MR. PATRICK O'BRIENOn behalf of the honourable Member for the St. Patrick Division of Dublin, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether ho can state the number of railways actually constructed in the British, French, German, Belgian, Spanish, and Portuguese possessions in West Africa, and the places connected by these railways, and the mileage in each case, also the number of proposed railways for which surveys have been made, and the districts over which the surveys have been made; and, whether the railway lines actually constructed in West Africa belong to the State or private companies?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIESIn Sierra Leone, a railway has been laid from Freetown to Songo Town, a distance of 32 miles, and is being continued to Rotofunki; from this place a survey is being made to Mano, the distance of which from Freetown is 97 miles. Surveys have also been made to Bumban and Sulymah. On the Gold Coast a railway is being laid from Skondi to Tarkwa, a distance of 40 miles; and a flying survey has been made from Tarkwa to Kumassi; surveys have also been made from Accra direct, and via Apam, to Insuain, and from Insuain to Kumassi; and another is being made from Accra to Kpong on the Volta River. The railway from Lagos to Ibadan, 120 miles, is in course of construction. The first section to Abeokuta, 64 miles, is expected to be opened for public traffic in May, and both construction and survey work are in progress on the Abeokuta-Ibadan section. The railways in the British West African Colonies belong to the State. I must refer the honourable Member to the Foreign Office as to railways in Foreign Possessions in West Africa.