Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

Zanzibar.

Capital:
ZANZIBAR.

Zanzibar, an island lying off the east coast of Africa, has an area of 640 square miles, and a population of 150,000. Pemba, another island under the same rule, has an area of 380 square miles, and a population of 50,000. There is a considerable foreign population, mostly engaged in trading. There are about fifty Englishmen, forty Germans, a few Americans, Frenchmen, Italians, Greeks and Roumanians, the last two being under British protection. There are also about 7,000 British Indian subjects, through whose hands almost the whole trade of Zanzibar and of East Africa passes, directly or indirectly. The town of Zanzibar has a population estimated at from 50,000 to 60.000.

Hamid bin Thwin, the former Sultan, died August 25, 1902. He was forty years old and had been on the throne but three years. Immediately upon his death Said Khalid seized the palace, with a force of 700 armed askairs at his back, and proclaimed himself Sultan. He was soon reinforced, and within twenty-four hours had 2,500 well armed and well disciplined men under his command. He was ordered by the British to haul down his flag and surrender without delay under promise that his claims to the throne should be fairly adjudicated, but refused to do so, declaring that he would sooner die in defence of his alleged rights. Persisting in his refusal the British bombarded the city, the palace being destroyed and captured by them. Said Khalid escaped and took refuge in the German Consulate. Hamid, a cousin of the late Sultan, was proclaimed his Khalid was conveyed on board a out of the reach of the British, demanded his surrender. The that his offense was political and and refused to give him up.

Since 1890 Zanzibar, while the has been practically a protectorate accounts are always open to the General. without whose consent expenditures can be incurred.

Mohammedanism is the religion tives of the coast and island being though many are heathen. There island and far into the mainland, to this religion, and conversions

There is a regular army of about The revenue is mainly derived produce, chiefly cloves.

successor. After a month Said German war sloop and was taken who had repeatedly and vigorously Germans took the ground, however, he was therefore not extraditable, Sultan was the titular sovereign, under British administration. All inspection of the British Consulno new undertakings or additional

of the country, most of the naSunnis of the Shati school, alare Christian missions on the but the natives do not take kindly are few.

900 men, including the police. from customs dues and taxes on

ried on a sharp contest against success. The coast was So scana trader to slip out with a boat done. The ever-increasing demand parties who visited the interior for those captured by these raiders was often murdered when they objected Many abandoned captives were left were killed rather than that they dealers. The principal countries to Turkey. Egypt. Persia, Tunis,

[graphic]

The British have for years car the slave trade. but without much tily guarded that it was easy for load of slaves, and this was often for them was supplied by raiding that purpose. The treatment of cruel in the extreme. They were to being taken from their homes. to die in their huts, and many more should fall into the hands of other which the slaves were sold were Morocco and Madagascar. Under the new ruler England will have more control than ever over the island and the natives, and will probably succeed in entirely abolishing the slave trade.

Sultan of Zanzibar.

Justice is administered among the Sultan's subjects by various Cadis, but power has been delegated the British Agent and the Consul General to try all cases in which a British subject is involved with a Zanzibar subject or the subject of a non-Christian nation without a treaty. The judges of the British court form an appeal court from the chief court of the East Africa Protectorate. The British court also has jurisdiction over all slaves freed by the British Agent and Consul-General, but as the legal status of slavery was abolished in 1897, the relations between masters and slaves are no longer recognized by the tribunals.

[graphic][subsumed]
[graphic][merged small][subsumed][subsumed]

The Government of the United States.

The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the First Congress of the United States, July 4, 1776. On November 30, 1782, Great Britain acknowledged the independence of the colonies, and on September 3, 1783, the treaty of peace was concluded. The form of government is based on the Constitution adopted September 17, 1787, to which ten amendments were added December 15, 1791, an eleventh amendment January 8, 1798, a twelfth amendment September 25, 1804, a thirteenth amendment December 18, 1865, a fourteenth July 28, 1868, and a fifteenth March 30, 1870.

The Government is entrusted to three separate authorities, the Executive, the Legislative and the Judicial. The Executive is vested in the President, who holds his office during the term of four years. He is commander-in-chief of the army and navy and of the militia in the service of the United States. The Vice-President is ex-officio President of the Senate, and, in case of the death or resignation of the President, he becomes President for the remainder of the term. Electors for President and Vice-President are chosen in all States the Tuesday after the first Monday in November of every fourth year (leap years), and the President is inaugurated on the 4th of March next following. The President has a salary of $50,000 a year and the Vice President $8,000.

By an act which became a law January 19, 1886, in case of the removal, death, resignation or inability of both President and Vice-President, the Secretary of State, and after him other members of the Cabinet, in this order: Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of War, Secretary of Navy, Secretary of Interior, PostmasterGeneral, Attorney-General, shall act as President until the disability of the President is removed or a new President shall be elected. In case of the death or removal of the Vice-President the duties of the office shall fall upon the pro tempore President of the Senate, who receives the salary of Vice-President. Members of the Cabinet are appointed by the President, but are confirmed by the Senate.

The Legislative power is vested in a Congress, which consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives, The Judicial power is vested in a Supreme Court consisting of a Chief Justice and eight Associate Justices, appointed by the President and approved by the Senate.

The United States is composed of 13 original States, 7 States which were admitted without having been organized as Territories, and 25 States which have been Territories. States are admitted into the Union by special acts of Congress, either in the form of "enabling acts," providing for the drafting and ratification of a State Constitution, in which case the Territory becomes a State as soon as the conditions are fulfilled, or by accepting a Constitution already framed, and at once granting admission. In four of the six Territories, including Hawaii, there are local Legislatures, the form of which have been prescribed by the Federal Government. Acts made by the Legislatures may be modified or annulled by the Federal Congress. Territorial Governors are appointed by the President for terms of four years. Alaska and Indian Territory have no power of self-government, but are in charge of Governors who act without Legislatures. Civilized tribes in Indian Territory maintain local governments of their own, with elective Legislatures and executive officers, whose functions are strictly limited to the persons and personal property of the Indians. The unit of local government in New England is the township governed directly by the voters. large cities, the city government takes its place. Townships are united to form counties. In the South the unit is the county. In the Middle and Northwestern States the two systems of local government are mixed. In the West the township system is used and public lands are divided into townships 6 miles square. Representatives to the Federal Congress must not be less than twenty-five years of age and must have been citizens of the United States for seven years, and residents of the State in which they are elected. In addition to the representatives from the States, each Territory is allowed a "delegate, who has a right to speak on any subject and to make motions, but not to vote. Senators must be thirty years of age, must have been citizens of the United States for nine years and residents of the State in which they are chosen.

[ocr errors]

In

The franchise is not absolutely universal. In most States residence for at least one year is necessary; in Kentucky and Rhode Island two years' residence is necessary, in Michigan and Maine three months is the minimum. In some of the Western States unnaturalized persons who have declared their intention of becoming citizens are admitted to the franchise. Four States admit women to the franchise on equal terms with men. Untaxed Indians are excluded from the right to vote, and in some States convicts, duellists and fradulent voters are debarred.

OFFICIALS OF THE UNITED STATES.

President.....

Vice-President.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT, of New York; salary.
Vacant; salary

$50,000 $8,000

Secretary to the President, George B. Cortelyou: Assistant Secretaries, William H. Loeb, Jr., and Benjamin F. Barnes; Executive Clerks, William H. Crook and Rudolph Forster.

THE CABINET OFFICERS.

Secretary of State....John Hay, District of Columbia Postmaster-General... Henry C. Payne, of Wisconsin
Secretary of the Treasury.. Leslie M. Shaw, of Iowa Secretary of the Navy. W. H. Moody, of Massachusetts
Secretary of War.
Elihu Root, of New York Secretary of the Interior..E. A. Hitchcock, of Missouri
Attorney-General. Philander C. Knox, of Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture..... .James Wilson, of Iowa
The salary of each member of the Cabinet is $8,000.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

Private Secretary to the Secretary of Treasur;
Chief Division of Appointments.
Chief Division of Bookkeeping..
Chief Division of Public Moneys.
Chief Division of Customs..

Chief Revenue Cutter Service..
Chief Division of Printing...

Chief Division of Loans and Currency
Chief Division of Mail and Files..

Chief Division of Special Agents.
Chief Miscellaneous Divisions.
Solicitor..

Supervising Architect.

Director Bureau Engraving and Printing.

Chief of Secret Service..

Chief Bureau of Statistics..

Superintendent Life Saving Service.
Comptroller of the Treasury.

Register of the Treasury.

Auditor for the Treasury Department.
Auditor for War Department.

Auditor for Interior Department.

Auditor for Navy Department.

Auditor for Post Office Department.

Auditor for State and other Departments.

Treasurer of United States.

Assistant Treasurer of United States..
Deputy Assistant Treasurer.

Superintendent National Bank Redemption..
Comptroller of the Currency.

Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
Director of the Mint..

Commissioner of Navigation.

Supervising Inspector of Steam Vessels.
Chairman of Light House Board...
Commissioner-General of Immigration.
Superintendent Coast and Geodetic Survey
Director Bureau of Standards..

Surgeon-General Marine Hospital Service.
Director Hygienic Laboratory..

Horace A. Taylor. Wallace H. Hills. Robert B. Armstrong. Charles Lyman.

W. F. MacLennan.

S. M. Gaines.
W. S. Chance.
Lewis Jordan.
M. D. O'Connell.
James K. Taylor.
W. M. Meredith.
J. E. Wilkie.
Oscar P. Austin.
Sumner I. Kimball.
Robert J. Tracewell.

J. W. Lyons..

H. A. Castle..
Ernst G. Timme.
Ellis H. Roberts.
J. F. Meline..
Gideon C. Bantz.
Thomas E. Rogers.
Wm. B. Ridgeley.
John W. Yerkes.
G. E. Roberts.

E. T. Chamberlain.

Wis.

4,500

N. Y.

3,000

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

E. B. Daskem..

Conn.

2,500

Andrew Johnson.

[blocks in formation]

Captain C. F. Shoemaker.

N. Y

George Simmons.

[blocks in formation]

A. T. Huntington.

[blocks in formation]

W. E. Andrews.

[blocks in formation]

Frederick E. Rittman

[blocks in formation]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
« ForrigeFortsæt »