The extension of the railway from Moshi to Arusha was completed in 1929. [the line from Tanga to Moshi was started in 1891 by the Germans and completed in 1911].

Arusha, 4,732 ft., 271 m. from Tanga, pop. about 350 (Bloem’s Hotel), is a military station (K.A.R.) with two missions, and is the business centre of a district located on the slopes of Mount Meru, with a considerable white population. In fact, owing to the more generous rainfall on the northern side, the slopes of the lesser mountain support the larger population of the two. In both cases white settlement is hampered by the large number of natives already on the land.

Arusha was occupied by the British on March 20th, 1916.

A road (light cars, dry weather only) leads to the S.W. from Arusha to Kondoa Irangi, 167m. and Dodoma, 209m. on the E.A. Central Rly., and thence to Mwaya on Lake Nyasa. 728m. total, and a road runs N. to Longido, 52m., Kajiado, 120m., and Nairobi, 180m. total to the N.

It is proposed to continue the road from Arusha to Kondoa Irangi and Dodoma and the East African Central Railway, i.e. a distance of about 280m. from Moshi.

The soil of the surrounding district is mainly volcanic ash, of great fertility, capable of producing magnificent crops of coffee, maize and cotton