Finance.

The receipts of the Government are derived chiefly from indirect taxes, licences, and customs duties on imports. The natives pay only direct taxes. The cost of maintenance of the army is not included in the budget; a proportion of the sums spent on public works also is paid by the State. The budget for 1891 estimated the expenditure at 43,450,155 francs and revenue at 43,943,833 francs. The corresponding figures for 1890 were expendi ture, 43,436,910 francs, and revenue, 44,433,192. A special return shows that in the period 1830-88 the total expenditure in Algeria has been 5,018,066,462 francs, and the total receipts 1,256,041,004 francs, showing an excess of expenditure of 3,785,684,255 francs, or over 151 millions sterling, this excess being almost entirely for military services. The total expenditure on colonisation has been 144,205,504 francs.

Defence.

The military force in Algeria constitutes the 19th Army Corps; in time of war it can be divided into two. It consists of 53 battalions of infantry, 52 squadrons of cavalry, 16 batteries of artillery, and a due proportion of other subsidiary branches, in all about 54,000 men and 15,000 horses. The strictly local forces consist of 4 regiments of 'Zouaves,' 3 regiments of Tirailleurs indigènes,' 3 battalions of Infanterie légère d'Afrique,' and 2 foreign legions; of these the Tirailleurs or Turcos only are native. There are also 3 regiments of Spahis, corresponding closely to the Indian irregular cavalry.

Industry.

The bulk of the population are engaged in agriculture--3,264,708, 187,033 of whom were Europeans, in 1889. About 20,000,000 hectares (hectare = 2:47 acres) are colonised by the agricultural population. Of this area 4,014,980 hectares were under cultivation in 1888; under cereals 3,173,518 hectares, chiefly wheat, barley, and oats; the area under vines (1887-8) 97,266 hectares, the produce being 2,753,885 hectolitres of wine. Of olives the crops in 1886 weighed 54,764,000 lbs. ; the oil manufactured was 9,034,652 gallons. About 10,143 hectares were under tobacco in 1888–9, the yield being 5,502,053 kilos. There are 3,247,692 hectares under forest, but the yearly value of the produce is small. In 1889 there were 1,227,078 cattle, 10,712,926 sheep, 4,587,719 goats, the bulk belonging to natives. Of the total animal stock, 16,907,320 belong to natives, and 636,369 to Europeans.

In 1887 there were 2,170 workers in mining; 437,613 tons of iron ore were produced, worth 3,558,560 francs, and 21,602 tons of other ores, silver, copper, lead, zinc, mercury, to the value of 1,025,101 francs. Of salt 33,659 tons were extracted.

Commerce.

The commerce of Algeria, like that of France, is divided into general. (total imports and exports) and special (imports for home use and exports of home produce). The former was as follows, 1889 (in francs) :

The total special commerce was as follows for the five years 1885-89 (in francs):-

The following table shows the trade of Algeria (special) with various countries for 1889 in francs :

The principal exports to France in 1889 were-cereals, 37,521,000 francs; wines, 55,402,000 francs; animals, 41,685,000 francs; wool, 19,298,000 francs. The chief imports from France were-cotton goods, 25,278,000 francs; leather goods, 11,956,000 francs; metal goods, 7,045,000 francs; haberdashery, 9,691,000 francs. The subjoined statement shows the commerce of Algeria with Great Britain and Ireland in each of the five years 1885 to 1889:

Exports to Great Britain 885,621 701,398 575,955 636,371
Imports of British produce 356,716 271,142 293,253 252,255

658,082 286,418

The most important articles of export to Great Britain in 1889 were-esparto and other fibres, for making paper, of the value of 357,3571. (including rags); iron ore, of the value of 153,8361.; barley, 62,1077.; copper ore, 7,5007.; lead ore, 7,3177. The British imports consist principally of cotton fabrics and coal, the former of the value of 152,3527., and the latter of 104,4327., in the year 1889.

Shipping and Communications.

In 1889 3,630 vessels, of 2,117,658 tons, entered Algerian ports from abroad, and 3,727, of 2,196,583 tons, cleared; of these 1,726 vessels, 1,298,442 tons, went to France. There is also a very large coasting trade. On January 1, 1889, the mercantile marine of Algiers consisted of 454 vessels, of 7,442 tons, mostly coasters, besides many small fishing-vessels.

In 1890 there were 1,910 English miles of railway open for traffic in Algeria, including the Tunisian extension of 140 miles. The total receipts in 1888 amounted to 21,908,225 francs.

The telegraph of Algeria, including branches into Tunis, consisted in 1889 of 7,000 miles of line, and 16,000 miles of wire, with 337 offices. The

' réseau algéro-tunisien' of telegraphs is worked by a private company subventioned by the French Government.

British Consul-General for Algeria and Tunis.-Lieut.-Col. Sir R. Lam. bert Playfair, K.C.M.G., residing at Algiers.

Vice-Consul at Algiers.-G. W. Crawford.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The money, weights, and measures of France only are used.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Algeria.

1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Annuaire administratif de l'Algérie. 16. Alger, 1890.

Annuaire général de l'Algérie, sur des documents officiels. 8.

Annuaire statistique de la France, 1890. Paris, 1890.

Journal officiel.

Exposé de la situation générale de l'Algérie. 1889.

Tableau de la situation des établissements françaises. 19 vols., 4to, from 1838 to 1866; the continuation bears the title 'Statistique générale de l'Algérie,' published every two or three years.

The following Consular Reports by Consul-General Sir R. Lambert Playfair, in 'Reports from H.M.'s Consuls':

Narrative of a Consular Tour in the Aurès Mountains. 1875.
Report of a Consular Tour during March and April 1876. 1876.

Report on the Cultivation of Eucalyptus in Algeria. 1877.

Report on the Commerce, Railways, and General Progress of Algeria. 1878.
Report on the Commerce and Agriculture of Algeria for 1884. London, 1886.

Report on the Progress of Colonisation in Algiers, in No. 94 of Reports on Subjects of General and Commercial Interest.' London, 1888.

Report on the Commerce and Agriculture of Algeria, in No. 669 of 'Diplomatic and Consular Reports. London, 1890.

Trade of Algeria with Great Britain, in Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions in the year 1889.' Imp. 4. London, 1890.

2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Bennet (Toon). Les colons algériens. 8. Alger, 1866.

Boudin (Dr. N.), Histoire statistique de la colonisation et de la population en Algérie. 8. Paris, 1853.

Clamageran (I. J.), L'Algérie: Impressions de voyage. 8. Paris, 1874.

Dareste (Rodolphe), De la propriété en Algérie. Loi du 16 juin 1851 et Sénatus-consulte du 22 avril 1863. 2e édit. 18. Paris, 1866.

GABUN-CONGO-GOLD COAST TERRITORIES

Dural (Jules), L'Algérie et les colonies françaises. 8. Paris, 1877.
Faidherbe (Général), L'avenir du Sahara et du Soudan. 8. Paris, 1866.
Fillias (A.), L'Algérie ancienne et moderne. 12. Alger, 1875.

Gaffarel (P.), L'Algérie: histoire, conquête, colonisation. Paris, 1883.

507

Gueydon (Vice-amiral Comte de), Exposé de la situation de l'Algérie. In 'Revue maritime et coloniale.' 8. Paris, 1873.

Lareleye (Emile de), L'Algérie et Tunisie. Paris, 1887.

Paris, 1866.

Larigne (Albert), Questions algériennes. 8. Paris, 1872. Lucet (Marcel), Colonisation européenne de l'Algérie. 8. Maltzan (Heinr. Freiherr von), Drei Jahre im Nordwesten von Afrika: Reisen in Algerien und Marokko. 4 vols. 8. Leipzig, 1869.

Playfair (Sir R. L.), Handbook (Murray's) of Algeria and Tunis. London, 1887. Playfair (Sir R. Lambert), Bibliography of Algeria, published by the Royal Geographical Society. London, 1888.

Quinemaut (N.), Du peuplement et de la vrai colonisation de l'Algérie. 8. Constantine,

1871.

Reclus (Elisée), Géographie universelle. Tome XI. L'Afrique septentrionale. Paris, 1886. Sautayra (E.), Hugues (H.) et Lapra (P.), Législation de l'Algérie. 2 vols. Paris, 1883-84. Séguin (L. G.), Walks in Algeria. 8. London, 1878.

Shaw (Thomas, D.D., &c.), Travels or Observations relating to several Parts of Barbary and the Levant. Oxford, 1838-46.

Tehihatchet (M.), L'Algérie et Tunis. Paris, 1880.

Villot (Capitaine), Mœurs, coutumes et institutions des indigènes d'Algérie. 12. Paris, 1872.

GABUN-CONGO.

The Gabun and the French Congo region are two distinct territories from an administrative point of view, yet are contiguous and form one continuous region. The right bank of the Congo from Brazzaville to the mouth of the Mobangi is French, and north to 4° N. along the Mobangi, and an almost straight line to the coast along the second degree embraces the Gabun. The total area is 250,000 square miles. There are twenty-seven stations established in this region, on the coast, the Congo, and other places, eleven of them being on the Ogové. The number of the native population is not known; there are 300 Europeans besides the garrison. The only exports are the natural products of the country-ivory, ebony, caoutchouc, and palm-oil. Experiments in growing sugar-cane, vanilla, coffee, cotton, and tobacco have been made. The country is covered with extensive forests. The total commerce of the Gabun, imports and exports, amounted to 6,600,000 francs in 1888; imports from France, 1,317,680 francs; from other colonies, 540 francs; from foreign countries, 2,372,260 francs; exports to France, 173,271 francs; to other colonies, 837 francs; to foreign countries, 2,718,190 francs. In 1887 134 vessels of 92,132 tons entered, 125 of the vessels being foreign. The only roads are native footpaths. There are eight schools for boys and two for girls, with 400 pupils. There is neither a postal nor telegraphic service in the colony. Local budget, 1889, 1,474,950 francs; expenditure of France, 1,691,937 francs.

GOLD COAST TERRITORIES.

The French possessions on the Gold Coast-Grand Bassam and Assinie, Grand Popo and Agoué, Porto Novo and Kotonou-have, from January 1, 1890, been divided into two independent colonies, the Gold Coast group and the Bight of Benin group, each having financial and administrative autonomy. The total area is given by French authorities as 25,000 square miles, which includes protectorates, there being only a few stations in actual possession. By an arrangement between England and France, a line intersecting Porto Novo at Agarrah Creek divides the French territory from the British colony of Lagos. The exports to France in 1889 (including the Gaboon) amounted to 1,989,940 francs, and imports from France 1,148,930 francs.

MADAGASCAR.

Reigning Sovereign.

Queen Ranavalona (or Rànavalona) III., born about 1861; appointed successor by the late Queen Rànavàlona II., succeeded to the throne on her death, July 13, 1883; shortly after married the Prime Minister, Rainilaiàrivòny, and was crowned November 22.

Government.

Madagascar began to be of commercial importance to Europe about the year 1810, when Radama I. succeeded in reducing a large part of the island to the sway of the sovereigns of the Hova, the most advanced, though probably not the most numerous, of the various Malagasy races. His widow, Queen Ranavalona I., obtained the sovereign power in 1829, and until her death in 1861 intercourse with foreigners was discouraged. She was succeeded by Radama II., and he by his wife Rasohèrina, on whose death, in 1868, Ranavalona II. obtained the throne. The present queen is great-granddaughter of Rahèty, sister of King Andrìanampòinimèrina (1787–1810). At various periods, 1820, 1861, 1865, and 1868, treaties have been concluded with Great Britain, the United States, and France. By a treaty signed at Tamatave, December 12, 1885, a French Resident-General, with a small military escort, resides at the capital, and the foreign relations of the country are regulated by France, which occupies a district around the Bay of Diego-Suarez as a colony. By the Anglo-French Agreement of August 5, 1890, the protectorate of France over Madagascar was recognised by Great Britain. The native Government retains absolute independence in all domestic legislation and control of the other tribes of the country.

The government is an absolute monarchy, modified and tempered by customs and usages having the force of law; and during the last quarter of a century the power of the Sovereign has been gradually limited and controlled. The Sovereign is advised by her Prime Minister, who is the real source of all political power; he is assisted by a number of ministers who act as heads of departments-Education, Justice, the Interior, Foreign Affairs, &c.- but these are only deputies of the Prime Minister and can originate nothing without his permission. The succession to the Crown is hereditary in the royal house, but not necessarily in direct succession; the reigning Sovereign may designate his or her successor.

At a large number of the chief towns of the interior, and at all the ports, governors are placed by the central Government, and these are all directly responsible to the Prime Minister. The number of these governors has been greatly increased during the last two or three years. With regard to local matters, these are still much under the control of the heads of tribes, and on any important occasion public assemblies of the whole people are called together to consult. Although these have no defined authority, the opinion of the majority has a distinct weight and influence. Among the Bétsiléo and other subject tribes the representatives of the old chiefs are still held in much honour, in almost idolatrous reverence, by the people.