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161 schools with 388 teachers and 16,827 pupils. The chief port, Pointe-desGalets, is connected by a railway of 83 miles with St. Benoit and St. Pierre. In 1887 this railway was taken over by the State. The chief productions are sugar (48,925 tons exported in 1903), rum (464,040 gallons), coffee, tapioca, vanilla, spices. In 1898 the live stock on the island was 2,345 horses, 2,950 mules, 3,495 oxen, 8,350 sheep, and 5,400 goats. Imports in 1903, 21,508,588 francs; exports, 19,191,900 francs. The chief imports were rice, grain, &c.; the chief exports were sugar (11,771,124 francs), vanilla, and tapioca (1,680,205 francs). Of the imports the value of 13,378,029 francs came from France and French colonies; of the exports the value of 18,720,915 francs went to France and French colonies. Shipping entered (1903), 103 vessels of 158,670 tons. The local budget for 1904 showed income and expenditure, 5,279,000 francs. Expenditure of France (budget 1905) 3,225,953 franes (including subvention of 2,082,722 francs for the railway and harbour). The Bank of Réunion has a capital of 3,000,000 francs and reserve fund of 1,500,000 francs.

St. Paul and Amsterdam, small islands in the Indian Ocean, belong to France.

Kerguelen, a desolate island, about 50 S. lat. and 70 E. long. was annexed by France in 1893.

British Consul at Réunion.-E. G. R. Maxse, C. M.G.
There is a British Vice-Consul at St. Denis.

FRENCH SOMALI COAST.

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The Somali Coast Protectorate, including the colony of Obock, extends from Cape Dumeira on the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb to Cape Gumarlé south of Tajura Bay. The territory has an area of about 46,000 square miles, and contains about 200,000 inhabitants. It is administered by a Governor with a Privy Council. The port of Obock was acquired for France in 1862, but it was not till 1884 that its active occupation began. In 1884 Sagallo and Tajurah were ceded to France; in 1885, Ambado; in 1888 the territory was delimited by agreement with Great Britain; in 1888 a port was created at Jibutil, now the seat of government. The colony of Obock and the neighbouring protected districts are administered by a governor. Jiboutil has about 15,000 inhabitants, of whom 2,500 are European. The natives are either of the Danakil or the Somali race. 1902, a French mission school (subventioned) for boys and one for girls were opened at Jiboutil with 50 pupils. The expenditure of France on the Somali coast (budget of 1905) was 727,500 francs. The local budget for 1904 balanced at 1,175,000 francs. The country has scarcely any industries, but with the coast fisheries and inland trade there is considerable traffic. In the year 1903 the imports amounted to the value of 7,530,221 franes, and the exports to 10,450,900 francs. The chief imports were food-stuffs, tobacco, beverages, cottons, silk goods, and Mocha coffee; the chief exports were ivory, wax, coffee, and living animals. The direct trade with France in 1902 amounted to 2,792,000 francs for imports, and 354,531 francs for exports. The exports of African produce amounted in 1902 to 5,945,156 francs. The value of goods re-exported to Abyssinia in 1902 amounted to 4,144,956 francs. Much of the traffic which formerly passed by way of Zailah and Aden now goes by the Jiboutil-Harar railway, which, since December 26, 1902, has been open for traffic between Jiboutil and Diré-Dawah, the station for Harar proper. The vessels of 3 French and 2 English shipping companies visit Jiboutil, which is also in communication with Aden by incans of many boats for local traffic. In 1902, 227 vessels of 391,048 tons entered at Jiboutil.

FRENCH WEST AFRICA AND THE SAHARA.

A convention between the United Kingdom and France, signed June 14, 1898, and ratified June 13, 1899, provides for the delimitation of their respective possessions and spheres of influence west and east of the River Niger. (For boundaries see STATESMAN'S YEAR-BOOK for 1901, page 598.) The British government undertakes to lease to France for purposes of commerce two pieces of land, one on the right bank of the Niger between Lealaba and the confluence of the rivers Moussa and Niger, and the other on one of the mouths of the Niger, each to form one block of from 25 to 120 acres with a river frontage not exceeding 436 yards; the lease, at first, to be for 30 years. It is further stipulated that, within the boundaries indicated in the convention, British and French as regards persons and merchandise shall enjoy for 30 years the same treatment in all matters of river navigation, of commerce, and of tariff and fiscal treatment and taxes of all kinds.

Under the Anglo-French Convention of April 8, 1904, the river port of Yarbatenda on the Gambia (belonging to the British colony of Gambia), with all its landing places, was ceded to France, and, if this port should prove inaccessible to sea-going merchantmen, access to the river will be granted to France at an accessible point lower down. At the same time the Los Islands, now belonging to Sierra Leone, are to be ceded to France.

To the east of the Niger, under the same convention, the boundary between French and British territory has been altered. The frontier line will still coincide with the northern arc of the circle having Sokoto as its centre and a radius of 100 miles, but only to a point about 3 miles south of the spot where the arc intersects the road from Dosso to Matankari (i.e. on the Dallul Mauri, about 45 miles east of Dosso). Thence the course of the new boundary is too intricate to be described here. It will run eastwards to Lake Chad with occasional curvatures northwards and southwards, and will lie, on the whole, from 50 to 80 miles to the south of the boundary agreed to in 1898. The effect of the alteration will be to provide the French with a better route from the Niger region to Zinder and Lake Chad, while it will transfer an area of about 8,000 square miles from British to French territory.

The boundary between the French Sahara and the Spanish territory of the Rio de Oro and Adrar on the coast was determined by a convention signed June 17, 1900. The western side of Cape Blanco is given to Spain and the eastern with the Bay to France, the boundary running inland along the parallel of 21° 20′ N. lat. till it meets the meridian of 13° W. of Greenwich, whence it proceeds northwards in such a course as to leave Adrar Temur and the salt deposits of Idjil to France.

By a Convention between Great Britain and France the former recognised the right of France to all territory west of the Nile basin, which practically includes the whole of the Sahara (inclusive of the Libyan Desert), and the State of Wadai. The French Sahara may be roughly estimated at about 1 million square miles.

French West Africa was brought under one general government by decree of June 16, 1895. By decree of October 17, 1899, this government was reorganised, and the French Sudan as a separate colony was abolished, its territories being portioned among Senegal, French Guinea, the Ivory Coast, and Dahomey. By decree of October 1, 1902, there was further re-organisation, and the constituent parts of French West Africa are now as follows:(1) The colony of Senegal, (2) French Guinea, (3) the Ivory Coast, (4) Dahomey, (5) the Territories of Senegambia and of the Niger. The Senegambia and Niger Territories consist of the protectorate which was formerly dependent on Senegal, the territories of the Upper Senegals

of the Middle Niger, and the Military Territories, all being united under one administrative and financial régime. In 1903 the French Protectorate was extended over the Moorish tribes of Trarza and Brakra to the north of the lower Senegal, and for these territories a provisional government, with civil and military functionaries, has been formed under the name of Mauritanie. Over the whole of French West Africa there is a Governor-General, who is assisted by a Secretary and by a Council, the seat of the general government being at Dakar. The four colonies are each under a LieutenantGovernor, who is controlled in his administration by the Governor-General, while the territories are administered directly by the Governor-General through the Secretary-General, the Permanent Delegate at Kayes and the Delegate for Mauritanie. The Budgets of the Colonies and Territories are decreed by the Governor-General; the colonies are required to contribute annually an amount fixed by the Governor-General towards the expenditure of the Territories.

The expenditure of France on French West Africa, according to the budget of 1905, amounts to 16,013,302 francs, most of which is military expenditure. In July, 1903, the Governor-General of French West Africa was authorised to contract a loan of 65,000,000 francs for railways, port works, and sanitary works. The military forces consist of 9,644 men, of whom 7,214 are natives.

A uniform system of education for the whole of French West Africa was established by a Decree of November 24, 1903. Schools are being founded for elementary primary, superior and commercial primary, and technical education, with a central normal school for training native teachers for the village schools. The whole system is supervised by a Director of Education for French West Africa.

The use of French weights and measures, and money, is compulsory throughout French West Africa.

The colony of Senegal proper, by Decree of February 13, 1904, has been reduced to :

1. The four municipal communes of St. Louis, the capital of the Colony (population, 24,070); Dakar, a fortified naval station, and the seat of the Government General of French West Africa (population, 18,447); Rufisque (population, 12,446); and Goree (population, 1,560). The total area is 438 square miles, and the population, according to the census of May 1, 1904, 107,826 (including 2,804 Europeans). The natives of these towns are French citizens, and have the right of vote.

2. The territories of direct administration, in which the Government exercises absolute authority, which consist of :-

The district of Tivaouane and one kilometre on each side of the DakarSt. Louis Railway.

A rectangle with a front of two kilometres and a depth of one kilometre around the posts of Richard Toll, Dagana, Podor, Saldé, Matam, and Bakel on the river Senegal; Kaolack, Fatick, and the island of Foundiounge in the Sine-Saloum; Sedhiou, Ziguinchor, and the island of Carabane on the river Casamance; and Portudal, Nianing, and Joal on the sea coast east of Rufisque. In these territories the natives are not French citizens, and are not

electors.

Outside the above limits everything belongs to Senegambia-Niger. The Colony is represented in the French Parliament by a deputy, elected by the four communes.

Education is supervised by the Director of Education for French West

Africa under the Decree of 1903. All towns having a sufficiently numerous European or assimilated native population have urban schools giving the same instruction as the French primary schools, modified to suit local requirements. At Dakar there is a superior technical school common to all the colonies. At St. Louis are a superior commercial primary school also common to all the colonies, and a normal school for the training of native teachers, and of interpreters, kadis (native judges), and chiefs' sons.

No grants-in-aid are now made to the clerical schools most of which have been suppressed.

The local budget for 1904 balanced at 5,710,916 francs. Of the total receipts, 4,398,142 francs are from Customs duties.

The natives cultivate ground-nuts, millet, maize, and some rice; other products are castor beans, some coco-nuts, gum from the Sahara, and rubber from the Caramance river. Ground-nuts form the bulk of the exports.

Native industries comprise weaving, pottery, brick-making and jewellery. The imports in 1903 amounted to 58,847,911 fiancs, and the exports to 43,709,663 francs, both including specie. The chief imports were cottons, 13,544,166 francs (6,106,324 directly from Great Britain), foodstuffs, 14,198,632 francs, metalwork, coal, wood, beverages. The chief exports were ground-nuts, 34,574,782 francs, rubber, 3,268,132 francs.

In 1903, 499 vessels of 602,059 tons (273 of 370,072 tons French) entered at the ports of Senegal, and 484 of 580,267 tons (263 of 359,270 tons French) cleared.

There are 1,241 miles of telegraph and about 200 miles of telephone lines. There is a railway which connects Dakar, Rufisque and St. Louis (163 miles).

There is a river service on the Senegal from St. Louis to Kayes, the capital of Senegambia-Niger (490 sea miles), during the rainy season, and extensive works for the improvement of the river have been carried out. The Senegal is closed to foreign flags. Dakar, the principal port, is in regular communication with French ports by the steamers of 4 French lines, and with Liverpool and Hamburg by a British and a German line. Works are in progress for the extension and deepening of the harbour, the erection of sheds and workshops, and the construction of a large dry dock. The Bank of West Africa, with a capital of 1,500,000 francs, was founded in 1901 for the purpose of carrying on financial, industrial, or commercial operations; with it the Bank of Senegal at St. Louis has been fused.

British Consul at Dakar.-Capt. C. F. Cromie. Vice- Consul.-H. G. Mackie.

French Guinea lies on the coast between Portuguese Guinea and the British colony of Sierra Leone, and extends inland so as to include the territories of Dinguiray, Siguiri, Kurussa, Kankan, Kissidugo, and Beyla. The area is about 95,000 square miles, and the population is estimated at about 2,200,000. The centres of population are Konakry, the capital, on the Isle of Tombo, Boké (inland on the Rio Nunez), Dubréka, Timbo, Kouroussa and Siguiri (two latter on the Niger). In 1897 there were 7 schools with 11 teachers and 426 pupils (85 being girls). A regular system of Government lay schools has recently been introduced all over French West Africa, to take the place of the schools conducted by the religious orders. The products are palm oil and nuts, millet, earthnuts, gum, rubber, and coffee, which is grown in the Nunez region. There is an experimental garden near Konakry where the culture of bananas, pine apples, rubber trees, and other plants is being tried. Futa Jallon contains cattle in abundance; gold is found in the Bouré and Siké districts. In

1903 the imports amounted to 17,942,974 francs (7,899,364 francs from Great Britain), and the exports to 14,264,669 francs (7,262,416 francs to Great Britain). The cotton goods imported were of the value of 7,748,884 francs. The chief exports were rubber, 11,388,798 francs, cattle, 805,550 francs, and palm kernels, 563,902 francs. The local budget for 1904. balanced at 5,100,000 francs. A road from Konakry to the Niger has been made, and will be connected by branches with the railway stations. The railway which is to run from Konakry to the Niger is constructed as far as Kindia (83 miles), and will meet the Niger at Kouroussa. The jetty, 1,066 feet long, at Konakry has been completed. In the colony there are 1,060 miles of telegraph line. Konakry is visited regularly by the steamers of two French, one English, and one German company.

The Ivory Coast lies between Liberia and the British Gold Coast Colony, and, including the kingdom of Kong, extends inland to the military territories of the French Sudan. The French obtained and asserted rights on the coast about 1843, but did not actively and continuously occupy the territory till 1883. The colony has an area of about 200,000 square miles and a population of about 3,000,000; the Europeans number about 300. The native population of the regions under French admini stration was (according to returns based on the payment of the capita. tion tax) 1,139,359, while that of other regions was estimated at 815,000. The local budget for 1903 balanced at 2,586,600 francs. The seat of administration is now Bingerville, formerly called Adjamé, where extensive building operations are now in progress. The principal centres of population and of trade are Grand Bassam, the former capital, with a lagoon forming an excellent harbour of refuge, Assinie, Grand Lahou Elima. In 1893 there were no schools for natives, but the Government is about to introduce its educational system. For a time there was a mission school at Grand Bassam, but the pupils never exceeded 30 in number. The natives cultivate maize, plantains, bananas, pineapples, and other fruits; European coffee culture is successful; coco-nuts and rubber are collected. The mahogany forests inland are worked; gold is found near Grand Bassam and mining is assuming importance. In 1902 the imports amounted to the value of 10,305,000 franes and the exports to 7,112,000 francs. Of the imports the value of 2,292,000 francs came from France, and of the exports 2,433,000 francs went to France. The chief exports were rubber, palm oil, and mahogany. The ports of the Colony are visited by the liners of two French, one British (Elder, Dempster), one German, and one Belgian shipping company. It is proposed to create a port and railway at Bassam, and a sum of 10,000,000 francs has been assigned from the colonial loan for this purpose. The port works at Petit Bassam (now called Port Bouet) are in progress, and from Abijean, on the north side of the lagoon, the railway is being constructed; the first stretch of 110 miles to Eryma Kulie is expected to be completed in 1906. Telegraph lines connect the principal towns and extend to adjoining colonies. Telephonic communication exists between Bassam and Bingerville and other places.

British Vice Consul at Grand Bassam.-J. P. Armstrong.

Dahomey stretches from the coast between German Togoland on the west and the British possessions of Lagos and Nigeria on the east, and extends northwards to the French Military Territories, having been increased in 1900 by the addition of the territories of Say and Nebba or Kwala. France obtained a footing on the coast in 1851, and gradually extended her power until in 1894 the whole kingdom of Dahomey was annexed. The Kingdom of Abomey formally existed till 1900, but in that year the King, in con

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