Principal Female Training College, Miss A. C. | Britain by the Sultan of Borneo in 1846, and Johnson, 2507., with board and quarters. occupied in 1848. 1st Assistant Teacher, Miss M. E. Randall, 757., with board and quarters. 2nd Assistant Teacher, Miss C. Rowe, 541., with board and lodging. Mistress of Practising School, Miss Roberts, 75l., with board and quarters. Medical Officer, T. Cargill, 307. Secretary, Board Visitors, E. A. Andrews, 251. Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents. Spain, S. E. Pietersz, V.C., Kingston. Sweden and Norway, C. A. Nunes, Falmouth; United States, C. A. Nunes, C.A., Falmouth; G. L. P. Corinaldi, C.A., Montego Bay; M. Solomon, C.A., St. Ann's Bay; C. S. Farquharson, C.A., Sav. la Mar; J. W. Leyden, C.A., Black River; P. A. Moodie, C.A., St. Antonio; W. G. Price, C. A., Milk River; L. D. Baker, junior, C.A., Port Morant; F. R. Kennedy, Pt. Antonio. Much expectation as to the success of the new settlement was founded upon the existence of rich coal deposits in the island. Hitherto the companies formed to develop these coal resources have not met with great success, but a fresh lease was, in November, 1889, granled to the Central Borneo Company. Labuan has a fine port (Victoria Harbour), perfectly safe, and easy of access. Vessels drawing 16 feet can go alongside the jetties to coal. It is a market for much of the produce of the neighbouring coasts of Borneo and the Sulu Archipelago, such as sago, beeswax, edible birds' nests, camphor, gutta - percha, indiarubber, rattans. pearls, tortoise-shell, and trepang, which are forwarded by the Labuan traders to Singapore. Cattle and goats are reared, and 2,000 acres are estimated as under cultivation. There are three sago manufactories in the island, where the raw material received from the coast is converted into sago flour, which is exported to Singapore. There is no bank or savings bank. The currency is Mexican dollars and copper cents, which are legal tender under Order in Council of 25 March, 1887. The inhabitants are chiefly Malays from Borneo, and Chinese, the latter being mostly petty traders. A free school and a free hospital are aided by government grants, but there are no Government schools, and education is not compulsory. The Government is administered by a Governor, who, under the Letters Patent of 15th November, 1889, alone makes ordinances, there being no legislative council. Until the year 1869 the expenditure of the Colony was partly defrayed by an Imperial grant in aid, but since then the Colony has supported itself. In 1871 the military garrison maintained by the Imperial Government was withdrawn, and an armed police force substituted by the Colony. At the end of 1889 it was arranged that the Governor of the territory of the British North Borneo Company should be appointed Governor of Labuan. There are no railways or telegraphs in the island The nearest point in telegraphic communication with Europe is Singapore. Steamers go about once in ten days to Singapore, and also to North Borneo and Sulu. The Sarawak Government steamer runs about once quarter between Kutching and Labuan. The Colony has joined the Postal Union. The postage to Singapore is: letters, 8 cents, newspapers, cents; and to England 10 and 4 cents respectively, The chief sources of Revenue are the farming licences to sell tobacco, spirits, opium (retail), and fish, and customs levied according to the following tariff: 359,030 707,262 390,814 412,535 803,349 477,686 396,456 874,142 279,710 321,975 611,105 184,811 186,780 371,591 185,588 214,322 407,370 196,487 409,598 382,951 333,833 460,697 330,693 564,480 371,061 343,607 296,639 171,537 179,704 216,042 201,509 Total. LAGOS. Situation and Area. The Colony and Protectorate of Lagos is situated between 2 and 6° east longitude on the Gulf of Guinea. It now comprises the islands of Lagos and Iddo, the northern district (Abouta Metta), the western district (Badagry), the eastern district (Palma and Leckie), and the kingdoms of Appa and Katanu on the west, with those of Mahin, Ogbo and Jakri on the east, reaching from the French settlements at Cootenoo to the Benin River, where the British Protectorate of the Niger commences. Lagos Island has an area of 3 square miles, and the whole Colony and Protectorate includes about 1,071 square miles. The port is 4,279 miles from Liverpool, 1,203 miles from Freetown, 315 miles from Cape Coast, and 232 miles from Brass. The population of Lagos Island was in 1881 37,452. At that time the population of the Protectorate, as then defined, numbered 37,818. Of the total inhabitants more than two-thirds are pagans, the Christians being about 6,000, and the Mohammedans over 12,000. The present estimated population is 100,000. History. The King of Lagos (Kasoko) having refused to co-operate in putting down the slave trade, was expelled by a British force in 1851, and his cousin $ Akitoye placed on the throne, by whom a treaty 807,613 was concluded by which he bound himself to put 791,390 down the slave trade. A Consul was appointed, 935,541 but the treaty was not fully adhered to by King 640,246 Docemo, the son and successor to Akitoye, and 393,308 he was induced to cede his possessions on the 411,555 6th of August, 1861, to the British Crown, he being 386,089 guaranteed a pension of 1,000l. a-year. He con403,308 tinued to draw this pension until his death in 1885. 417,551 The territories were erected into a separate 419,546 Government by Letters Patent dated the 13th of Census of 1881, 5,995, of whom 47 were Europeans. peans. Governors. 1847 Sir James Brooke, K.C.B. 1848 William Napier, Lieut.-Governor. March, 1863. By the charter of the 19th of February, 1866, Lagos became a part of the Government of the West Africa Settlements, having a separate Legislative Council, but subject to the Governor-in-Chief at Sierra Leone. By the charter of the 24th July, 1874, it became an integral part of the Gold Coast Colony. 1850 J. Scott, Lieut.-Governor (now Sir John Scott, Island and Iddo Island. In 1862, Palma and K.C.M.G.) 1856 Hon. G. W. Edwardes. 1861 T. F. Callaghan. The original British settlements were Lagos Leckie became British, and in 1863 Badagry was ceded by its chiefs. In 1879 the kingdom of Katanu, lying to the south and east of the Denham 1866 Hugh Low (acting), (afterwards Sir H. Low). waters, was, at the request of the king and chiefs, lished. Fishing is extensively pursued, the fish being dried and sent into the interior. Lagos was formerly one of the chief entrepôts for the export of slaves. It possesses a good harbour, which forms the only safe port along 1,000 miles of coast. It has unrivalled water communication with the interior by means of the network of lagoons and creeks which extend in all directions. A very extensive trade has therefore grown up, amounting to nearly a million and a quarter sterling annually. There is a large transit trade with Porto Novo and the leeward coast, as well as with the interior. The principal exports are palm oil and kernels, ivory, gum copal, cotton and Guinea grains. The chief imports are spirits, tobacco, cotton goods and hardware, nearly the whole trade being with England and Germany, some exports going, however, to Brazil and France. Chief Towns. Lagos town has now about 40,000 inhabitants, and is the largest town on the whole West African coast. The next largest towns in the Colony are Badagry, Leckie, and Palma. Currency and Banking. Within the Colony 1 (Parcels to and from England, 9d. per lb.) Education. There are no Government schools, but regular grants in aid are made to those maintained by the various Christian sects, to the extent of 600l. per annum. The Mohammedans, who are much on the increase, maintain their own schools, where Arabic is taught. A system of Government inspection and examination is now being introduced for all aided schools, under the supervision of an Education Board and the Inspector of schools for West Africa. About 2,296 children are on the school rolls. Fees are charged, and education is not compulsory. Year. Revenue. 1879 1881 1882 389.795 383,571 432,950 1886 53,505 55,383 358,931 448,392 518,643 1888 57,058 60,840 372,774 525,857 By Ordinance No. 2 of 1880, the legal tender currency, and that generally in use, is British sterling, with some Spanish, American, and French gold coins. Cowries (40=1d.), are still occa- 1880 sionally employed for small transactions. Gold dust is also current at 31. 12s. per ounce. Accounts are usually kept in sterling, but occasionally still in gallons of palm oil, or in cowries by the smaller native traders. There is no note circulation, and there are no private banks. A Government savings bank was established on the 1st January, 1887, under the management of the Colonial Treasurer, and on 31st Dec., 1888, had deposited 2,1581. 38. 3d. |