On Friday, August 17th, when the Foreign Office Vote was
under discussion, Sir Charles Dllke raised certain questions connected with the Niger Company. The Company's monopoly was so close that they would not even allow the missionaries. to navigate the river except in the Company's boats. A great. part of their profits,was made out of the liquor traffic with the natives. From all he heard, there was no law in the country, and the agents were absolute. Sir Edward Grey, though he admitted the difficulties connected with the system, of administering Colonial possessions through Chartered Companies, pointed out that the Niger Company had been most successful, and that this had created " unfriendly rivals " at home. No doubt a good deal of the revenue was raised from the drink traffic, but it did not appear that this item was increasing. Very possibly the attacks on the Niger Company are quite undeserved, but no one can say the situation, as regards the Chartered Companies, is satisfactory. If they prosper, the Home Government has no control over them, whatever. If they fail, we have to step in and accept the responsibilities they have created.
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