Uganda

The "French" and "English" factions even in these straits could not avoid quarrelling. They asked Mwanga to come back on con ditions which he accepted, and he was brought across the lake by a trader named Stokes (formerly a mission-agent) whose main aim seems to have been to secure ivory. Mwanga's attempt to re capture Mengo was unsuccessful and he took refuge in an island on the lake. The Christians now asked the missionaries to return to keep the peace between them and among those who came was Pere Lourdel, who gained much ascendency over Mwanga. The Christians defeated the Muslims in Oct. 1889, most of the Arabs with the Baganda being killed. The Muslims however rallied, gained a victory in November, but were finally beaten in Feb. 189o. Before this decisive victory Mwanga had appealed for help to a caravan then near the lake, led by Frederick John Jackson, who had been sent by the newly formed Imperial British East Africa Company (the I.B.E.A.) to extend British influence (see KENYA COLONY). Jackson had instructions not to go to Uganda. While he was absent from his camp Karl Peters, at the head of a so-called German Emin Pasha Relief Expedition, ar rived. He read Jackson's correspondence and hastened on to Buganda. There with the help of Pere Lourdel—who in Dec. 1889 in Mwanga's name had offered to accept the British flag—Peters concluded a treaty with Mwanga. Jackson hearing of Peters's do ings followed him up to Mengo—but Peters had hurriedly de parted to the south end of the lake. Jackson was in a difficulty; finally he decided to take back to the coast an envoy from each faction. The day before he left Pere Lourdel died.

Lugard's Work.

All these local intrigues were rendered use less by the Anglo-German agreement of July 1890 which placed Uganda in the British sphere of influence. Thereupon the I.B.E.A.

company, in Oct. 189o, instructed Capt. F. D. Lugard (after wards Lord Lugard), then at Kikuya, half way between the coast and the lake, to go to Uganda. Marching with unprecedented rapidity, Lugard entered Mehgo on Dec. 18 with a force of 5o Sudanese soldiers and some 25o armed carriers. Lugard, by intro ducing the names "Protestant" and "Catholic"—till then un known—and by insisting that all religion was free, endeavoured to dissociate it from politics. This attitude was welcome to neither faction, and for some days the position of the new arrivals on the little knoll of Kampala was very precarious. Lugard's first object was to obtain a treaty which would give him a right to intervene in the internal affairs of the country and after some critical episodes such a treaty was signed on Dec. 26. Lugard's position was strengthened by the arrival in Jan. 1891 of Captain W. H. Williams, R.A., with a small force of Sudanese and a maxim gun. Seeing however that the situation in Buganda was im possible unless they had a strong central force, which the I.B.E.A. company could not provide, Lugard and Williams formed the idea of enlisting the Sudanese who had been left by Emin and Stanley at the south end of the Albert Lake. Passing through Ankole and

Bunyoro, along the northern slopes of Ruwenzori, Lugard reached Kavali at the south end of Lake Albert. He brought away with him 8,000 Sudanese men, women, children and slaves, under Selim Bey (an Egyptian officer). Some of these he left at posts he established along the southern border of Bunyoro. After an ab sence of six months from Buganda, Lugard reached the capital at the end of the year (1891) with 200 or 30o Sudanese soldiers and two or three times that number of followers. Meanwhile Williams, amid endless difficulties, with a mere handful of men, had managed to keep the two factions from civil war.

Not long after Lugard's return lawlessness again broke out and several murders were committed. In spite of strenuous efforts on Lugard's part to avert war the French party early in 1892 attacked the English, who had assembled round Kampala. The king and French party were defeated and fled to the Sese islands. The king and chiefs (except two ringleaders) being offered rein statement, they appeared anxious to accept Lugard's terms, but the French bishop joined them in the islands, and from that day all hopes of peace vanished. Fighting was recommenced by a "French" attack on "English" canoes, and Williams thereupon attacked the island and routed the hostile faction. After this the "French" slowly concentrated in Buddu in the south, the Protes tants migrating thence. Mwanga who was eager to accept. Lugard's offers of reinstatement, succeeded in escaping from the custody of his own party and arrived in Mengo on March 3o (1892). A new treaty was made, and the British flag flew over the capital, while the French party were given a proportion of chief ships and assigned the province of Buddu. These were liberal conditions; while later, to close a controversy with France, the British gov ernment paid f io,000 to the French priests for damage.

The Mohammedans now clamoured for recognition. Lugard went to meet them, and succeeded in bringing back Mbogo, a half brother of Mtesa—Karema had died—to Kampala, and in assign ing them three minor divisions of Uganda (since reduced to one).

A

British Protectorate.—Lugard on his return to Uganda at the end of 1891 had received orders to evacuate the country with his whole force, as the I.B.E.A. company could no longer main tain their position. A reprieve till the end of 1892 followed, funds having been raised by the Church Missionary Society and friends. The lives of many Europeans were at stake, for anarchy must follow withdrawal, and the repudiation of British pledges to the natives. Moreover abandonment would have left the headwaters of the Nile to fall into the hands of some other—possibly hostile— European power. In June 1892, therefore, Lugard determined to leave for England to appeal against the decision for abandon ment. Williams remained in Uganda, where the outlook was now fairly promising, and every effort was made to reduce expenses.