Zanzibar Island, indeed, itself fell under a German form of suzerainty
from this date until 1890, when Germany resigned all claims over the
island to Great Britain, in exchange for the cession of Heligoland.
The slopes of Kilima 'Njaro were the scene of the busiest activities
of German agents prior to the appointment of a Commission for the
delimitation of the respective British and German boundaries.
Although the concessions granted to Mr H. H. Johnston in this desirable
region were considerably earlier than any German grants, our
Government agreed to allow all claims to remain in abeyance pending the
deliberations and decision of the joint Boundary Commission.
Under the agreement come to by Great Britain and Germany as the result
of the report of the Commission (1886), a strip of coastline 600
miles in length was left to the Sultan of Zanzibar in addition to his
islands, while he gave up all claims to Kilima 'Njaro.
Under the agreement practically the whole of the magnificent Kilima
'Njaro region, with its fertile slopes and foothills, was, through
an uncalled-for fit of generosity on the part of Great Britain, made
over to Germany--a concession which was made, it was said, to humour
a sentimental wish expressed by the Kaiser to possess the highest
mountain in Africa.
The effect of this concession was, however, to place severe
restrictions upon the development of British East Africa, and
threatened to confine British enterprise to exceedingly narrow limits.
Meanwhile Portugal could not look on with equanimity at the
partitioning out by Great Britain and the upstart Power, Germany, of
territory the history of which was permeated by her traditions, and
protested against being excluded from the deliberations of the Powers.
In view of the fact, however, that Portugal's claims were based upon
ancient rights held only by hazy recollection, and that she had never
exercised effective jurisdiction over the territory she claimed,
she was treated with scant consideration by Great Britain, and no
courtesy at all by Germany, who, however, emphatically demonstrated the
hopelessness of the position by warning Portugal that any action on her
part displeasing to Germany might result in the loss to her of any and
all territory she then held in Africa.
Portugal could but raise a loud lament and stamp in impotent rage; but
when, after the agreement of 1886, the Sultan of Zanzibar made coarse
references to the status of Portugal, the latter found her limit of
endurance, and developing a fit of naughty petulance, proceeded to
bombard for three days several unprotected native villages on the Bay
of Tungi, on the main coastline belonging to the Sultan, thereby by no
means impressing the world with an appreciation of Portugal's might.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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