Continued from last edition
The desirability of finding a port which would serve as the terminus of a railway traversing this belt was accentuated, and became a matter of immediate importance, in connection with the development of the Udi coalfield. It was manifestly inadvisable to base the colliery railway on a port such as Onitsha on the Niger situated 140 miles up a river, difficult of navigation, except for a limited period each year, if a possible seaport could be found.
With the object of investigating this problem, I visited the Bonny Creek in December, 1912, shortly after my arrival in Nigeria, accompanied by Captain Child, R.N., Director of Marine, and Sir J. Kaglesome, Director of Railways and Works. The Bonny “Bar at the entrance to the creek, 325 miles east of Lagos, shows 21 feet of water at high tide; which contrasts favourably with Fore-ados or Lagos. The forbidding expanse of mangrove swamps which border this great estuary for miles had apparently discouraged investigation heretofore. Deep water was found up to Okrika. 30 miles, where the mangrove swamp was interrupted, and Sir J. Eaglesome reported that no insuperable difficulties existed to the construction of a railway terminal; he was in fact, at first sight much impressed with its possibilities.
Beyond this point the estuary, was uncharted and had been little explored. It was reported that navigation was difficult. A careful survey of the whole estuary, up to and surrounding this point, was at once put in hand. In the course of this survey it was found that the deep water extended for a considerable distance beyond Okrika, and some eight miles north-west of it the mangrove swamp suddenly gave place for a distance of 1,400 yards to red cliffs 45 feet high, which appeared to afford a much better site for a railway terminus. There was at this point a fairly large basin for a harbour with deep water 200 yards across at the narrowest point. The site was cleared of dense forest, and it was found to be well adapted for the purpose, though limited in area. Further investigation established the fact that access could be obtained to the mainland, without crossing any swamp or tidal waterway- a piece of good fortune which could not have been anticipated In a district so intersected by back waters—mangrove swamps and creeks. Approval to the project was at once given T>y the Secretary of State. Mr. (now Viscount) Harcourt, who took a keen personal interest in the scheme, and the port was named after him.
Port Harcourt is situated about 38 miles from the mouth of the estuary, and at no point along this length was there a less depth of water than 27 to 30 feet—to which depth it was proposed eventually to dredge the Bonny Bar. At the port itself the depth was between SO and 40 feet (i^ to 20 feet alongside), the minimum breadth of the channel being about 700 feet, widening out at the entrance of the harbour to over 1,000 feet. The first task was to cut down the high cliffs, the spoil from which sufficed to reclaim considerable areas of adjacent swamp, and to lay out a model terminal and township. Segregation was provided for by European and native reservations, separated by a non-residential belt, and houses for the construction staff were rapidly erected. It was not to be expected that the site would be either healthy or attractive at first, and it proved to be infested with every species of biting fly, but when the nearest swamp was reclaimed, the excavations finished, the forest and undergrowth cleared, and gardens and avenues created, it quickly became more salubrious.
The construction of the railway was put in hand at once, and it reached the coal mines at Udi in May, 191fi. The distance had been estimated at 130 miles, but proved to be 151 owing to the very difficult nature of the country— for the line in this section crosses the water-parting from which streams How to each Quarter of the compass, on the north to the Benue. on the east to the Cross River, on the south to the sea, and on the west to the Niger. It is a hilly rugged country intersected by deep ravines. Preparations were made for the further extension to the Ben tic, and from thence to the junction at Kaduna. Large quantities of material were conveyed to each of these points, and the entire survey was completed, the total actual length of track from the sea to Guluna being 581 miles. Construction was also begun at Kaduna, and 30 miles were actually completed, while a very careful survey of the bed of the Benue was made for the foundations of the great bridge which will span that river. The point selected for crossing was at the ” Munshi Narrows,” 18 miles below Abinsi, where the river is not more than 800 yards broad, but it was found that, deep as the water is here, there existed a fissure at the bottom of the river of unknown depth, and the greatest possible care in placing the pier foundations would be necessary.
The outbreak of war upset all plans. Construction beyond Udi was suspended, but the line was completed up to that point, and had it not been for the supply of coal thus rendered avail-able,-it is difficult to imagine the collapse which must have resulted from the lack of fuel for the Western Railway. Not only would the prosperity of Nigeria have been most seriously impeded, hut the supply of oleaginous produce and tin, so urgently required in England for war purposes. would have been very seriously interfered with. With the cessation of hostilities the construction should be at once resumed. The line and terminal have cost about £2,000,000 sterling, and has so far been entirely financed from revenue and reserves. Meanwhile, the construction of a permanent quay wall was commenced, and coal tips were constructed so that vessels should able to hunker direct from the wagons. The wharf is still under construction, and lias proved a difficult task necessitating the purchase of a costly dredger.
The railway traverses one of the richest oil-palm districts in West Africa, with a dense population estimated at 176 to the square mile. I he Commercial Intelligence Officer writes: ” Its extraordinary richness is sufficiently indicated by the export figures of Opobo, Bonny, and the other ports near by, which in 1911 totalled a million in value (one-fifth of the total exports of Nigeria), though there was not a single inland factory.” The advent of the railway will not only cheapen transport, but will set free for productive work the great army of labour at present engaged in transporting produce to the coast. Each portion of the section to Udi as it was opened to traffic at once began to earn revenue.
The further sections will traverse a country well populated by industrious agriculturists, and suitable for cotton. The railway will probably capture the Upper Benue trade. (Groundnuts, cotton, palm-oil, fibres, beni-seed, hides and skins, shea and livestock.) It will serve the minefields, and give access to the proposed sanatorium.
The township building plots at Port Harcourt were eagerly taken up by merchants and realised large premia. Sites at the principal stations along the Railway route were also at once appropriated. The excellent prospects of the railway were, however, considerably upset by the War. for but little shipping could be allotted to Port Harcourt, where, moreover, pending the completion of the wharves (for which it was difficult to procure material), rapid despatch could not be given to vessels, and bunkering was difficult.
In spite of these drawbacks a fair amount of produce was carried, and the passenger traffic was good, but 70 per cent, of the earnings were made by the carriage of coal from the mines; with return loads of pit props cut from the mangrove forests. The whole section was first included in the General Railway Returns as ” Open Lines ” in 1917. Its earnings for that year were £61,700. The estimate for 1919 is £223.000 (of which £155,000 is from coal freights).
The branch from Jemaa to Bukuru, the centre of the tin mines (see Map, Appendix 1), should be undertaken as an integral part of the prolongation of the Eastern Railway. It is as yet unsurveyed, but the Katab. Valley is stated by Mr. (now Major-Gen era 3) Collard, Chief Surveyor, to afford much the best route for surmounting the escarpment which forms the western edge of the Bauchi Plateau. Its length scaled on the map is only 74 miles.
Bukuru is at present connected with the main (western) line by a light 2-feet 6-inch track which ascends the escarpment by serpentine curves, and steep gradients, and has already become quite inadequate. It would, in any case, have to be replaced by a standard gauge line. The proposed branch not only reduces the distance from the coast by 173 miles (viz., about 50$. a ton), but would enable Vdi coal to be delivered at Bukuru at a cost of 505. to 60*. a ton or less, as against £5 a ton for Welsh coal, or oil at £18 a ton—–at pre-War rates which are now indefinitely increased. Since it is an upward freight carried by trucks which would otherwise be returning almost empty for produce, the traffic would be particularly valuable to the railway apart from the additional market for Government coal. With a cheap fuel it is possible that smelting would he undertaken locally, a saving of 30 per cent, in rail and ocean freights. The line would also serve to tap the labour supply from the densely populated districts in the South. Front these figures it is clear that the advantage U> the tin industry would be very great, both in shortening the distance for imports (machinery, fuel, &c.) and the export of tin, while the traffic would he lucrative to the railway and colliery.
Mr. Best, a mining engineer (for whose figures I cannot personally vouch), declared in June, 1912, that if a railway were built, assuring a reasonably cheap fuel to the mines, the output would he increased at least tenfold, viz.. by 20,000 to 30,000 tons. Each machine imported would save 270 labourers. At that time “Port Harcourt was not discovered, and he contemplated a line to Onitsha, on the Niger, with the costly breaking of bulk.
Another short extension of great importance is the prolongation of the main line from Kano to the French frontier. At present, goods which are the property of the French Government and consigned by rail to French territory, are free of Customs duties, while private goods, if dutiable, are entered in transitand pay only the difference (if any) between the British and French tariff. The total in 1917 was about 2,000 tons (value. £62,457, exclusive of sj>ecie).
Goods for Zinder are carried from Kano to the frontier (72 miles), and those for Port Lamy (Chad) to Maidugan, in Bornu (330 miles), by camels and human carriers, at a minimum cost of about 9#, per f>n mile. (See Appendix 7.)
The difficulty of obtaining transport has continually caused a congestion at Kano and the French are anxious for a better method. Moreover, the demand both for transport and supplies especially on the long march to the eastern frontier, naturally causes some embarrassment to” the Nigerian Government and enhances the cost of both to British traders. The adjudication of the inevitable petty questions which arise adds also to the work of the British administrative staff. With the question of this Kano-Bornu route I will deal presently I am here concerned with the northern extension towards Zinder.
The provision of a good road on which lorries might be run would be a satisfactory , for the cost of petrol, at a base 704 miles from the sea by rail, would be very heavy indeed, and its transport onwards by motors would add to the working expenses enormously. On the direct route to Babera there is no ballast beyond the 25th mile, and it would be necessary to adopt either the route via Zango (85 mites) or vid Katsina (132 miles) for 100 miles of which .’to Katsina) a fairly good road already exists. These obstacles would no doubt be greatly reduced by the use of ped-rail tractors drawings train of vans (see Appendix 7), and I regard this as the only practicable alternative to railway extension. A light 2-foot 6-inch line such as that between Zaria and Bukuru would cost not less than £2,000 a mile, and since it would involve a break o? bulk I should deprecate any extension, except on the standard gauge at, say, £4,500 a mile, viz., £350,000. There is a good prospect that the rail would be remunerative. For a fuller examination of this project see Appendix 8,
The project of a railway to Bornu and Lake Chad is one which has beea frequently alluded to by writers since the days when the Lagos Raihva) was first begun, and the then Governor (Sir Win. MacGregor) pictured ” the iron horse from Lagos drinking tho waters of Lake Chad.”
The lacustrine plain, which forms the greater part of Bornu, supports largo herds of cattle, and flocks of sheep and goats. It is badly watered. The Yobe River yn its northern frontier, the Hadeija on the west, and Lake Chad on its eastern boundary, are almost its only perennial waters, and the subterranean supplies cannot be tapped by wells with a less depth than 200 feet and more. By deep boring and the mechanical raising of water no doubt this vast country would be immensely rich. Already its output of cattle, hides and skins, and of valuable gums from its acacia forests, offer great possibilities of trade, which are being increasingly developed. The Chad districts offer first-rate possibilities for cotton. In no part of Nigeria, and possibly of Africa, is grain so plentiful and cheap, but low value produce would hardly bear the transport charges. A railway would not only develop these resources but would tap the limitless markets to the north and east which have no other outlet, including the Northern Cameroons whose only outlet is by the Benue River (230 miles south of Chad) for three months in the year only. Its great needs are a good water supply in its central area, and cheap transport for its produce.
Proposals and suggestions, in the absence of accurate data and surveys, are necessarily of little value and apt to be misleading, and I, therefore, do not propose to do more than indicate very Briefly in Appendix 8 the aspects of the question as it presents itself at the moment. There appear to be three possible routes to Maidugan (the capital of Bornu 70 milessouth-west of Chad) (i) From Kano, due east, 330 miles. The country is mostly fiat, with few rivers to cross, and construction would be cheap—say, li to 2 million sterling. Population dense for the first half and fair throughout. Total length from seaport (Lagos), say, 1,060 miles (360 new).
(ii) From Bukuru (assuming the branch from the Eastern Railway discussed in paragraph 128 to have been made) the direct distance, vi& Bauchi and Fika, north of the bend of the Gongola River, is the same as from Kano (330 miles), but the country would bo more difficult an-1 the actual length greater, say, 370. It would traverse the minefield, and bring to them the cheap food supplies of Bornu. Distance from seaport (Port Harcourt), 060 miles {370 new), saving 100 miles and cheaper fuel from Udi.
(Hi) The third route is from Afikpo, near the Udi coalfield, to Yola, where the Benue would be crossed above all its main tributaries. It would run parallel to, and about halfway between, the Benua and Cameroon frontier, and would anticipate the projected German line from Dualla to Garua and thence to Chad. It would divert the whole of the Benue trade, for the waterway is so unsatisfactory that trade increasingly tends to go overland both North to Kano and South to Onitaha, &c~ from Yola, now that the routes are safe. Even by canoe transport to Lokoja 1*. to 1*. Qd. is charged for a hide, and 9rf. to Is. for a bag of salt. It would, no doubt, be ft difficult line to construct. The length scaled on the map is about 000 miles, but the railway track would probably not be less than 15 per cent. more,. It would open up a thickly populated country throughout its whole length and tap the trade of the Cameroons. Length to seaport (Port Harcourt). say, 795 miles (600 new). Cost probably 5£ millions. This line would be 190 miles nearer to its fuel supply (Udi) than the Kano line—a matter of the utmost importance in coat of working.
Sir J. Eaglesome, who is of course die highest authority from the point of view of construction, writes regarding these three alternative schemes:” From the point of view of railway working No. 3 is undoubtedly the best, as following the valley of the Benue keeping sufficiently far from the river to avoid the estuaries of the larger tributaries; and from the same point of view No. 2 is the worst, involving a climb to a height of more tkan 4,000 feet. The Bukuru branch if built might. be extended to serve Bauehi and the district south of the Goxigola. If extended thence to Cike Chad it would traverse waterless country, the water from wells being unsuited to locomotive boilers. No. 1 route rid Kano would be round two sides of a triangle. An alternative is to convert the Bunch i 2- foot 6-ineh line to 3-foot 6-inch probably as far as Duchin-Wai (about 40 miles) and Lo continue to Maidugari. All the bridges on the Bauchi line to Bukuru will carry 3- foot 6-inch rolling stock/’
The Duchin-Wai extension would appear to suffer from the same objection as regards water as Nos. 1 and 2. I may add my own opinion, that from the point of view both of administration and of economic development No. 3 is the best, apart from the immense saving of distance from Maidugari to the seaport which will lessen freight on produce, the advantage of starting from the fuel supply at Udi and the relief to the Northern Section of the main line. The saving by the utilisation of a portion of the 2- foot 6- inch tract under the fourth scheme would be comparatively trivial, and this line would like No. 1 traverse two sides of a triangle — -though a less extended one than via Kano.
The main objects of the line to Bomu would be two-fold; (a) to secure the trade of the whole Chad basin as far as the Egyptian Sudan, and to forestall the French Cameroon line from Dualla; (6) To open* up the vast plains of Bornu, the soil of which is said to be equal to that of the Egyptian Sudan for cotton cultivation. For the former purpose the cheapest possible freights to the Coast are essential, for the latter purpose railway access to labour supply is the first consideration. There is little available labour in the Kano district where the Resident reports that the dense population is wholly absorbed in its own agricultural industry. The regions traversed by the Udi-Yola railway, however, are populated by millions of industrious pagan tribes.
A branch line from Aba (39 miles from Port Harcourt) eastwards to Ikot-Ekpene (50 miles), through a country phenomenally rich in oil-palms and densely populated, has been generally considered as one of the most remunerative lines which
could be constructed. Sir J. Eaglesome, however, observes “Every stream crossed will be in competition with it for cheap transport to the sea, so I doubt if it would pay.” The wharf and shipping facilities at Port Harcourt would attract produce, and possibly oil-mills may be erected there. It would be of value administratively as linking up Calabar with the Central Administration.
There remains the north-west district, with the important city of Sokoto, 246 miles from Zaria, as its objective. There is already a considerable volume of trade from this region, including the French territory to the north of it, in cattle, flocks. hides, skins and cotton. The country is well populated, and great quantities of ground-nuts are grown. Maska, 30 miles from Zaria, is the centre of the cotton industry. A railway from Zaria or Kaduna to Sokoto would be of administrative value, and would anticipate the French line from Paraku to Gayn, which otherwise will capture the trade of this region.
An alternative route from Jebba was suggested by Captain (now Major-General) Manse, R..K. Running parallel to the Niger for 140 miles past the rapids to Sekachi, traffic could then be carried by tfie waterway of the Niger and Jega River, to that town, pending the extension of the railway. The length to be constructed would be not less than 330 miles, running through fin almost uninhabited country till it reached the Sokoto Province, but the total distance from Sokoto to Lagos would l>e less by about 220 miles.
The proposal to construct it railway with its outlet at Warri or Saoele deserves consideration, the more so that a majority of Lord Selborne’s Committee (Lord Selborne, Sir C. Hill, Sir G. Goldie and Sir R. Moor) preferred this line to one debouching at Lagos. Circumstances have, of course, entirely changed and a Hue with Warri or Sapele as its port would now be merely a subsidiary one designed for the development of the rich hinterland. The two places lie near each other at the head of navigable creeks. They are approachable by vessels of 18 or 19 feet draught, but the channels are long, narrow and tortuous, and the harbours afford little turning room. They would, however, probably suffice for a subsidiary line. The railway would probably have to cross several great rivers or creeks at much cost in bridging. The line might effect a junction with the main trunk-line at Offa or be carried on to the Niger, crossing it eventually at Patoji and joining the Lagos Line vis Bida at Minnn.
134. Summary. -The immediate task is the completion of the railway already begun from Udi to Kaduna, with the branch to Bukuru. The northern extension of the main line to the French frontier involves questions of policy. It would probably be remunerative.
To be continued
