The more the number of Africans who can read and write their mother tongue increases, and the more books, newspapers, and magazines are printed in Africa, the more pressing becomes the necessity of introducing a good, legible system of writing these languages wherever it is lacking. For this reason the Institute has begun to occupy itself with the production of such a system of orthography, and it therefore seems opportune to consider more closely the method and scope of this undertaking before making detailed proposals for a practical orthography.