The Construction of a Map of the World on a Scale of 1:1,000,000
Year: 1893
Type: article
Abstract: Thouah the palmy days of cinchona cultivation have long since departed, given land and labour cheap and plentifu], there is yet a great possibility in cinchona to the man who can afford to wait.Sugar might be cultivated to an unlimited extent on the lowlands.It is grown and manufactured at Zonlba for local consumption; but as it is practically a twoyear crop in the highlands, protits flom it are small.I have never looked upon sugar as an article of export from Nvasaland, tllough local demand can always be met.Tobacco is culti^rated by the natises and cured in diSerent ways, and some of this article as manufactured by them is highly prized.From imported seed a finer leafed tobacco has been raised, and a sample of Zomba tobacco 5\7aS described by a London broker as tlle finest yet seen from Africa.The native tobacco lies under the disadvantaae of being coarse-veined, thick and heavy in every way, totally unsuited for any save the coarsest uses in the home market.Both cut tobacco, cheroots, and cigars, are being manufactured at Zomba for local supply, and, while this is met, planters may look forurard to exporting the raw material.A superior tobacco can be cultivated; experience in curing aIld growing will adapt it to the market.I feel justified in saing that, commercially, Nyasaland has a bright futllre before it.We have the backbone of commerce in coSee, cocoa, rubber, tobacco, cotton, cinchona, and it may be, tea, and sugar, alld in an already organised trade in oilseeds, capable of unlimited estension, with areat probabilities in fibres, grain, hides, beeswax, etc., not to speak of the ivory trade, which will hold its own for several years yet to come.The development of Nyasaland, consideling the circllmstances, has been I believe, uniqlle.In Jtlne of last year 1891, lve entered upon a new re'aimc.It is unnecessary in this place to do more than mention the fact that a Commissioner, in the person of Mr. H. H. Johnston, C.B., sent out by Her Majesty's Government, bet,an to administer the country.Before concludina, I lvish merely to ventilate a railway scheme for British Central Africa which has been in mJr mind for years.It is simply that we should construct a railway from the Sllire to La]e Nyasa, making Chiromo at the mouth of the Ruo our startiog-point, and subsequently another line to connect Nyasa and Tanganyika.For the first project alone a sum of about £500,000 would be necessary.It seems a larDe sum, but we nzay as well look the matter in the face at once, for a few years hence the money will have to be forthcomin.It needs no propllet to foretell that the lion's share of the work of develolring Central Africa, and ptlttinO down the slave-trade, has fallen upon Britain's shoulders, ancl as a nation she can no more shirk her responsibility than can an individual his dllty.Central Africa calls aloud for development, and I hold, with pride too, that of all nations on the face of the earth, Britain is the ,most fit for the work.
Source: Geographical Journal
DOI: 10.2307/1773829
Author: A. Penck
Language: English
Subfield: Geography, Planning and Development
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2312848331