127 C > I I Motor.s. The heavy American wheeled tractors referred to above as having been diverted for the military operations in Darfur were not at all successful in the heavy sand dunes of Kordofan. One of them, however, had been tested exhaustively in the transport of heavy machinery in the Blue Nile province, and was found to work well on the hard black “ cotton soil.”

During 1916 the Public Works Department established headquarters at Rahad for mechanical transport in connection with the Darfur Expedition. With the exception of the plant mentioned above only very light plant in the shape of Ford cars and lorries was available. There can be few more unsuitable countries for motor traffic than the steep gradients of the sand dune land, west of Nahud, that lies on the direct route between El Obeid and El Fasher. On the occupation of El Fasher, however, a regular bi-weekly service was kept going for four months, though the wear and tear on both plant and personnel was very heavy. The ordinary camel journey of eight days from El Obeid to Nahud was reduced by this service to eleven hours, and me through journey from Obeid to Fasher was made in six days.

An attempt to open what might have been a more feasible route further south had to be abandoned owing to military reasons in the first instance, and subsequently was postponed on account of the very’large and as yet unwarranted expenditure that would have been entailed.

In 1917 a few Ford cars were placed with selected provinces with the idea of speeding up tax assessment, &c. The year 1918 proved that the provision of a suitable type of high-powered light car for Governors of provinces and their inspectors is well worth making in parts of the country, and in consequence the supply is being increased.

‘ Early in 1919 work on the improvement of water supplies was taken in hand. During the year thirteen borings were made.

The principal object of the preliminary scheme is to increase the water supply along the roads for the benefit of the cattle trade. Consequently the borings cannot be confined to places where there are hopeful indications of water, but experiments have to be made in places that are convenient in respect of the roads. Some disappointments are therefore inevitable. Even unsuccessful experiments, however, add to the general information, and help to show areas in which no improvement by underground supply can be expected, but where efforts should be concentrated in conserving rain water. ' Unfortunately for the experiments last yea,r, the heavy drilling plant could not be transported far over the sandy tracts of the district selected, and had to be used in the vicinity of the railway. Two wells were sunk at Rahad and Um Koeika, which are of great value to the railway and the district in the immediate neighbourhood. In the autumn a caterpillar tractor was obtained which is capable of transporting the plant, so that next year the working need not be so restricted.

The Rejdf-Libogo Road.

Heavy lorries were arranged for towards the end of the year and are expected to be operating early next year. It had been hoped to obtain these lorries earlier from the surplus stores of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Egypt, but their release was delayed. To make certain soft sections of this road suitable for heavier traffic, a petrol-driven road roller has been ordered. The importance of developing this line of communications cannot be questioned. At present trade in the Lado and Eastern Belgian Congo is undoubtedly waiting on its improvement, and ultimately the fine timber in the neighbourhood of Yei must be made available not only to take the place of imported timber for work in the Soudan, but for export purposes to Egypt. A light railway is required, however, for transporting timber over so great a distance.

Tongor-Talodi Road.

The usual work was carried out to make this road possible for the transport of military stores by mechanical means during the non-rainy season.

A survey was made of the Khor Gelhak with a view to constructing, when staff is available, a causeway and small bridge to keep open during the rains the direct road from Gelhak on the White Nile to Abyssinia.

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