- 114 -Chapter One Introduction The events of the year in Sudan. The official report submitted by His Majesty's Government for the purpose of £300,000 was spent on promoting cotton cultivation in Sudan.

As for the rest, the year was one of few notable events, so the government's attention was largely directed towards the problem of maintaining existing interests and services, and ensuring their efficiency in a poor year, characterized by a low Nile flood and drought. It is a cause for relief and satisfaction that Sudan met its expenses and continued to progress satisfactorily on its indicated path of development and advancement. Despite the unprecedented low Nile flood and the lack of expected rainfall, this satisfactory situation did not extend to the southeastern part of the country, where arms trade, commerce, and relations between Abyssinia and the Twic region were prevalent. Financial considerations prevent the Sudan government from establishing a vigilant administration in the region between Khor Babus, Lake Rudolf, and the disarray of the Boma Mountains. The government did something of this nature after the punitive expedition it launched against the Anuak country in 1912, establishing military posts at Akobo, Pinyago, and Nasir. However, the problem will not be satisfactorily resolved until the entire region is effectively occupied up to the borders. Furthermore, the political situation in Addis Ababa and the apparent inability of the Abyssinian government to prevent arms smuggling from the coasts exacerbate the unrest in the provinces bordering Sudan, which appear to be not entirely under the control of the centralized Abyssinian government. Based on the agreement concluded with the Uganda government, boundary demarcation was renewed, making assessments adequate regarding tribal distribution.