Britishirica Afrina а For a ] GENERAL REMARKS ; ZANZIBAR 89 balance in British East Africa. The excess of imports over exports is a feature whose significance can easily be exaggerated; for in a country the civilization of which began only twenty years ago production cannot be expected to balance outlay. A large proportion of the imports represents capital expenditure on such things as machinery, houses, and live-stock .

long time to come the country will require further capital of this description to enable it to develop its The excess of such imports , within limits, will not impoverish but enrich the Colony, and will actually provide the means by which an equilibrium of trade may be established in the course of a few years.

The average adverse balance for quinquennial periods has already fallen from 78 and 64 per cent. in 1901 and 1906 respectively to 30 and 31 per cent. in 1911 and 1916 .

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ZANZIBAR (A) MEANS OF COMMUNICATION Most of the country roads of Zanzibar and Pemba are still no better than narrow , devious, and difficult paths. But in recent years 75 miles of motor roads have been constructed, connecting the town of Zanzibar with Mkokotoni in the north , Chwaka in the east, and Fumba in the south-west . In Pemba a start has been made on a metalled road to run the whole length of the island . Between the two islands a regular weekly connection is maintained by the Government steamers Cupid and Khalifa , vessels of 600 tons . A light railway , seven miles long, runs from Zanzibar town northward to Bububu . This is now Government property, and yields an annual revenue of a few hundredpounds. There is no evidence to show that for the economic development of the island railway expan sion would serve better than the judicious extension of 1 The Zanzibar Protectorate is taken as including Zanzibar, Pemba, and the neighbouring smaller islands.