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7/11/1950 - Oxford to Mombasa by John B. George

JBG Oxford Mombasa NOT FOR PUi LIC INSTITUTE OF CURRENT VJORLD AFFAIRS Manor Hotel Mombasa British East Africa July Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Mr Rogers By I intended Nairobi first stages study High Connnission interterritorial governing East Africa terriorles Kenya Tanganyika Uganda Zanzibar But intention based undue faith speed efficiency Union Castle Mail Steamship Company similar qualities customs personnel The Durban Castle docked which marked completion London Mombasa automobile moment still hidden cargo holds covered cases whisky something After initial period fuming pleading during which I conside rably amused various shipping officials I accepted reality relaxed languorously embraced concept manana prevalent malaria Mombasa Island To local representative Vauxhall Motor Company whose export department aboard London lading notification I handed whole business getting unloaded serviced erally prepared through Nalrobi In meantime I taken hotel close enough Vauxhall office enable needle harass receive promises Mombasa despite position degrees south equator fairly fortable hotel night built shutters verandas court spaces somewhat suggestive Maugham stories tropics So delay having enjoyable interesting aspects American consu Dean Hinton several British acquaintances giving taste East pitality Mr Hinton drove around Island dinner evening spent farewell andhello party shipboard friends sailing round Mombasa residents introduced yesterday afternoon evening latter group several swimming White Sands Beach beautiful palmy stretch inside where shark scare great other places Mombasa Club dinner The particular hosts evening Mr Mrs Ian Gavin other British couples moved Burma Kenya Ian about fifty charge sugar holdings Mogaung itkyina North Burma before We exchanged memories about which I served Mrrills Marauders The Mombasa Club beautiful place night dinner being served seaside veranda palms crowded around It picture appealing member society which I heard discussed Oxford At first glance friendly helpful serious moderate writers Journalists suggested In there seems confirmation feeling require relatively little effort understand attitudes behavior European section popula application standards norms Will correct The problems Africa themselves walks drives through native sections Island general poverty crowding contrasts living standards between native Indian Indian European evidences degradation moral backsliding processes urbanizing large numbers migrant laborers fresh tribal areas I reninded again Professor Herskovitz telling native Eurbpean imponderable factor African puzzle Aside paying particular attention interterritorial customs service other pertinent agencies which I contacted during business landing getting organized I specific observations pertaining thesis But Mombasa number Kenya Colony Protectorate principal serving Uganda north T_anganylka ocean terminus highway communications Lake Victoria deserves little tourlst stage observations The period delay I Will fairly spent The reason planning remain Nairobi logical place start Another feature holdup I sketch happenings newsletter brief travel account bring Colonial Services Club Oxford Mombasa The period covered happily broken conference which arranged Oxford narrative sketchy indeed As I indicated conference I found seminar symposium subject colonial administration University Bristol informative worth while The notes I while listening various speakers scholars colonial affairs practical administra alike value I ritlng thesis The quality particular material enhanced multi natlonal character speakers membersof French Dutch Belgian Portugese schools colonial government The symposium Oxfor during latter April effect studies since Trinity actually under month Shortly after began Jordan Severinghaus another associate Institute South Africa years arrived Oxford He Sally ideas about African affairs ideas especially valuable because several months I getting Oxford Colonial Office points The I continued study spent several hospital having tonsils having amusing experience being given through staff error Radcliffe Infirm plate peppered curry first surgery applied received East African visas enjoyably gatherlng Insttute people Neston Manor Hopcroft Holt I recall Sev I another could strike times hanging sixteenth century beams casements After gathering I continued reading tutorials leaving lectures interests having study specific material thesis I visited London number times getting information East Africa Office making final travel shipping arrangements making acquaintance Mr Rogers replaced Mr Wallace member Colonial Office especially concerned East African affairs Mr Rogers young rgetic civil servant considerable experiance colonies personal letters Mr C B A Darling East Africa High Commission Nalrob Mr G B Cartland Secre tarlat Uganda Mr E R F Surrlge Secretariat Tangayka Sir Vincent Glnday Zanzibar These figures administration government people number three osltons their respective agencies story enough patiently interested outsider Mr Rogers agreed better initial tactsth official belng confine relationshipsth territorial governors proper formal calls MY efforts Oxford devoted trying determine Jus criteria doctorate thesis On I received evasive cagey answers powerful service least being qualities originality usual emphasis placed standard academic features JBG synthesis previous meticulous research careful documentation I intend these siderations cramp observations preliminary writings The suggestion gathering I first record impressions early conclusions formal uninhibited manner later write Oxford requirements seems procedure My Oxford included attending program speeches Town Hall famous Reverend Michael Scott Miss Perham speaking relations South Africa I spent Oxford visiting saying goodbye various friends among Mr George Turner Headmaster Charterhouse School I guest overnight British public school about business It especially interesting observe Spartan living conditions pupils ordered discipline system chain command among pupils intelligent respon slble lively humored young I noticed nospec alfnceas Headmaster making rounds during compulsory daily chapel service I hether accounts generally esteem affection Charterhouse alumnae I Mr Turner During hours London I touch Mr Stoneman Chicago Daily Ne Mr Russel New York Hearld Tribune Conversation Mr Stoneman fined minutes telephone Just leaving Paris I managed exchange ideas Mr Stoneman plans East Africa Kampala Everything except aforementioned trouble Vauxhall Motors shipping department Union Castle Line The English Channel Indian Ocean acted beginning Red Sea through desert Suez canal definition whole experience I would without Other immediate civil servants I traveling first class passengers becoma acquainted The melted about through Mediterranean I hailed toist young vaguely associated memory Oxford turned Gov ernor Tanganyika After become habit gather before dinner tourist barWith psrtyofriends around One evening lazes travel tourist could spend bloody extra JBG booze friends meaning I answered snide reference inept society economically backward seller market everything including transportation foreign traveller passage ahead travel first class robbed There truth I thought The service tourist Durban Castle consider better above despite first class quota means filled I noticed waiters stewards below helpful attitude serving their equals thanthoseabove serving groupof peoplewhowere above Occasional donna temper British class consciousness exists feelings attitudes which caused servants salaries beyond middle class reach travel lious I ashore around stops Gibralter Port Said Aden varied interesting impressions At Gibralter outstanding sociological presslon overwhelming predominance Indians retail business I observed their commercial conquests Africa Burma I found prising foothold westerly continent itself In Port Said I carefully hints geographical location buffer First there annocement cameras taken ashore pictures during Said through Suez Canal While moored waiting pontoon tooladder flights British aircraft Vpire Jets Mosquito bombers military transports Most indicative conversation I during evening Arab shopkeeper named Ibrahim Over glass asked Mr Talbot Mr Ainsworth Colonial officers myself there talked Soviets their operations They people money They proses fools their because property under munism sleep breed effort In Egypt Russians consulate times business money trouble They strong longrIththey bluff mostly bluff Ibrahim middle impressive baldness curved profile always shown classic Jap anese drangs He nearly talking routine questions about details General Store It larger mingle showroom stores JBG The significance seems extreme interest world politics evinced While I relate conversation which reasons conclusions clearly indicated egree understanding which would credit professor politics Perhaps large group really effective individuals critical Suez ability understand simpllfied oganlzed ideas West while communist agents trying Marxism local masses At through Red Sea where watching would always afford porpoise shark passed through series bleak islands Gulf Aden We moored Aden evening which I spent ashore officer RAF regiment compar4v Pat Howard captain Royal Irish Fusiliers taveling Durban Aden tourist smaller dingier Port Said To tourist itwas little emphatic identity middle oriental seaport blindfolded serious sinus infection Regarding these three ports I three definite conclusions Fir Prudential Insurance Company better revise their trade symbolism Gibralter ultimate permanence impregnability In power airstrip overlooked hundred yards Spanish pillboxes strategically permanent stored supply water ammunition property tactical impregnability would factor small importance enemy immediately concerned Mediterranean Second Kipling should thought twice before stating Vic torian Tomm heart desire shipped sOmewhere Suez Immediately southeast Suez Syrian Desert Red Sea I concede Victorian Tommy swashbuckling Burmese women livable climate conspicuously absent distance beyond Port Said Third Poe inference The Raven might clasp sainted maiden Aden hogwash There nothing about Aden smacks celestial refined vlrtuous The remainder through Gulf Aden Indian Ocean cloudy little rough places effects monsoon winds Captain On July rounded African Horn orchestra played program American patriotic songs Marching Through Georgia being repeated There Neptune ceremony crossed equator event worth mentioning tough engine which quite teresting previous motor engines I Kungsholm different design I folleed everalled grease smeared engineer efficer through machinery banked narre gangways looking reciprecatlng diesel units petered strekes producing O00 Each could disconnected serviced independently ethers freshwater ceoled The starting cempressed screws shafted directly cramkshafs engines stepped reVersed befere ceuld peered On thing I think Sev semethlng about lecatlen engines They forward shafting fifteen inches diameter through series massive radial bearings stern I noted cunter retate times prepel England Membasa One discovery I I during Red Sea refrigeration plant could stand frested brine ceils freezing temperature This engine servlce units poered separate smaller desel units An ultra amateur impression I carried prominade British conservatism nohere manifest their design plants Thus ended peacetime ocean The merning I aroused smell tropical vegetation coming through ventilator shore palms mangroves loking docks godoas Mombasa Island I geedbye shipmates hailed ceuple barefoeted bantu perters carry moved ashore encounter difficulties described beginning letter And I learned these difficulties overceme MY unloaded except jimmied during voyage mirror breken hsting TomorroI11drivehalfaytoNairobi overnight Mac Inn drive itself The ocean onderful But after perhaps because unreasonable impatience instilled during spell artime discomfort airplanes preference definitely travel After first Oth Century ashore sincerely yeurs George Mailed Nairobi July Received New York