BRITISH AND GERMAN EAST AFRICA, AND UGANDA 115
clergy and others, and appeals were made to the home Gov-
ernment to save the natives from “forced labor” and “slav-
ery.” The home Government cautioned the Kenya officials
to see to it that no abuses should be allowed to grow up
under cover of such ordinances or instructions! necessary as
it might be to give constant encouragement to habits of
labor among the natives. Some have even urged the ex-
treme policy of safeguarding the natives so carefully on iso-
lated reserves that they would be almost immune from the
civilizing influences of the whites. The Government care-
fully safeguards the native’s right to his land (held on a
communal system), but desires to educate him as rapidly as
possible in European ways. This does not mean a mere
book education. Both public and private (missionary)
schools must train not more than one third of their pupils
for clerical pursuits and every pupil must learn a trade. A
considerable number of natives have become carpenters,
chauffeurs, or mechanics.
The Uganda Railway was commenced at Mombasa in
1895, and the first train reached Lake Victoria in December,
1901. It was built with great technical skill under the direc-
tion of Sir G. Whitehouse, coolies being brought from India
for the purpose; but it proved a most costly undertaking, the
final expenditure amounting to over £5,317,000. No one
knows just why the Foreign Office suddenly determined to
put through this railway; but it has amply justified the ex-
pense since it began operations, being worked at a substan-
tial profit ever since 1904-05. The colonists of Uganda fin-
ally complained that they were dependent upon the railway
for their exports and imports, but had no control over the
freight rates and the profits went to the neighboring colony.
! Dispatch to the Governor of the East Africa Protectorate relating to
native labor. Brit. Parl. Papers, 1920, Eust Africa Protectorate, cmd. 873,
no. 1.