Petroleum in Uganda

Abstract

MR. WAYLAND clearly shows in his excellent report that petroleum has formed in the Lake Albert depression, and I quoted from him to this effect. I consider, however, that neither seepage nor positive result of chloroform tests constitutes sufficient grounds on which to discuss “magnitude” of such formation, hence the omission in the quotation of six (not seven) words concerning these tests does not affect my comment. Regarding future prospects of petroleum development in Uganda, I agree with Mr. Wayland that it is wise to hope, since hope (unlike oil) springs eternal, but I still feel that the storehouses of petroleum of which he speaks may prove to be like the famous cupboard of the nursery rhyme, though this may be due to my conceptions of the laws governing distribution of oil within the earth's crust being somewhat different from those of Mr. Wayland. On the other hand, it is to be hoped that those responsible for initiating geological surveys in British dependencies are actuated by wider considerations than the possible chance of finding oil; there are other natural resources in the world besides petroleum, and this, quite apart from an obvious scientific motive, should be adequate economic reason for the governments concerned to follow the good example of Uganda.