IN EAST AFRICA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 100, 21 January 1918, Page 9

IN EAST AFRICA

« CAMPAIGN EVENTS THE PROBLEM OF THE NEGRO Some interesting observations nn different aspects of the East African campaign and tho problems it hns raised wore made to a Dominion representative a day or two • ago by Mr. D. E. Hutchius, tho well-known forestry export. Mr. rlutchins spout five years in British East Africa, demarcating tlie forests, and lias seen a good deal of tho German territory in the south. Ho has two nephews sorting with the British East African forces. Ono of thorn transferred some time ago to the political branch, and is now in charge of a former Herman station, and tho other, when ho last wrote, held acting rank as a company commander in the King's African Rifles. The last-mentioned officer gives ii hriof description of the final stand made by tho Germans at Naragombie. It was hero that the last important battle of the campaign was fought, and it was very stubbornly contested. Naragombio lies between 70 and 80 miles smith of the Riifiji and about half that distance south-west of tho coast station of Kihva. Tho British column which fought at Naragombie had been moving south, fighting and driving the enemy before it, for about a month. At Naragombie, however, tho-enemy was found Established on a hill, and this position ho defended with great obstinacy in a battlo which lasted from early morning until after dark. The British attacking column consisted mainly nf black troops led by white officers. Heavy fighting lasted all day, and considerable losses wore suffered on both sides. The outcome was for a time in doubt, as tho Germans succeeded at some points in driving in tho British lino. In tho end, however, a battalion of the King's African Rifles—the sepoys of Africa-—, saved the situation by charging homo on the enemy's main position on the hill: The Germans and thoir askaris fell back ten miles during the night, and afterwards there were only minor checks to the great southward drive which culminated in tho last remnants of tho enemy's forces beine; driven across the Rovuma into Portuguese territory. The area they -have entered is evon more ■unhealthy tb«n that they have just left. Thn country continues to fall towards the south, and it is in the lower levels thnt fever is most prevalent. This factor is likely to tell more seriously against the remaining German forces, cut off as they are from all , bases of snpnly, tlinn against the better provided pursuing columns.

An Impossible Proposal. Speaking of the proposal lately mooted that the negroes of the German colonies should be asked to determine their own political destinies by Mine sort of voting procedure, Mr. Hutchins observed that it would not be taken seriously :by anyone familiar with the territories in question and their inhabitants. The Swahili. a mixed negro and Arab race, who -inhabit the coastal zone of German East Africa, as well as a considerable extent of the African-seaboard on north and south, may be described as semicivilised, and are, perhaps, qualified to , vote on simple political issues. Hut the Swahili constitute a small part of the population of German East Africa. The negro tribes of the interior, whether they are cultivators like the Kikuyii and Kaviuodo of British East Africa, or herdsmen like ttje Masai, ore primitive savages, hardly possessing the rudiments of political organisation. It is only about thirty years since the, Germans took over the administration of the territory from the Arabs, and the influence of the latter had penetrated very little beyond the coastal zone. It is certainly impossible. Mr. Hutchins stated, to obtain a coherent expression of opinion from the negroes of East Africa on such questions affepting their future as will have to be settled at the end of the war. He added 1 that public opinion in South Africa is decidedly averse to any other solution of the pi'oblem than that the conquered territories should be brought under British' rule. So far as DamaralaiKl (South-West Africa) is concerned, he considers that South African desires are hardly likely to be resisted. The people of the Union are determined that Germany shall not .resume possession of « strategical base on thoir borders, and the Union Government has already given out farms, and in other ways indicated that the present occupation, is intended to be permanent. Daniaraland, Mr. Hutchins went on to remark, was an arid territory of limited possibilities, offering few- attractions except to people like the dryveldt Boers, and Germany might make no very strong hid for its recovery. She would certainly feel no such indifference to East Africa. A great part of this territory offers immense scope for profitable development, and in some parts the development of tropical plantations and other productive enterprises lias already been to an advanced stage. For instance, on the occasion of his visit some years ago, Mr. Hutchins found the Germans working a forest on the ' Tlsamlwra highlands by means of a wire tramway ■ carried' from' tho coast into the hich country to an elevation of nearly POOO feet. In another placo he saw splendid botanical gardens, modelled upon the tropical gardens at Buiten--7.0T», in Java, the finest of tb«r kind in the world. There is no doubt, he considers, that the Germans will do their utmost at the Peace Conference to recover the colony upon which they have concentrated the bulk of their resources available for colonial development.