Nevis, Anguilla, the Virgin Islands, and Dominica, the whole united under an Act of Parliament, passed in 1871; ninth, Newfoundland, not yet included in the Dominion of Canada; tenth, the Island of Trinidad; and, eleventh, the Windward Islands, comprising the formerly separate colonies of Barbadoes, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, and Tobago. In Africa, and nearest to the African continent, the colonial possessions are, first, the Island of Ascension, in the South Atlantic Ocean; second, the Cape of Good Hope, including, since 1865, British Kaffraria, and, since 1868, Basutoland; third, the Gambia settlement, on the west coast; fourth, the vaguely limited Gold Coast territory, greatly enlarged in 1872, by a cession of old Dutch settlements; fifth, the South African settlement of Grigualand West, proclaimed British territory October 27, 1871; sixth, the Island of Lagos, and territories on the mainland, ceded under treaty of August 6, 1861; seventh, the Island of Mauritius, and its dependencies, in the Indian Ocean; eight, Natal, separated from the Cape of Good Hope in 1856; ninth, the Island of St. Helena, in the South Atlantic; and, tenth, the territory of Sierra Leone, on the West Coast of Africa. In Asia, the colonial possessions are, first, the town and port of Aden, in Arabia, at the entrance of the Red Sea; second, the Island of Ceylon; third, the Island of Hong Kong; fourth, the Empire of India; fifth, the Island of Labuan, on the coast of Borneo; sixth, the Island of Parim, in the Red Sea; and, seventh, the Strait Settlements, comprising the Islands of Singapore and Penang, with the territory of Malacca, in the Indian Archipelago. Finally, in Australasia, the colonial possessions embrace the seven, at present separated but in all probability to be united, colonies of New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. The following table exhibits the date of acquisition, the area, and the form of government, of the whole of the Colonial Possessions of Great Britain at the end of 1874. The form of government is stated after the definition given in the 'Colonial Office List,' under which the colonies are divided into three classes, namely, first, Crown Colonies, in which the Crown has the entire control of legislation, while the administration is carried on by public officers under the control of the Home Government; secondly, colonies possessing Representative Institutions, in which the Crown has no more than a veto on legislation, but the Home Government retains the control of public officers; and, thirdly, colonies possessing Responsible Government in which the Crown has only a veto on legislation, and the Home Government has no control over any public officer, except its own representative. The title of this representative, Governor, President, or Administrator, is added to the description of the form of government in the last column of the table:

T

The following table gives the numbers of the population, distinguishing the sexes, of the whole of the colonial possessions, according to the latest census returns:

The cost of the Colonial Possessions to Great Britain has been gradually declining for a number of years, and does not amount at present to more than 12 millions sterling per annum, nearly twothirds of which amount is paid on account.of nine of the Posses→

sions, classed as general military and naval stations, namely, Gibraltar, Malta, the Cape of Good Hope, the Mauritius, Bermuda, St. Helena, Heligoland, the Falkland Islands, and Hong-Kong.

The following table gives the abstract of a parliamentary return issued in the session of 1870, showing the cost of the Colonial Possessions of the Empire falling to the charge of the British Exchequer, in the financial years 1866-67 and 1867-68, together with the estimates of military colonial expenditure for the financial year 1872-73 :

According to official returns, made up to the 1st of November 1872, the total effective strength of the British army in the colonies at that date was 23,214 men, rank and file. The number of troops in the various colonies having British garrisons was as follows:Malta, 5,549 men; Gibraltar, 4,308; Cape of Good Hope, 2,405; Ceylon and Labuan, 2,024; Bermuda, 1,824; Nova Scotia, 1,662; Hong Kong, 1,022; Jamaica, 889; Windward and Leeward Islands, 842; Straits Settlements, 759; Mauritius, 526; West Coast of Africa, 387; Guiana, 362; Honduras, 235; St. Helena, 191; and the Bahamas, 142 men.

For further details concerning the Constitution and Government, Revenue and Expenditure, Population, and Trade and Commerce of the principal Colonies and Dependencies of the United Kingdom, see Part II. of the Statesman's Year-book.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Great Britain and Ireland.

I. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Accounts of the net Public Income and Expenditure of Great Britain, in each financial year from 1688, the Period of the Revolution, to 5th January 1801, the Period of the Union between Great Britain and Ireland; and similar accounts of the gross Public Income and Expenditure of the United Kingdom, for each financial year from 5th January 1801 to the present time. In two Parts. Part I.-Great Britain and Ireland separately. Part II.-United Kingdom. 2 vols., fol. pp. 1212. London, 1871.

Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom for the twelve months ended 31st December 1873. Fol. pp. 52. London, 1874. Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom for the nine months ended 30th Sept. 1874. 8. pp. 60. London, November, 1874. Agricultural Returns of Great Britain for 1873, with abstract tables for the United Kingdom, British Possessions, and Foreign Countries. London, 1874.

8. pp. 74.

Agricultural Holdings in Ireland: Returns showing the number and the tenure by which they are held by the occupiers. Fol. pp. 20. Dublin, 1870. Agricultural Statistics of Ireland: Tables for 1872. Fol. pp. 288. Dublin,

1874.

Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions in the year 1873. Imp. 4. pp. 298. London, 1874.

Army Estimates of Effective and Non-Effective Services for 1873-74. Fol. pp. 180. London, 1874.

Army: Medical Department, Report for 1872. 8. pp. 568. London, 1874. Births, Deaths, and Marriages in England: 35th Report of RegistrarGeneral. 8. pp. 570. London, 1874.