STATISTICAL AND OTHER BOOKS OF REFERENCE Bülow (A. ron). Der Freistaat Nicaragua in Mittelamerika. 8. Berlin, 1849. 789 Lecy (P.), Notas geograficas y economicas sobre la república de Nicaragua. Paris, 1873. Marr (Wilhelm), Reise nach Centralamerika. 2 vols. 8. Hamburg, 1863. Scherzer (Karl, Ritter ron), Wanderungen durch die mittelamerikanischen Freistaaten Nicaragua, Honduras und San Salvador. 8. Braunschweig, 1857. Squier (E. G.), Sketches of Travel in Nicaragua. 8. New York, 1851. Squier (E. G.), Nicaragua, its People, Scenery, Monuments, and the proposed Interoceanic Canal. 2 vols. 8. London, 1852. Wetham (J. W. Bodham), Across Central America. 8. London, 1877. OMAN. AN independent State in South-eastern Arabia extending along a coast line-S.E. and S.W.--of almost 1,000 miles from the Gulf of Ormuz, and inland to the deserts. Area, 82,000 square miles; population, 1,500,000. The capital, Muscat (60,000 inhabitants), was occupied by the Portuguese till the seventeenth century. After various vicissitudes it was taken in the eighteenth century by Ahmed bin Sa'eed, of Yemenite origin, who was elected Imam in 1741. His family have since ruled. The present Sultan is Seyyid Feysal bin Turki, second son of the late Seyyid Turki bin Sa'eed bin Sultan, who succeeded his father June 4, 1888, and has now been formally recognised by the British Government. In the beginning of the present century the power of the Imam of Oman extended over a large area of Arabia, the islands in the Persian Gulf, a strip on the Persian coast, and a long strip of the African coast south of Cape Guardafui, including Socotra and Zanzibar. On the death of Sultan Sa'eed in 1854 Zanzibar was detached from Oman and placed under the rule of the second son, and subsequent troubles curtailed the area of the state in Asia. The closest relations have for years existed between the Government of India and Oman, and a British Consul or Political Agent resides at Muscat. Oman is practically on the footing of an independent Indian native State, and essentially under British protection. The authority of the Sultan does not extend far beyond Muscat. The revenue of the Sultan amounts to about 200,000 dollars. The exports in 1889-90 were valued at 1,406,605 dollars; chiefly dates, 548,000 dollars; cotton fabrics, 140,000 dollars; rice, 60,000 dollars; salt. 65,000 dollars; pearls, 80,000 dollars; fruits, 30,000 dollars. The imports were valued at 1,997,726 dollars, chiefly rice, 604,443 dollars; sugar, 67,630 dollars; coffee, 81,984 dollars; cotton stuff, 225,765 dollars; salt, 70,000 dollars; pearls, 105,725 dollars. The imports from India were valued at 1,388,403 dollars; Persian Gulf, 373,004 dollars; South Arabia and Africa, 194.394 dollars; United States, Mauritius, and Singapore, 41,925 dollars. Vessels entered and cleared the port of Muscat in 1889-90, 419 of 138,820 tons, of which 94 of 112,500 tons were European and American. Administration Report of the Persian Gulf Political Residency for 1889–90. Calcutta, 1890. ORANGE FREE STATE. (ORANJE-VRIJSTAAT.) Constitution and Government. THE Republic known as the Orange Free State, founded originally by Boers who quitted Cape Colony in 1836 and following years, is separated from the Cape Colony by the Orange River, has British Basutoland and Natal on the east, the Transvaal on the north, and Transvaal and Griqualand West on the west. Its independence was declared on February 23, 1854, and a Constitution was proclaimed April 10, 1854, and revised February 9, 1866, and May 8, 1879. The legislative authority is vested in a popular Assembly, the Volksraad, of 57 members, elected by suffrage of the burghers (adult white males) for four years from every district, town, and ward, or field-cornetcy in the country districts. Every two years one-half of the members vacate their seats and an election takes place. The members of the Volksraad receive pay at the rate of 21. per day. Eligible are burghers 25 years of age, owners of real property to the value of 5007. Voters must be white burghers by birth or naturalisation, be owners of real property of not less than 150%.,. or lessees of real property of an annual rental of 367., or have a yearly income of not less than 2001., or be owners of personal property of the value of 300l., and have been in the State for not less than three years. The executive is vested in a President chosen for five years by universal suffrage, who is assisted by an Executive Council. The Executive Council consists of the Government Secretary, the Landrost of the capital, and three unofficial members appointed by the Volksraad, one every year for three years. President of the Republic.-Judge Reitz, sworn into office January 11, 1889, in succession to the late Sir John Henry Brand. There is a Landrost or Governor appointed to each of the districts (18) of the Republic by the President, the appointment requiring the confirmation of the Volksraad. In every ward there are commissioners for various purposes, the members of which are elected by the burghers. Area and Population. The area of the Free State is estimated at 41,500 square miles; it is divided into 18 districts. At a census taken in 1880 the white population was found to be 61,022-31,906 males and 28,116 females. Of the population 42,439 were born in the Free State and 14,149 in the Cape Colony, There were besides 72,496 natives in the State-38,244 males and 34.252 females-making a total population of 133,518. The capital, Bloemfontein, had 2,567 inhabitants in 1880. Of the white population 11,111 were returned in 1880 as directly engaged in agriculture, while there were 68,881 'coloured servants.' Immigration is on the increase, mainly from Germany and England. Religion. The Government contributes 6,8007. for religious purposes. The State is divided into 30 parochial districts for ecclesiastical purposes. There are about 80 churches. The principal body is the Dutch Reformed Church with 51,716 adherents; of Wesleyans there are 514; English Episcopalians 1,321; Lutherans 282; Roman Catholics 340; Jews 67. Instruction. The system of education is national. Small grants are also made to the Episcopal and Roman Catholic Churches. The Government schools are managed by elected local boards, which choose the teachers, who are appointed by the President, if he is satisfied with their qualifications. Education is not compulsory nor free except for very poor children. In 1890 17,000l. was allotted to education, being a portion of interest on a capital of 200,000l. set apart by the Volksraad for this purpose. There are no foundations, properly so-called, for education. In 1889 there were 49 Government schools, inclusive of the two higher schools and the infant school at Bloemfontein, with 2,139 pupils and 74 teachers. Grants are made to private schools on certain conditions. In 1889 there were 14 such schools, with 211 pupils. The Grey College, the highest school for boys, prepares candidates for the matriculation examination of the Cape University; there is a similar school for girls. At the census of 1880 only 1,080, or 2·6, of the white population above seven years of age could not read nor write, while 3,864 could only read. There is a good public library in Bloemfontein, and small libraries in several villages. There is a Government Gazette, one daily and one bi-weekly, and one weekly paper. Justice and Crime. The Roman Dutch law prevails. The superior courts of the country are the High Court of Justice, with three judges, and the circuit courts. The inferior courts are the court of the Landdrost and the court of Landdrost and Heemraden. The circuit courts, at which the judges of the High Court preside in turn, are held twice a year in the chief town of every district. In these courts criminal cases are tried before a jury. The court of Landdrost and Heemraden consists of the Landdrost (a stipendiary magistrate) and two assessors. The Landdrost's court thus has both JUSTICE AND CRIME-FINANCE-DEFENCE 793 civil and criminal jurisdiction. There are also justices of the peace who try minor offences and settle minor disputes. There are no statistics of crime. There are police-constables in every town, and mounted police patrol the country. Finance. The following is a statement of revenue and expenditure for the five years 1885-86 to 1889-90 (ending February) :— The estimated ordinary revenue for 1890-91 is 241,000l., and expenditure 289,0447. Among the items of revenue are quit rents, 16,5007.; transfer dues, 23,000l.; posts and telegraphs, 17,8007.; stamps, 36,000l.; native poll-tax, 12,5007.; import dues, 70,000l.; and of expenditure, salaries, 38,2007.; police, 9,3007.; education, 16,8307.; posts and telegraphs, 23,0007.; public works, 56,000l.; artillery, 4,6507. The Republic has a debt of 75,000l. (1890), but possesses considerable public property in land, buildings, bridges, telegraphs, &c. (valued at 417,0007.), and in its share in the National Bank, amounting to 70,0007. Bloemfontein has a municipal debt of 7,0002. Defence. Frontier measures about 900 miles; of this 400 miles marches with Cape Colony, 200 Basutoland, 100 Natal, and S.A. Republic 200 miles. There are no fortifications on the frontier. Every able-bodied man in the State above 16 and under 60 years of age is compelled to take arms when called upon by his Field Cornet (equal to the rank of a captain), when necessity demands it. The number of burghers available is 13,490. A battery of artillery is stationed at the capital, Bloemfontein; 57 officers and men, with 300 passed artillerists, as a reserve. There are 12 Armstrong guns of the latest construction. Production and Industry. The State consists of undulating plains, affording excellent grazing. A comparatively small portion of the county is suited for agriculture, but a considerable quantity of grain is produced. The number of farms in 1881 was 6,000, with a total of 23,592,400 acres, of which 114,916 were cultivated. There were in the same year 131.594 horses, 464,575 breeding cattle, 5,056,301 merino sheep, 673,924 goats, and 2,253 ostriches. Ostrichrearing is being developed. Diamonds, garnets, and other precious stones are found in the Orange State, and there are rich coal-mines; gold has also been found. |