| Summary |
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the manner in which East Africa was opened to civilization and commerce by private initiative and later by sanction of the British Foreign Office. The involvement of Great Britain in the affairs of the east coast of the African continent came not as a result of any prearranged imperialistic desire to colonize the area but rather as a consequence of anti-slave activity in England and the desire of London to retain its authority in Egypt. After several anti-slave trade treaties and an abortive attempt by the Khedive of Egypt to annex the area of East Africa, Sir William MacKinnon attempted to gain a concession from the Sultan of Zanzibar This plan failed due to the adverse action taken by Lord Salisbury, then British Prime Minister. A period of British inactivity followed. Several opportunities did present themselves during this time, but Great Britain declined to accept them. as a result of increased European, and especially German, interest in the East Coast, the area was partitioned between Germany and Great Britain. At this same time, MacKinnon again became interested in the area and in the possibility of forming a company to open up the interior of the Dark Continent. The members of the board which made possible the Emin Pasha relief expedition then formed the Imperial British East Africa Company in order to carry out MacKinnon's designs. The company received a concession from the sultan of Zanzibar and was officially chartered by the British Government. The first year of the company was one in which it completely impoverished itself by attempting to extend its influence to the region of the Great Lakes in East-Central Africa. Because the company was undercapitalized, because Lord Salisbury became disgruntled with MacKinnon's leadership, and because Bismarck declared that East Africa was not, after all, a valuable area for German interests, the Anglo-German Agreement of 1890 was settled. This agreement allowed Great Britain to assume a protectorate over the island of Zanzibar and to declare direct governmental control over the coast of East Africa. |
