Adventure Magazine Cover — page 196: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

186 to know definitely just what progress has been made, so in dealing with the Sudan part of the paper I find it necessary to write to a man who is on the spot, and who therefore would be better able to give me the most reliable and recent daza on the subject. Would you be so kind, then, as to answer the following questions: 1. The projected railway to El Fasher. Is the line shown on the General Staff map of the Anglo- Egyptian Sudan (scale 1: 3,000,000) as projected from Rahad Station, on the Sennar-El Obeid Rail- way, through El Odaiya and Sharafa to El Fasher, . at present under construction? If so, when is it expected that the line will be completed? If not, when will construction be commenced? Will the value of this line be primarily strategic or commercial? If the latter, what kind of traffic will it be called upon to carry? If the former, what is its strategic significance? Ts the country through which the line will pass primarily agricultural or grazing? What are the possibilities of an ultimate connection with the pore extension of the Lagos-Kano Railway to e Chad, or with the lines in the French Sudan, thus constituting a Trans-African Railway through the Sudan? 2. On the same map there is shown a proposed line from a point on the line to El Fasher, about thirty miles east of Sharafa, southeast to Abu Gab- ra, and on in the same general direction to Kafia Kingi, near the French border. Is this line under construction at present, or will work on it be started soon? Will the line be primarily of strategic or com- mercial importance? What sort of a country, economically speaking, does the line pass through, and what kind of traffic would it probably carry? 3. Before the war the Belgians surveyed, and were planning to construct, a line from Bumba, on the outside of the great bend of the Kongo, through the Kilo gold-fields and the Uele district, to Rejaf. Did the construction of that part of the proposed line in the Sudan ever receive the sanction of the Sudan Government, and if not, why not? If sanction was granted, was the Sudan Government to have aided in the construction? Would this line be of any considerable economic value to the SudanP 4, Herbert Adams Gibbons, in his book, ‘The New Map of Africa,” states that when he visited the Sudan there was sentiment against the con- struction of a line up the White Nile to Lake Victoria, based on certain engineering and econom- ic reasons. Do these objections still exist, and if so, just what do they consist of, besides the obvious price to be faced in building a line through the Sudd? 5. What is the outlook for rail connection be- tween the Sudan and Egyptian State Railways? Would a connecting line of necessity have to follow the river-bank? 6. The map above mentioned shows a projected railway from a point immediately east of Enika Station on the Atbara-Port Sudan line, south to Kassala. Has work begun on this line yet? Jf not, when will work begin? Purpose of the line— military or commercial? What is the economic character of the country to be traversed, and what kind of traffic can be expected? 7. There is a line shown as projected from Suakin to Tokar. Has construction been initiated thereon? What would be the value of this line? Adventure 8. What is the economic or strategic value of the line running up the Nile from No. 10 Station to Kareima? 9. What was the total amount of traffic which moved through the respective ports of Wadi Halfa and Port Sudan, freight and passenger, during the last fiscal year? 10. What progress has been made in the con- struction of irrigation dams on the Blue Nile and on the White Nile, reservoirs in the Abyssinian high- lands, and irrigation canals in the region between the two Niles? What is the possibility of railway construction in this latter area? 11. Are there any plans afoot for the drainage and subsequent irrigation of the Sudd? 12. J would be very much obliged if you could refer me to any books or article dealing with the Sudan State Railways, and if you could tell me how to obtain any descriptive folders or pamphlets which the Railway Administration may issue. Any ad- ditional information besides that requested in the above questions would be highly appreciated. Also, what publication of the Colonial Office would contain the yearly report of the Railway Administration; and do you happen to know where T could obtain a recent map of the Sudan, which shows the railways, present and proposed? Tf you could send a time-table I would be able to judge of the running time of the passenger trains, and compare with the results obtained elsewhere in Africa and in this country. You will find enclosed an international reply coupon to cover the return postage.”—JoHN A, Morrison, Chicago, Jll. Answer, by Mr. Moffat:—In answering your questions in the order you have placed them I will refer you in some instances to two publications which will give you the information you desire. The two publications in question are: 1. Annual Report, Sudan Government Railways and Steamers. 2. Sudan Almanac. These publications can be obtained from the European Traffic Manager Sudan Government Railways and Steamers, 5 Northumberland Ave., London. Total cost, about $1.50. 1. The projected railway to El Fasher exists as far as El Obeid, and El Fasher is reached by camel from the railhead. The value of the line to El Obeid is primarily commercial, El Obeid being the largest gum-arabic market in the Sudan. The surrounding country is of both agricultural and grazing nature. 2. There is at present no line under construction south to the French border, and from a financial standpoint the country is not in a position to meet the enormous outlay which would be involved should the proposal materialize. Jf the line was construct- ed it would certainly be from a point of commercial value, as large quantities of ivory are brought through this area from the French Sudan in transit to the home markets. 3 3. I am not in a position to give you any infor- mation on the construction of railways in the Bel- gian Kongo. 4, White Nile to Lake Victoria. J have heard of no objections against this link; but as I mentioned previously the country at present is not in a position to stand a large outlay of capital. 1OOOLK ©