouthwestern districts, for the regular routes between the northern end of Lake JTyassa and the sea coast pass through country that is under occupation by European planters. The Urori or Usango eountry is where the rubber and cotton plantations are chiefly to be found. It is a swampy area and terribly unhealthy. « The western districts of German East: Africa are described as being fertile and well watered, and as the country is all high the climate is tolerably healthy.] The Enclave, bstween Victoria Nyanza and Lake Tanganyika, is said to be "teeming with wealth," both mineral and vegetable. Bast of Tanganyika lies the cereal belt, where wheat, rye, oats and barley are grown. The settler can select his own altitude, from twentyfive feet above sea level to 10.000 feet, and apparently there is an abundance of moisture over the whole tract. Two considerable towns, Ujij and Tabora, cerv* as collecting and distributing centres for this wealthy area. Mr. Bibby is able to throw light on the military problem involved in the conquest of the coleny. "With regard to the enemy forces in German East Africa," he writes, "the number of well-trained aad well-armed Somali Askari poliee in 1913 was IGOOO, and in irm 18,000, with a reserve force of 12.000, who have all seen military service, and who by this time will have been called to arms. And these could be augmented very quickly from the wa,rrior tribes, Somali, Swahili and Arabs. I think that anything up to 100,000 men caw be obtained, with arms and ammunition for all. The European population, including police officials, settlers and military, is about 13.000. I once paid a visit to Dar-es-Salaam, and was there for some considerable time, and I can assure you I witnessed some very peculiar proceedings. I have seen disembark from six different vessels of the D.O.A. Line 2318 officers and men in mufti, dressed in this manner to throw off the suspicion of the few Britishers who were there as visitors, and to make them believe that they were settlers and not German troops. There were also two companies of marines landed, but, of course, in their uniforms. These were for coast defence, and also sixteen machine-guns, eight •quickfirers and truckloads of ammunition. We may thank heaven that we are spared the painful necessity of waiting another five years before the war, because otherwise we should have been placed in a decidedly awkward position later on. The country would have been overrun with German militarism."

"The natives bordering on British East Africa," Mr, Bibby continues., "arc, on the whole, pro-British in their feelings and very titter against the Germans, and also the tribes bordering on Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, The tribes in the central districts of German East Africa are composed chiefly of Somalis, Swahilis and Arabs. The Somalia are our bitterest enemies, but a minority of these have tasted British rule in some shape or form, because I save met hundreds of these men trekking south down to the mines, and when tliey have returned I have listened to then conversation, and 1 may tell you that 1 there are a good many of them in favor of British rule. Wc have a huge task before us, and we we must take every precaution and steel our nerves for the struggle in which we are about to enter. The transport will have to be fully considered -and worked on a systematic basis. We must have a force of sappers and road-mak-ers, because we may have a little corduroying to do—it just depends where our enemy coaxes us to follow him to do battle. And if it be the Kno.lave then it is going to cost something to get there. Wc have some wicked country to get through, and the great f.ongeta Desert to tackle on the way to that region. The desert is in extent ICS miles in length, and upwards of 100 miles wide, with Winding, burning s aiid and hot winds. We must have plenty of machine-guns, the more of these splendid weapons the better, because they are better foi the low, scrubby bush country than rifles."

Mr. Bibby's conclusion is that at least 30,000 trained men will be needed for the conquest of the country, in addition to the forces already in the field. There will be no such easy task as that which confronted General Botha, in South Africa, because the enemy has a great and well-armed force available, and the Somalia are notoriously capable and tricky lighters. Moreover, the Germans know the country, and in such a vast unroaded land only the. most patient work, based on the moat careful and thorough preparation, can hope to succeed. Mr. Bibby makes it clear that the task will not be accomplished in a few weeks and that in reality the British force is faced with a big and arduous campaign.