Page "History of Kenya" Paragraph 22

By 1850 European explorers had begun mapping the interior.

Three developments encouraged European interest in East Africa in the first half of the nineteenth century.

First, was the emergence of the island of Zanzibar, located off the east coast of Africa.

Zanzibar became a base from which trade and exploration of the African mainland could be mounted.

By 1840, to protect the interests of the various nationals doing business in Zanzibar, consul offices had been opened by the British, French, Germans and Americans.

In 1859, the tonnage of foreign shipping calling at Zanzibar had reached 19, 000 tons.

By 1879, the tonnage of this shipping had reached 89, 000 tons.

The second development spurring European interest in Africa was the growing European demand for products of Africa including ivory and cloves.

Thirdly, British interest in East Africa was first stimulated by their desire to abolish the slave trade.

Later in the century, British interest in East Africa would be stimulated by German competition, and in 1887 the Imperial British East Africa Company, a private concern, leased from Seyyid Said his mainland holdings, a 10-mile ( 16-km )- wide strip of land along the coast.