Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/445

 105

EUROPE.

GIBRALTAR.

Governor. — General Sir Robert Biddulph, R.A., G.C.M.G., K.C.B,, salary, 4,166Z. 135. ^d. sterling. Colonial Secretary. — H. M. Jackson, C.M.G.

The Rock of Gibraltar is a Crown colony, situated in 36" 6' N. latitude and 5° 21' W. longitude, in the Province of Andalusia, in Spain, commanding the entrance to the Mediterranean. The Governor, who is also Commander- in-Chief, exercises all the functions of government and legislation. Area, It^s square mile ; greatest elevation, 1,439 feet. Population (1897), 26,203 (estimated), including garrison of 5,505 men. Settled population mostly descendants of Genoese settlers. Average births per 1,000 of civil population, 24*42. Deaths per 1,000 of civil population, 20 '64. Religion of fixed population mostly Roman Catholic ; one Protestant cathedral and three Roman Catho- lic churches ; annual subsidy to each communion, 420Z. Qs. ^d. Several private English schools ; Government aided elementary schools, 11 (8 Roman Catholic). Pupils, 1,867 in 1897-98. Government grant, 1,143Z. 105. ^d. One magistrate's court and a supreme court.

Chief sources of revenue : — Port dues, rent of Crown estate, excise, post- office, &c. Branches of expenditure : — Government civil establishments, administration of justice, public works, &c. Contribution by Home Govern- ment, nil. Industries unimportant.

—

18P3

1894

1895

1896

1897

Revenue Expenditure.

£ 60,919 58,405

£

63,216 60,655

£ 61,928 55,411

Pesetas 1,581,785 1,508,705

Pesetas. 1,652,781 1,531,784

Military expenditure by Imi)erial Government (1897), 275,016?.

Government savings-bank, with 4,422 depositors and 5,024,722 pesetas deposits (1897).

Gibraltar is a naval base and position of great strategic importance, which is now being largely increased in strength and stability by extending and completing the existing mole, and building a detached mole. A deep harbour of 260 acres is being formed, and for the new dockyard some 50 acres of foreshore and water area have been reclaimed. A torpedo-boat comber is in- cluded in the scheme, and the harbour will be made secure against torj)edo attack. The length of the three new docks is as follows : 850 feet (double), 550 feet, and 450 feet. There will be additional coal stores at the Admiralty mole. In 1897 the total tonnage of vessels entered was 4,371,126, of which 3,331,477 was British. Three miles of internal telegraph under military, and about one mile under colonial, management. Postal communication daily with England. Branch post-offices at Tangier, Laraiche, Rabat, Casablanca, Mazagan, Mogador, Saffi, Fez, and Tetuan. There is cable communication with the Contincmt, the Mediterranean. Eastern ports, and England, vid Post Office and Eastern Telegraph Company's lines.

The legal currency is that of Spain, the peseta = 1 franc ; 25 pesetas nominally = \l., but exchange is generally over 30 pesetas to the £.