§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now communicate to the House an interim Report of the progress made in the construction of the railways on the Gold Coast, which were projected in the year 1895; and whether he will consider the advisability of connecting, by a light railway, the towns of Axim, Chama, Brandfordville, Winnebah, Cape Coast Castle, and Coomassie.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINMy right hon. friend has asked me to read his answer. It was proposed in 1895 to construct a railway from Appam to Insuaim, but this proposal has been abandoned in favour of one for a line from Seccondee to Tarquah. The construction of the line to Tarquah was commenced in 1898, and it will now very shortly be completed. The question of connecting the coast towns by a railway has been considered, but it is not proposed to undertake such a work at present. Coomassie will be connected with the coast by extending the line from Tarquah, and work upon the extension has already been begun.