St. Vincent: public works, 2, 1097.; debt charges, 2,0907.; St. Lucia: public works, 8,8021.; debt charges, 7,9657.; Grenada: public works, 4,0357.; Trinidad: public works, 103, 5227.; police, 47,0997.; debt charges, 56,7247.; Leeward Islands: public works, 12,595.; debt charges, 14, 6707.; police, 9,6687.

In 1903 the Public Debt of Jamaica was 3,902, 6647.; of Bahamas, 104,9267.; of Barbados, 428, 600l. ; of Trinidad, 1,104,0337.; of St. Vincent, 6,7701.; of Grenada, 123, 6707.; of Montserrat, 11, 1007.; of St. Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla, 72,2507.; St. Lucia, 178, 8807.; Antigua, 136, 6717.; Dominica, 65,0007.

In 1902, Jamaica imported cottons worth 348, 2067.; fish, 171,6487.; flour, 151,1927.; rice, 33, 3427. Trinidad imported flour, 182,3217.; textiles, 62,3337.; rice, 116, 6107. ; machinery and hardware, 221,6837. Bahamas: textiles, 44,5307.; flour, 39,7307. Barbados: textiles, 132,8847.; flour, 49,3801.; rice, 66,6907.; fish, 54,9267. St. Lucia: cottons, 21,9557. machinery, &c., 28, 3637.; Leeward Islands: cottons, 91,7957.; flour, 62,3297.; fish, 21,8007. Grenada: flour, 24, 2907.; textiles, 40,7767. St. Vincent: textiles, 15,5837.

Trinidad alone, in 1902, exported sugar valued at 410,000Z.; cocoa, 1,078,4987.; asphalt, 170,5631. Jamaica exported sugar, 167, 6637.; rum, 156,5817.; coffee, 130,7757.; bananas, 1,134,7507.; oranges, 101,0507.; spices (pimento), 92,0627.; wood, 124,7117. Barbados: sugar, 301,6027.; molasses, 119,7287. Bahamas: sponge, 97,5847.; pine-apples, 46, 4047.; fibre, 37,5741. Grenada: cocoa, 268,2507. St. Lucia: sugar, 23,0291.; cocoa, 31,9767. Leeward Islands: sugar, 176,751.

Total imports into Great Britain from the Britihs West Indies in 1902, according to Board of Trade returns, 2,149,223. (sugar, 496,571.; rum, 233,3687.; cocoa, 586,0037.; fruits, 302,9587.; spices, 104, 1417.)

Exports from Great Britain to West Indies in 1902, 2.009.1017. (cottons,

STATISTICS OF WEST INDIES

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551,8307.; apparel, 228,5007.; leather and saddlery, 80,2907.; iron, 108,2437.; manure, 69,4797.; machinery, 59, 7007.; beer and ale, 59,7637.).

Each of the West Indian Islands has its own tariff, the import duties being in some cases ad valorem, in others specific. In the Bahamas the ad valorem duties are usually 20 per cent.; in Jamaica, 163 per cent.; in the Windward Islands, from 7 to 15 per cent.; in the Leeward Islands, from 10 to 13 per cent.; in Trinidad, 5 per cent. Each colony has its own list of duty-free articles which are usually numerous, including agricultural machinery, manures, fencing, &c.

The total tonnage entered and cleared (foreign trade) in 1902 was as follows:

1,044,588 Grenada
1,419,335 Virgin Islands 12,774
2,274,393 St. Kitts and

577,035

494,988 1,593,597

Turks Islands 348,335

St. Lucia

1,680,083

Nevis
Antigua

575,972

Total (1902) 11,203,272

516,108

Total (1901) 10,675,203

285,706

St. Vincent. 380,358 Montserrat.

Of the total tonnage returned in 1900, 7,209, 808; in 1901, 7,524,704 tons; in 1902, 7,817,967 tons was British.

Currency, weights and measures throughout the islands are those of Great Britain, though in several of them various American coins are current.

The total amount of the grants in aid of the local revenues of the West Indian Islands, voted for the year 1902-03, was 307,3677., including a grant of 250,000l. in aid of the sugar industry. For 1903-04 the total amount was 52,6827. of which 33,500 was for steamer subsidies, and 12, 1821. for agricultural instruction, &c.

Books of Reference on the West Indies.

The Jamaica Gazette. Weekly. Kingston, Jamaica.

The Official Gazette. Twice a week. Bridgeton, Barbados.

Report of the West India Royal Commission, 1897, with Appendices. 4 vols. London, 1897. Correspondence relating to the Sugar Industry in the West Indies. London, 1897. Correspondence and Further Correspondence relating to the Finances and Government of the Island of Jamaica. London, 1899 and 1900.-Correspondence and Further Correspondence relating to the Hurricane of September, 1898, &c. London, 1899. Statistical Abstract for the Colonies, &c. Annual. London. Colonial Office List. Annual. London.

Blue Books of the respective Colonies.

Bates (H. W.), Central America, the West Indies, and South America.
London, 1882.

Bulkeley (O. T.), The Lesser Antilles. S. London, 1889.
Caldecot (A.), The Church in the West Indies. London, 1898.
Cundall (F.), Studies in Jamaica History. London, 1900.

Drayton (E.), The Grenada Handbook. London, 1898.

Eversley T. Fitz Evan), The Trinidad Reviewer. London, 1900.

Eves (C. W.), The West Indies. 4th ed. 8. London, 1897.

Fiske (A. K.), History of the West Indies. New York, 1899.

Fraser (S. J.), Barbados Directory. Barbados, 1898.

Froude (J. A.), The English in the West Indies. 8. London, 1888.

Handbook for Jamaica. Annual. London.

2nd ed. S.

Hill (R. T.), The Geology and Physical Geography of Jamaica. Cambridge, Mass., 1899. Jay (E. A. H.), A Glimpse of the Tropics. London, 1900.

Kingsley (Charles), At Last: A Christmas in the West Indies. 2 vols. 8. London, 1871. Langford (O. V.), History of Antigua. 3 vols. London, 1899.

Livingstone (W. P.), Black Jamaica. London, 1900.

Powles (L. D.), The Land of the Pink Peari. 8. London, 1888.

Pullen-Burry (B.), Jamaica as it is. London, 1903.

Reclus (E.), Nouvelle Géographie Universelle. Vol. XVII. 8. London, 1888.

Rodway (J.), The West Indies and The Spanish Main. 8. London, 1896.

Root (J. W.). The British West Indies and the Sugar Industry. London, 1899.

Schomburgk (Sir R. H.), History of Barbados. 8. London, 1848.

Stark (J. H), Guides to the West Indies. 6 vols. London, 1898.

ker (H. de R.), The West Indies and the Empire (1900-01). London, 1901.

AUSTRALASIA AND OCEANIA.

The British Colonies in Australasia comprise the selfgoverning States which now now form the Commonwealth of Australia; the Australian Dependency of British New Guinea, the self-governing colony of New Zealand, and the Crown colony of Fiji. The British possessions in Oceania include the Tonga Islands and many other groups of islands and islets scattered over the Pacific.

THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA.

The Commonwealth of Australia, consisting of the six colonies (now denominated Original States) of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania, was proclaimed at Sydney January 1, 1901. After five of these colonies had, by legislative enactments, approved by the direct vote of the electors, declared their desire for a Federal Union, the British Parliament, on July 9, 1900, passed the Act to constitute the Commonwealth. This Act provided for the inclusion of *Western Australia in the Federation if that colony so desired, and in the following month the colonial legislation necessary for this end was passed.

Legislative power is vested in a Federal Parliament, consisting of the King, a Senate, and a House of Representatives, the King being represented by a Governor-General. The Senate consists of Senators (six for each of the Original States) chosen for six years by the electors voting in each State, except Queensland, as one electorate. In general, the Senate will be renewed to the extent of one-half every three years, but, in case of prolonged disagreement with the House of Representatives, it may be dissolved, and an entirely new Senate elected. The House of Representatives consists, as nearly as may be, of twice as many members as there are Senators, the numbers chosen in the several States being in proportion to the respective numbers of their people as shown by the latest statistics of the Commonwealth; but not less than five shall be chosen in any original State. the first House of Representatives the number is 75, distributed as follows: New South Wales, 26; Victoria, 23; Queensland, 9; South Australia, 7; Western Australia, 5; Tasmania, 5. Every House of Representatives will continue for three years from the date of its first meeting, unless sooner dissolved. Electoral qualifications are those of the several States; the qualifications of persons eligible for either House are prescribed by the Constitution. Every Senator or Member of the House of Representatives must be a natural-born subject of the King, or have been for five years a naturalised subject under a law of the United Kingdom or of a State of the Commonwealth. He must be of full age, must possess electoral qualification in his State, and must have resided three years within the Commonwealth.

For

The legislative powers of the Federal Parliament are extensive, and embrace, among other matters, commerce, railways, shipping, lighthouses, &c.; finance, defence; postal, telegraph, and like services; census and statistics; marriage and divorce, emigration and immigration; currency, banking, weights and measures; conciliation and arbitration in industrial disputes. The several State Parliaments retain legislative authority in all matters which are not transferred to the Federal Parliament. With respect

THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

297

to money bills, the House of Representatives has special powers, and provision is made for cases of disagreement between the two Houses.

The Executive power, vested in the King, is exercisable by the Governor-General, who is assisted by an Executive Council of seven Ministers of State. These Ministers are, or must become within three months, members of the Federal Parliament; they are paid salaries not exceeding, in all, 12,000l. a year. The Executive Government of the Commonwealth is constituted as follows:

Governor-General.-Right Hon. Lord Northcote, G.C.I.E., C.B., and Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs.-Hon. Alfred Deakin.

Attorney-General.- Hon. J. G. Drake.

Minister for Home Affairs.-Right Hon. Sir John Forrest, P.C., G. C. M.G
Treasurer.-Right Hon. Sir George Turner, P.C., K.C.M.G.

Minister for Trade and Customs. -Hon. Sir W. J. Lyne, K. C.M.G.
Minister for Defence.-Hon. Austin Chapman.
Postmaster-General.-Hon. Sir P. O. Fysh, K. C. M. G.

Vice-President of Executive Council.-Hon. Thomas Playford.

The Constitution provides for a Federal Judicature, for an inter-State Commission on Trade and Commerce, for the transfer of State officials, State property, and State debts to the Commonwealth, for the collection and expenditure of duties during the transition period, and for alteration of the Constitution. Difficulties have already arisen in connection with the interpretation of the Constitution and a measure has been passed providing, amongst other things, for the establishment of a High Court with extensive appellate and federal jurisdiction. The site for the permanent capital of the Commonwealth, which must be situated in New South Wales, and at a distance of at least one hundred miles from Sydney, has not yet been selected; in the meantime the Federal Government has its seat at Melbourne.

The area comprised within the limits of the Commonwealth, and the census population (exclusive of aborigines) in 1891 and 1901 are given as follows:

The Commonwealth budget, presented in the House of Representatives on July 28, 1903, showed actual revenue and expenditure for 1902-3, and

landed in January, 1898. The Dependency has invested surplus balances to the amount of 7,9477.

Commissioner.-William Douglas Young (salary 6007.); residence, Grand

Turk.

CAYMAN ISLANDS, attached to Jamaica, consist of Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, and Cayman Brae. Grand Cayman, 17 miles long, 4 to 7 broad; total population 4,322 (males, 1,904; females, 2,418). Good pasturage. Coco-nuts and turtle exported. The government is administered by a Commissioner. There are also magistrates appointed by the Governor of Jamaica.

The MORANT CAYS and PEDRO CAYS are also attached to Jamaica.

LEEWARD ISLANDS

Comprise Antigua (with Barbuda and Redonda), St. Kitts-Nevis (with Anguilla), Dominica, Montserrat, and the Virgin Islands, and lie to the north of the Windward group, and south-east of Porto Rico.

Governor and Commander-in-Chief.-Sir Gerald Strickland, K. C. M. G. (2,6007.). Colonial Secretary and Attorney-General.-E. St. John Branch (7507.)

The group is divided into 5 Presidencies, viz., Antigua (with Barbuda and Redonda) St. Kitts (with Nevis and Anguilla), Dominica, Montserrat, and the Virgin Islands. There is one Federal Executive Council nominated by the Crown, and one Federal Legislative Council, 8 nominated and 8 elective members. Of latter, 3 chosen by the unofficial members of the Local Legislative Council of Antigua, 2 by those of Dominica, and 3 by the non-official members of the Local Legislative Council of St. Kitts-Nevis. In Antigua and Dominica the representative element in the Legislature was suppressed in 1898. The Federal Legislative Council meets once a year. The following table shows the area and population of the Leeward Islands:

In 1891, 5,070 white, 23,320 coloured, and 99,333 black. In 1881 33,000 were Anglicans, 29,000 Roman Catholics, 30,000 Wesleyans, and 17,000 Moravians. Education is denominational. In 1901, 114 schools, with 23,273 pupils; Government grant, 6.2557. Also private schools. Grants of 2007. and 1007. per annum are made to two schools in Antigua, one for boys with 40 pupils, and the other for girls with 35 pupils. The grammar