The great majority of the inhabitants had from the first ac cepted and even welcomed British rule, and they made distinct progress. Besides the example of the white officials there was the influence of the missionaries, both strong and beneficent. Of the three chief societies represented, two were Presbyterian and one Anglican; of missionaries, Dr. Robert Laws, who worked over 50 years in the country, was pre-eminent for his civilizing and edu cational work and his statesmanlike qualities.
Sir Harry Johnston was succeeded as commissioner in 1897 by Sir Alfred Sharpe, whose intimate knowledge of the country was valuable in the work of development. The progress made was marked in 1904 by the transfer of the protectorate, up to that time under Foreign Office control, to the Colonial Office. In 19°7 the title of the chief official was changed from commissioner to governor and in the same year executive and legislative councils were established. Called at first the Nyasaland Protectorate, the name had been changed in 1893 to "The British Central Africa Protectorate," but in 1907 the old name was revived. When in 1910, Sir Alfred Sharpe retired, the urgent problems awaiting solution were economic ; chief concern being over Nyasaland's communications with the sea, the river route having proved un satisfactory. When the World War began northern Nyasaland was invaded by Germans from East Africa. The governor, Mr. (later Sir) George Smith, was capable and energetic, and he re ceived the full support of the people (black and white). The Germans were repelled, and later Nyasaland became a base for operations against them. There was, however, during the war, a disquieting incident. Among the natives were a number of pro fessed Christians who claimed freedom from white control. One of these men, John Chelembwe, who had been educated in the United States, on his return built a church and preached the in dependence of Africans. With some Soo followers he rose in
revolt in Jan. 1915. Three white settlers were murdered, one a Mr. Livingstone (a descendant of David Livingstone), and Che lembwe preached a sermon in his church with Mr. Livingstone's head placed on the pulpit. The revolt was speedily suppressed by a small force of British and natives, Chelembwe, who had taken to flight, being shot dead (Feb. 3), by native police. This rising was a symptom of Ethiopianism.
A number of men who came from South Africa or Great Brit ain during the war settled in Nyasaland as planters. But except in the Shire highlands little of the country is suitable for Euro peans. As was said by the governor, Sir Charles Bowring, in 1924, "The prosperity of the protectorate depends on the devel opment of its tropical agricultural resources, partly by a lim ited number of European plantations, but principally by the natives themselves with European instructors." To overcome transport difficulties, a railway, completed in 1915, was built from Port Herald, on the Shire, to Chindi, on the north bank of the Zambezi, and in 1922 another railway, from Beira to the southern bank of the Zambezi, was opened.
The chief exports are now tobacco, cotton, tea and fibres. Im ports, which in 1910–II were valued at LI I,000, had risen to £869,462 in 1928. Exports were valued at £97,00o in 1910--ii and at £706,756 in 1924. Revenue, which was £76,000 in 1909-10, was estimated at £380,000 in 1928, while expenditure rose in the years named from Lio8,000 to £381,948.
See Nyasaland (192o), a handbook, with bibl., issued by the British Foreign Office ; S. S. Murray, A Handbook of Nyasaland (1922), the Report of the East African Commission (2925) ; and the annual report issued by the Colonial Office, London. (F. R. C.)