CAPE TO CAIRO.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 172, 24 August 1909, Page 3

CAPE TO CAIRO.

The extension of the Soudan Government railway line south of Khartum, which fornis'another stage hi the Cape to Cairo railway (according to a Renter messages dated 10th June), is now being rapidly pushed on with, the rate of progiess being ten miles a week. The line follows the course of the Blue Nile at a distance of one to three miles west of the river, and does not actually str ; ke the Nile after leaving Khartum until the thirty-eighth mile. The fortyseventh mile has now just been reached, and the work has proved remarkably ciwy. The money at present allotted for its construction on this year's estimates will be sufficient to take the line to the sixty-fifth mile, but' the Budget for next year is not due till October next. The importance of the line for the development of the country is such, however, that it is probable that some arrangement will be made for continuing the work forthwith.

The line k just reaching that part of the country where the rising of May, 11108, took place. Its course eventually will be to cross the desert from the Blue Nile to the White Nile, where a bridge is already under construction at Kosti to carry it up to El Obeid, in Kordofan. There it will tap the centre of the gum trade, one of the chief sources of wealth to the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. At • resent the gum is brought down by camel to the river, and thence (by boat to Omdurman, which has always been the great centre .for sorting and selling. From there it has to be reloaded into boats to cross the river and be landed on to the railway on the other side for Port Sudan. When it is possible to place the gum on trucks at El Obeid for direct transport by rail to Port Sudan most of the merchants will move from Omdurman to El Obeid. Omdurman will no doubt lose greatly m wealth and importance, and some even predict that it will dwindle away to an insignificant village, so great is the proportion of its wealth depending on the gum trade. This remains to be seen. It will certainly be off the track as far as Kordofan is concerned, but from time immemorial it lias been the converging point for caravans fr.im rrcat distances in the East, and natives of almost half the tribes of Africa could irobablv be found in if. It will 'take Icßg to lose its place as a great centre in tliis fe*p,«'t. for the pilgrim route to Mecca for a» immense distance lends through it: anil ivijsteyer its importance as a centre of commerce., it will always have its historic importance and interest for tourists.