Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/550

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THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — NATAL

Industry.

Of the total area of the colony 2,250,000 acres have been set apart for Native occupationj 7,598,837 acres have been acquired by grant from the Crown by Europeans, 1,604,528 acres have been sold on deferred payments, and about 650,655 acres remain unalienated from the Crown. Of the total area in 1897 247,160 acres were under cultivation by Europeans, the leading crop for export being sugar (produce, 1897, 365,368 cwt. ), though large quan- tities of maize, wheat, oats, and other cereal and green crops are grown. Tea-planting has been recently introduced, 2,664 acres being under tea in 1897, the yield for the year being about 848,930 lbs. Estimated total num- ber of acres under cultivation by Natives, 598,790.

Of live stock owned by Europeans in 1897 there were 125,992 horned cattle, 54,795 angora goats, 649,475 sheep, and 26,921 horses ; and in pos- session of the Native population in 1897, there were 114,829 horned cattle, 252,183 goats, 21,487 sheep, and 21,760 horses. A large decrease has been caused by rinderpest.

The coal-fields of the Colony, which are of large extent, are now in direct communication with the seaport of Durban. The output for the year 1897 was 243,960 tons, which is likely to be considerably exceeded in future. An export trade is being established. Some attempts have been made to utilise the rich beds of iron ore which have been found in many parts of the Colony.

Commerce.

The total value of imports and exports by sea has been as follows : —

Year

Imports

Exports

£

£

1890

4,417,085

1,379,657

1893

2,236,738

1,242,169

1894

2,316,596

1,197,611

1895

2,469,303

1,318,502

1896

5,437,863

1,785,375

1897

5,983,589

1,621,923

About 70 per cent, of the imports are from, and 36 per cent, of the exports to. Great Britain.

The values of the principal imports and exports in 1896 and 1897 were : —

Imports

1896 £

1897

Exports

1896

1897

£

£

£

Apparel and slops

353,514

414,269

Angora hair

24,925

34,892

Haberdashery.

413,716

480,208

Hides and skins

42,730

51,220

Flour, grain

527,204

338,277

Sugar. . ..

22,376

12,011

Leather goods, &c.

273,988

263,708

Coal ....

88,334

89,863 I

Iron and goods.

570,218

612,864

Wool ....

590,605

474,681

Cottons. ..

132,412

75,638

Gold, bar, &c. .

102,624

18,223

Woollens. .

101,859

74,311

Bark ....

16,450

17,659

1 Machinery. .

367,870

397,528

Spirits (rum).

18

5

1 Wines, spirits, ales

165,856

142,904

The following is the value of the imports into Great Britain from Natal,