Lourenço Marques, January 19th of 1946.

”Dear Prime Minister of the Portuguese Republic. I would like to report that the State of East Africa is developing in an interesting manner. Our colonial efforts have been developing in an appropriate manner, with cities like our capital, Lourenço Marques whose infrastructure is getting better at the moment. Me, the High Commissary and General-Governor of the State of East Africa, José Tristão de Bettencourt, has developed a new development plan for the colony. With funds from Portugal itself, combined with our funds, we can develop a joint-venture railway company to construct a colony-wide railway line. The first phase would go from Lourenço Marques to Imhambané, the second from Imhambané to Beira and the final phase from Beira to Moma. This would aid us in the transportation of goods and increase our infrastructure. The entire railway line will take five years to develop with a cost of US$2.263 billion dollars or PTE$64.495 billion. It would thus cost us a yearly rate of US$424 million or PTE$12.084 billion; divided by two, it is US$212 million dollars for each of us a year. I am confident that the Portuguese Republic can spare this amount for the State of East Africa for the development of our colony. Since there is already a railway line between Inhambané and Inharrime, we have been saved a total of US$28 million. With respect and dedication to the Republic, José Tristão de Bettencourt.

The Establishment of the Mozambique Rail Company.

The joint-venture between East Africa and the Republic of Portugal would take shape in the ‘Companhia de Trens de Moçambique’ or the Mozambique Rail Company (MRC). This company would be managed by Portuguese instructors and management while natives would do the intensive labor of constructing railway lines. The operation of trains would be left to Portuguese workers and the construction of the trains themselves would also be left to the MRC with technical expertise from the Portuguese Republic; it is imperative that our state companies are able to develop their own equipment which can only happen with aid from the Portuguese Republic itself.