TONKIN. [Area, 119,660 square miles; population, 12,000,000.] A French possession adjoining Cochin China, having an area of 119,660 square miles and a population estimated at 12,000,000. The government is administered by a French residency. A large share of this territory was formerly held by Siam, but was annexed by France in 1893. A railroad 64 miles long has been constructed and is to be extended to the Chinese frontier. The transit trade to and from Yunnan amounts to about 8,200,000 francs annually. The army is composed of 18,555 officers and men, of which one-third are natives. A colony on the north coast of Africa, extending southward into the Sahara, with boundaries not clearly defined, large portions of the Sahara being claimed both by the French Government and the nomad tribes who inhabit it. The area is stated at 184,000 square miles; population, 4,394,000, of which 318,000 are French, 446,000 belonging to other foreign nations, the remainder natives. The Algerian Sahara includes about 123,500 square miles, with a population of about 50,000. Algeria is not included in the general term of the French colonies, having a government and laws distinct from the other colonial possessions, and being looked upon as a part of France, the French Chambers alone having the right to legislate for Algeria, while such matters as do not come within the legislative power are regulated by the decree of the President of the Republic. The government of Algeria is administered by a governor-general, assisted by a council, whose function is purely consultative. A superior council meets annually, composed of delegates sent by each of the departmental general councils. A protectorate on the right bank of the Kongo and along the north bank of the Mobangi, having a total area of 491,000 square miles, and a population estimated at 15,000,000 natives and 300 Europeans. The territories are under a commissioner-general, who, assisted by two lieutenant-governors, has charge both of the civil and military administration. There are 56 schools, 31 post-offices, and 27 military stations. This territory includes the larger part of northwest and central Africa, adjacent to the Senegal and upper part of the Niger rivers, besides the part of the Sahara Desert south of Algeria to the Lake Chad and east to the Nile basin. After the convention with the United Kingdom of June 14, 1898, providing for the delimitation of the possessions and spheres of influences claimed by both countries the administration of the French territory was reorganized, the middle Niger region, including the greater part of the area within the bend of the river, being put under a separate military administration, while the western portion of the old Sudan province was united with Senegal, under the administration of a civil governor. French Guinea, the Ivory Coast, and Dahomey were also largely extended by the addition of Sudan territory. SENEGAL. The colony of Senegal occupies the coast region between the Sahara and the river Gambia, extending about 900 miles inland to the boundary of the military territories, within the bend of the Niger. Its area is now about 200,000 square miles, with a population of about 3,200,000. The colony is administered by a civil governor and represented in the French Parliament by one deputy. These territories comprise an area of about 700,000 square miles, extending east of Senegal into the Sahara as far south as the Lake Chad and east to the border of the Egyptian Sudan. The estimated population is 4,000,000. The annual expenditure of France, according to the budget estimate of 1901, was 13,650,446 francs. FRENCH GUINEA. This colony lies on the coast south of Senegal and Portuguese Guinea. Its area is about 95,000 square miles, and the population is estimated at about 2,200,000. The country is administered by a governor and divided into administrative circles and one protectorate. Imports, 1900. Exports, 1900.. Imports from France, 1900.. Exports to France, 1900 Local budget, 1900. IVORY COAST AND DAHOMEY. Francs. The Ivory Coast, with an area of about 125,000 square miles and a population estimated at 2,500,000, is administered by a governor. Dahomey, between the German Tago-Land and the British Niger Territories, has only about 70 miles of coast, but opens out northward into a wide hinterland. It is administered by a governor with an administrative council. Its area is about 60,000 square miles, with an estimated population of 1,000,000. The third largest island in the world, regarding Australia as a continent, is situated off the southeastern coast of Africa and has an area of 228,000 square miles and a population estimated at 2,500,000. The government is administered by a governor-general and an administrative council, which rule the island, the queen having been deposed in 1897 and deported to the island of Réunion, and thence to Algiers. The revenues are collected from customs, licenses, sales of land, land taxes, and a small poll tax. Christian missions have been active in the island, and about 450,000 of the natives are Protestants and 50,000 Roman Catholics. The capital, Antananarivo, has a population of 269,000. The French governor-general rules the whole island through residents and vice-residents in the villages, two of the provinces being still under martial law: TUNIS. [Area, 51,000 square miles; population, 1,900,000.] Tunis is a French protectorate on the north coast of Africa, having an area of 51,000 square miles and a population estimated at 1,900,000, of which number 26,600 are French, over one-half of these military. The government is nominally administered by Bey Sidi Ali, but under the direction of the French minister-resident, with two secretaries, who practically administer the government of the country under the direction of the French foreign office, which has a special "Bureau des Affaires Tunisiennes." French judges have superseded the consular courts, and the French administration has been confirmed by the conventions with all the European powers. The corps of occupation numbers about 19,460 men, the cost of its maintenance being borne by the French Government. The French possessions in America consist of French Guiana, Martinique, St. Pierre and Miquelon, and Guadeloupe and dependencies, their total area being but 48,000 square miles with a population of 384,000. FRENCH GUIANA. [Area, 46,850 square miles; population, 22,700.] French Guiana is a colony on the north coast of South America, containing a population of 22,700, in addition to a few mountain tribes. Population of the penitentiaries and the liberated convicts, about 7,000. The government is administered by a governor, with a privy council of 7 members, a council-general and municipal councils, and is represented in the Chambers by 1 deputy. The land is poorly cultivated and the trade insignificant. Local budget, 1900...... Total expenditure of France, budget of 1901... Francs. 2,498, 439 6,857,057 5, 585, 700 MARTINIQUE. [Area, 381 square miles; population, 190,000.] Martinique is an island of the West Indies, having an area of 381 square miles and an estimated population of 190,000. The government is administered by a governor and municipal councils, with elected general council chosen from the 32 communes into which the island is subdivided. The colony is represented in the Chambers by a senator and 2 deputies. Two islands situated in the Lesser Antilles, having a united area of 583 square miles, making, with the 5 smaller islands which are dependencies, a total area of 868 square miles; population in 1894, 167,100. The government is administered by a governor and an elected council, and is represented in the Chambers by a senator and 2 deputies. ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON. [Area, 93 square miles; population, 6,250.] These are the largest of 2 small groups close to the south coast of Newfoundland, having a combined area of 93 square miles and a population of 6,250. The government is administered by a governor with a council-general and municipal councils. The French colonies and dependencies in Australasia and Oceania include New Caledonia, which is a French penal colony, with a number of island dependencies lying adjacent, and the Society Islands and neighboring groups known as the "French Establishments in Oceania." NEW CALEDONIA AND DEPENDENCIES. [Area, 7,700 square miles; population about 53,000.] New Caledonia is a French penal colony in the South Pacific about 800 miles east of Australia, having an area of 7,700 square miles and a population of 52,756, of which about 10,000 belong to the penal class. The government is in the hands of a governor with a councilgeneral, municipal councils, and commissions. Imports... Imports from France.. Exports to France Vessels entered, 1900. Local budget.... Expenditures of France (including penal establishment), 1901 budget. 1899. SOCIETY ISLANDS. [Area, 650 square miles; population, 12,000.] These are a group of islands in Oceania officially known as the "French Establishments in Oceania." They consist of the Society Islands and others lying to the northwest; the Marquesas, Tuamotu, Gambier, and Tubuai groups. There is a governor for all the establishments in Oceania, with a council for consultation. There is also a general council elected by universal suffrage. Total imports 1899. francs.. 2, 861, 433 NETHERLANDS. The colonial possessions of the Netherlands are located in the East and West Indies, and embrace a total area of 783,000 square miles and a population of about 35,000,000, or nearly seven times that of the mother country. ASIA. DUTCH EAST INDIES. [Area, 736,400 square miles; population, 34,090,000.] A group of islands in Oceania, including Java, most of Sumatra, the Celebes, the Molucca Archipelago, the Riau-Lingga Archipelago, and others, having an area of 736,400 square miles and a population of 34,090,000, of which number 63,000 are Europeans and persons assimilated to them. The government is represented by a governor-general, who represents not only the executive power of the government, but has the authority to pass laws and regulations for the administration of the colony, subject to regulations and control of the Netherlands Government. In this he is required to adhere to the constitutional principles on which the Dutch Indies are governed, and which are laid down in the "Regulations for the Government of Netherlands India," established in 1854. The governor is assisted by a council of five members, partly of a legislative, partly of an advisory character. The islands are divided into provinces or residences, which are governed by a resident, assisted by several assistant residents, and a number of subordinate officials called "contrôleurs," who are appointed by the government after a rigid examination. The resident and his assistants are aided in their intercourse with and control over the natives by cooperation with the native chiefs, who receive salaries or percentages on the amount of the taxes gathered from the natives. Justice is administered under a system which places Europeans and persons assimilated with them under laws nearly similar to those of the mother country, while the natives are subject to their own customs and institutions. The administration of justice for Europeans is entrusted to European judges; that for natives is to a great extent under their own chiefs. The revenues are from customs duties, personal imposts, licenses, land taxes, taxes on houses and estates, the government monopolies on salt, opium, railways, and the sale of coffee grown under the culture system on lands owned by the government, some of which are under perpetual lease to those occupying them. The colonial army consists of 39,388 soldiers and 1,345 officers, all Europeans, about 15,000 of the common force being Europeans, the remainder natives. Nearly four-fifths of the exports of sugar, coffee, tea, indigo, cinchona, tobacco, and tin go to the Netherlands, and a large share of the imports are from the home Government. The Dutch West Indies (so called) include Dutch Guiana, on the north coast of South America, and the island of Curaçao, with several small adjacent islands. The area of Dutch Guiana is 46,060 square miles and the population in 1898, 66,490, exclusive of natives unenumerated. The government is administered by a governor, assisted by a council, which consists of the governor, the attorneygeneral, and three members, all nominated by the King. The colony is divided into districts, which send delegates to an annual assembly for legislative purposes. All religious creeds are given complete liberty of worship. Justice is administered by a court, whose president, members, and recorder are nominated by the home government, and these are assisted by three cantonal and two circuit courts. The revenues are collected from import, export, and excise duties, taxes on houses and estates, personal imposts, and some indirect taxes. A group of islands lying north of the coast of Venezuela, having a total area of 403 square miles and a population of 51,524. The government is administered by a governor appointed by the Netherlands Government, assisted by a council composed of the attorneygeneral and three members, also appointed by the sovereign. The colonial council consists of eight members nominated by the sovereign. The laws are administered with the cooperation of the chiefs of each of the islands of the group, who are also nominated by the sovereign. The revenues are from import and export taxes, excise duties, taxes on land, etc. |