126 Port Soudan Harbour and SMp'ping.

The Harbours and Lights Administration at Port Soudan was passed over to the Railways Department in 1914.

A wireless station was erected at Port Soudan and the port was regularly used as a naval base and coaling station by His Majesty’s ships.

Direct imports were very limited owing to the general shortage of shipping. It is satisfactory to report, however, that adequate arrangements for nomeward freights were made, and the Soudan has consequently disposed of its exports throughout the whole period of the war with no worse experience than moderate delay and partial congestion.

That such a successful result was obtained is due to the enterprise of the local shipping ents who received the assistance of the Government in securing due consideration at the hands of the shipping control authorities.

36. Roads. Water Su'pfly. A certain amount of progress was made by opening new wells in Kassala, and especially Kordofan province, resulting in improving communication on the Gedaref-Mefaza, Pau-Gedaref and Obeid-Abu Zabbad road. A well of 400 feet depth at Um Ruaba struck a very useful water supply in a district which had suffered acutely from water scarcity. In 1917 this well was fitted with a Downie pump, and sales of water at reasonable rates commenced.

The uncertain well supplies, which normally kept the inhabitants and their animals alive, used at times to be sold by those fortunate enough to possess them at rates as high as 2--c?. and more per 4-gallon tin of water, and in unfavourable seasons a portion of the population had to leave till the rainy season again came round. The Government supply at Um Ruaba will not only obviate this but also enable the people to be supplied throughout the year at a more reasonable cost.

The development of the cattle trade during the war and the increased export to Egypt drew attention forcibly to the importance of endeavouring to improve the water supply in certain provinces, and especially improving waterless roads by which cattle have to be brought into the raihvay for transport north.

A small technical committee for roads and communications was established early in 1918 under the presidency of the Director of Works. The opportunity was taken also to appoint an expert consulting engineer in connection with matters relating to obtaining water supplies, &c.

Owing to the war it was impossible to obtain plant and personnel promptly, but steps were taken to ensure a start on active experimental well boring early in 1919. El Obeid and the surrounding district were selected for first attempts. The town of El Obeid itself requires a largely increased supply of water, and in addition it is desired to provide for the cattle which concentrate there from the west and south-west to be exported by rail.

Rejaf-Libogo Road. Tlie construction of this road was in charge of the administrative staff of the province until the war. In 1915 it was decided to replace the existing bullock transport by mechanical transport, and to place the road under technical supervision.

An engineer and working party from the Public Works were sent’up to Rejaf after the rains of that year.

During 1916 fair progress was made, but the tractors that were to have been placed on this road and which should have transported the bridging materials were diverted to the Darfur military operations, and progress was therefore much handicapped. The section of the road, Rejaf to Yei, was, however, completed. The work to make this road practicable for use during the long rainy seasons which obtain in these southern latitudes is very considerable; there are eighty water courses to be crossed in the first 200 kilom. alone.

In 1917 a single span steel bridge 193 feet long was erected over the river Yei. Por lack of other mechanical transport ten Ford cars and trailers commenced running at the beginning of 1918 on the Rejaf-Yei section. These are not really suitable to meet the freightage demands economically, but the impiortance of not delaying matters made it aavisable to commence with the only running plant available. By the end of 1918 these cars were running through to Libogo.

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