Medical Clerk and Storekeeper, D. Cole, 120%. and Sub-Collector of Customs, Officer in charge, J. A. quarters. Compounder, R. Spencer, 701. and quarters. Sanitary Department. Inspector of Health, A. Revington, 2007. Clerk to ditto, T. M. Cole, 50%. Police Establishment. Police Magistrate, Edwin Adolphus, 500%. Clerk of Police, I. H. Campbell, 1707. Cline, 751. Schoolmaster, F. J. Smart, 36l., and rent, 77. 48. Kikonkeh (mouth of the Scarcies River). Officer in Charge, E. C. Coomber, 50%, and allowances, 547. 158. Sulymah. Examining Officer (vacant), 150%. Assistant Ditto, Z. E. T. Williams, 751. Lavanah. Inspector-General of Police, Captain F. C. Halkett, Assistant Examining Officer, J. A. Songo Davies, 4004, and travelling allowance, 917. 5s. Inspector, A. Revington, 501. 1 Sub-Inspector, 1 Sergeant-Major, 1 Orderly Room Clerk, 14 Sergeants, 14 Corporals, 325 Privates. Gaol Establishment, Freetown. 751. Manoh Salijah. Assistant Examining Officers, L. J. E. Roques, 75l., Back Papelle. Keeper of Freetown Gaol, Robert Wade, 2507., and Officer in Charge, U. J. Lawrence, 754 quarters. Under Gaoler, S. J. Thomas, 1007., and quarters. Coroner, The Manager, 201. Medical, 1 Dresser, at 50%. THE GAMBIA. The Gambia is a great river of Western Africa falling into the Atlantic Ocean by a large estuary measuring in some parts nearly 27 miles across, but contracting to 10 miles between Bird Island and Cape St. Mary, and to little more than two between Barra Point and the town of Bathurst on St. Mary's Island. There are 26 feet of water over the bar of the river at low water. The town of Bathurst, 13° 24′ N. lat., 16° 36′ W. long., is situated on St. Mary's Island, a sandbank about three and a-half miles long and a mile and a quarter broad, and separated from the mainland by a narrow channel, called Oyster Creek. large portion of the island is covered by a swamp, the level of which is in many parts below that of the river. A The settlement on the River Gambia consists of the Island of St. Mary's, British Combo, Albreda, the Ceded Mile, and McCarthy's Island. McCarthy's Island is situated between the falls of Barraconda and Bathurst, and is 187 miles distant from the latter. It forms the line of demarcation between those portions of the river known as the upper and lower river The principal productions of the settlement and of the adjoining districts are ground nuts, hides, beeswax, rice, cotton, maize, and a corn called kous. Of these, however, only ground nuts, hides, and beeswax are exported. With the exception of the weaving of cotton into native cloths called pagns, there are no manufacturing industries Medical, Assistant Colonial Surgeon, M. L. Jarrett, worth the name in the country. Registrar, M. L. Jarrett, fees. In the early part of the year 1881 an expedition (The Upper Gambia Expedition), under the com mand of Dr. Gouldsbury, Administrator of the Gambia, set out from the settlement for the purpose of examining the upper river, with a view of ascertaining its capabilities as a highway for trade between the coast and the interior, and also with the object of reaching Timbo, the capital of the extensive Futa Jallon country, and from thence returning to the coast at Sierra Leone. The upper portion of the River Gambia was found to be extremely winding, and in many parts obstructed by rocks, sand banks, and shallows, and the country on either bank appeared to be totally destitute of inhabitants. The expedition in its course crossed over the Gambia, the Grey River (a tributary of the Gambia), the Rio Grande, and the Senegal, and for several weeks travelled through a very hilly country, and along paths that were very rugged and steep. None of the countries traversed by the expedition were thickly, or even moderately populated, and the largest town met with (Toobah) numbered only about 800 huts. Timbo itself was found to be a rather insignificant town, having neither the extent, population, nor wealth ascribed to it by popular belief. Taking into consideration the limited population, the great distances, the difficult roads, the frequency of native wars, the absence of industrial habits amongst the people, Dr. Gouldsbury came to the conclusion that but little increase of trade with the interior was to be anticipated, at least for a great number of years to come. Treaties were made with several chiefs, and with the King of Futa Jallon, and the expedition was well received everywhere. The expeditionary party arrived at Sierra Leone in the latter end of April, having taken exactly three months to accomplish the journey, and having travelled over a distance of about 1,000 miles. In 1588 a patent was granted by Queen Elizabeth to some merchants of Exeter to trade in the Gambia, and in 1618 a Company was formed for the purpose of carrying on the trade. It was not successful, and another established two years later experienced a like want of success. Tariff. The Customs Tariff, regulated by Ordinance 10 of 1883, is as follows: Upon all spirits or strong waters, except £ s. d. 016 020 Upon all liqueurs, absinthe, cordial, or per lb. to Upon wines without reference to strength, Upon claret in bulk, per imperial gallon. 0 30 0 3 020 010 009 009 001 001 001 100 040 003 Upon kerosine oil, per imperial gallon Revenue and Expenditure. 22,468 1876 19,786 21,489 1877 19,254 18,728 1878 26,546 18,376 1879 28,505 20,674 1880 23,341 18,361 1881 24,088 19,840 1882 26,625 19.721 1883 28,952 23,878 29,482 The settlement was at first subject to the GovernIn 1843 it was created ment of Sierra Leone. an independent colony, with a Governor and Executive and Legislative Councils for the administration of its affairs. It became a portion of the govern- Detail of Population and Dwellings in the year 1881. ment of West Africa Settlements by the charter of 19th February, 1866, and continues to be so under Dwelling. Sex. 1882 173,889 254,711 1883 198.919 208,120 1884 212,121 199,482 In 1724, and subsequently till its abolition, it appears that the trade in slaves formed the staple traffic of the Company. The general commerce between Great Britain and the Gambia fell off after the abolition of the slave trade till 1816, in which year a new settlement was formed at the Island of St. Mary's by British merchants from Senegal. the charter of the 19th December, 1874. The distances of the principal districts and British settlements are as follows: Miles. Wattle. 80 45 86 1141 Bathurst Barra, Ceded Mile (Total Population of) the Settlements on 7215 6935 14,150 the River Gambia. Governors. 1843 H. P. Seagram. 1852 A. E. Kennedy. 1852 Colonel L. S. O'Connor. 1859 Colonel G. A. K. d'Arcy. 1866 Admiral C. G. E. Patey, C.M.G. 1871 T. F. Callaghan, C.M.G. 1873 C. H. Kortright, C.M.G. 1875 Sir Samuel Rowe, K.C.M.G. 1877 V. S. Gouldsbury, C.M.G. 1884 C. A. Moloney C.M.G. 1886 J. S. Hay. Legislative Council. The Administrator, President. The Treasurer. The Collector of Customs. Ex-officio Members. The Chief Magistrate. Unofficial Member, James Topp. Dito, J. D. Richards. Clerk to Legislative Council, Capt. W. P. Rocho Civil Establishment. Administrator, J. S. Hay, 1,3007. Government Secretary, Capt. W. P. Roche, 200%. Governor's Clerk, Robt. H. Syrett, 1602. Second Clerk, 1. Judicial Establishment. Chief Magistrate, Francis Smith, 600%., and fees. Sheriff, Hon. James Topp, 150l. per ann. Police and Gaols. Superintendent of Police, Capt. W. P. Roche, 2007. and forage allowances of 28. 3d. per diem. Gaoler, R. Hamelberg, 1007. Managers of Districts. McCarthy's Island, E. A. M. Smith, 2507., residence, and forage allowance of 2s. 3d. per diem. British Combo, J. H. Finden, 100l., and forage allowance of 28. 3d. per diem. Ecclesiastical Establishment. Colonial Chaplain, Rev. George Nicol, 450l., and 28. 3d. per day forage allowance. Clerk and Organist, C. B. D. Nicol, 201 Government Vessels (Steam Launch). Consuls. Belgium, J. Topp, Vice-Consul. United States, H. C. Goddard, Vice-Consul. France, E. Vellegrin, Consular-Agent. Arabic Writer and General Interpreter, M. A. Spain and Portugal, A. Dubois, Vice-Consul ad Savage, 501. interim. WESTERN AUSTRALIA Includes all that portion of the Australian continent west of the 129th degree of E. longitude. The city of Perth, the capital, is in lat. 31° 57' S., long. 115° 52′ E. Western Australia was first settled in 1829. The Government is administered by a Governor, assisted by an Executive Council. There is a Legislative Council of 24 members, of whom 4 are official, 4 nominated, and 16 elected. There are 13 electoral districts, the two principal towns, Perth and Fremantle, and the Northern District, returning two members each, and the remainder one member each. The qualification for the franchise is a freehold estate of 100l., or a household tenancy of 101. annual value, or the possession of a pastoral leasə or licence of the same annual value. The total area of the colony is, in round numbers, a million square miles. Of this immense tract, 2,700 square miles only have been alienated from the Crown, while 250,000 square miles are leased for pastoral purposes. No less than 747,300 square plored. At present, the whole of the coast line of miles are still unoccupied, and in great part unexthe colony, a length of 3,000 miles, from Eucla in the south to Cambridge Gulf in the north, may be said to be more or less settled, for a distance inland varying from one hundred to, in some places, three hundred miles, though a considerable portion of the land taken up, especially in the Kimberley and Eucla districts, has not yet been stocked or occupied. The total population of the colony is as yet only 33,000 souls, excluding the aboriginal natives. |