BesticAfrica] EAST AFRICA AND UGANDA 35 6 signs of diminution ; while there was a marked and very noticeable absence of any sort of hostile feeling or demonstration against the British. The outbreak was directed solely against the German Company.

The loyal assistance given by the British Government and its officials to Germany in her dealings with the Sultan of Zanzibar was recognized by the German authorities . At the same time a new field of possible friction was opening out. Under the agreement with regard to the respective spheres of influence con cluded in October /November 1886, ' not only was the country north of the River Tana leit free to German enterprise but also the country to the north -west of the British sphere, including Uganda, “ so that England might have been entirely shut out from the Interior ."'?

The Germans were under the impression that the British Company was intending to work behind their sphere of influence on the west; and Baron von Plessen explained that, although it was true that no special geographical line had been expressly fixed by agree ment for the delimitation on the west , the Imperial Government had started from the idea that Great Britain would leave to Germany a free hand in the territories south of the Victoria Nyanza , and , avoiding the territory lying to the east of Lakes Tanganyika and Nyasa at the back of the German Protectorate, would confine herself to opening up the territory lying to the north of the agreed line. An agreement was accordingly made in July 1887 be tween Great Britain andGermany respecting the dis couragement of annexations in the rear of their respec tive spheres of influence .” Germany had annexed Witu at the mouth of the Tana River; and from this starting-point, notwith standing the agreement of July 1887 , the notorious Dr. Peters set out to secure concessions which should See Appendix I. > Scott Keltie, Partition of Africa, p . 345 . 3 Hertslet, Map of Africa by Treaty , p . 888.