80 reconquest; with adequate protection from forest fires the output could undoubtedly he greatly developed. Cattle-plague and horse-sickness have been prevalent. The revenue of the province has expanded by nearly 50 per cent., from £E. 31,000 in 1908 to £E. 46,000 in 1909, while the expenditure has only risen from £E. 19,000 to £E. 21,000. It has been a busy trade year; and the Arab camelraen have so prospered that the jewellers ran out of gold ornaments required for the womeufulk of men who go about almost naked themselves.

Mr. Butler, in his interesting report, states that slave raiding, bujdng and selling are unknown in this province, and but few complaints of ill-treatment of servants are received as compared with a few years ago.

There has been a slight diminution in serious crimes. The number of civil suits, of which the more important are tried in Dueim, has increased from 255 to 472.

With regard to education, the schools at El-Dueim, Geteina and Kawa are in a flourishing condition. The wild Arabs, however, still distrust education. The Mainur of Geteina has been making laudable eflTorts to overcome this prejudice, by writing and producing a play for the edification of the Geteina schoolboys. The plot was simple; Scene I. A shepherd boy at home with his flock; behaviour bad. Scene II. A scholar at home ; behaviour model. * Scene III. Sandford and Merton meet and argue as to the value of learning; the good boy gets his head punched. Scene IV. The fathers meet and argue the matter out, and finally a judge decides in favour of education. The Arabs present were highly amused, but the mo!*al which some of them drew was not exactly what had been intended, and it is to be feared that doubts still exist in that district as to the blessings to be derived from the dissemination of learnins. O O 42. Conclusion.

From the foregoing facts, it will be seen that the Soudan Government have maintained in the past year, throughout the different branches of the administration, a rate of progress which, under the many financial and other difficulties of the situation, I consider quite satisfactory.

In December last I was able to make a tour of inspection through a considerable part of the country south of Khartoum, including the Khartoum, Blue Nile, Sennar, White Nile, and Upper Nile provinces. It may give some idea of the vast extent of the Soudan to mention that the journey occupied a whole month, during which some 4,500 miles were covered. The impressions which I derived from all that I saw and heard during my visit were altogether favourable to the system under which the Country is being administered. Everywhere the people were contented and prosperous, and everywhere the most friendly relations appeared to exist between them and the authorities, including the Egyptian as well as the English officials. I was much struck b}’- the zeal and activity displayed in the execution of their duties by all the servants of the Government, and by the public spirit and loyalty which all brought to the accomplishment of their task. It was evident that the scanty resources at present available were being utilised to the best possible pm-pose, and that the simple form of administration under which the country is governed is that best suited to the primitive state of society which at present exists. I do not suppose that there is any part of the Avorld in which the mass of the population have fewer unsatisfied wants. Very great credit is due to Sir Keginald Wingate and all who are working so assiduously and loyally under his direction for the admii-able manner in which their arduous task is being carried out.

The problems awaiting solution in the Soudan are comparatively simple, and the country is fortunately free from many of the peculiar complications which are met in Egypt at every step. The two points to which the efforts of its rulers are directed are its economic development and the maintenance of public peace. The chief requirement at the present moment for the attainment of both these objects is improvement of the means of communication, and, though strict economy has been the rule elsewhere, the Egyptian Government have very wisely provided the funds necessary to enable the extension of the railway to be carried on without interruption. It is only by this means that it will be possible to develop the natural resources of the country so that it may be capable in time of producing a revenue equal to its expenditure.

I have, &c.

ELDON GOBST.

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