Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/925

 GUINANA — ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON 509

balanced at 5,774,564 francs in the local Im.lgot of 1898; dcht, 1,000,000 francs; expenditure of France (budget of 1899), 1,627,037 francs. Cliicf cultures: sugar grown on 25,400 hectares in 502 properties em}doying 42,560 persons; coffee on 3,500 liectares, employing 4,936 persons; cacao, 1,634 hectares. For local consumption there are grown l)ananas, sweet potatoes, manioc, tobacco, indian corn, and vegetables. The forests are interspersed with valuable timber, which is little worked. The trade of France with Gaudeloupe in 1897 amounted to 13,085,051 francs for imports, and 11,287,915 francs for exports. Guadeloupe is in direct communication with France and England by means of two steam navigation companies. Within the islands traffic is carried on by means of roads and navigable rivers. Silver coin has disappeared from circulation; treasury notes for 2 francs, 1 franc, and 50 centimes are authorised up to a total emission of 800,000 francs.

GUIANA.

Population estimated at 22,714, in addition to a few mountain trilies. Cayenne has 12,351 inhal)itants. Population of the penitentiaries and the liberated convicts about 4,500. A strip of territory now included in the colony is claimed by lirazil, and in April, 1897, a convention was signed at Rio Janeiro sulnnitting the dispute to arbitration. The colony is under a Governor, with a Council-General and municipal councils, and is re^iresented by one deputy. It is poorly cultivated, and its trade insignificant. In 1896, 101,938 oz, of gold were exported; of this amount, about 58 per cent, came from the disputed territory. The trade of France with French Guiana in 1897 amounted to 1,648,848 francs for imports, and to 10,849,482 francs for exports. Local budget (1898), 2,453,261 francs; the expenditure of France (budget for 1899) being 6,368,139 francs, of which 4,915,000 francs was for the penal estaldishment.

MARTINIQUE.

The colony is under a Governor and municipal councils with elected General Council; divided into 32 communes. Represented by a senator and two deputies. Area 381 .square miles; population in 1895, 187,692 (90,373 males and 97,319 females), with floating pojmlation of 1,907; only 1,307 were born in France, Births (1895), 6,026; deaths, 5,007; marriages, 624. There is a law school (at Fort-de-France) with 76 students; 3 secondary schools, with 487 pupils; a normal school; 38 primary schools, with 10,304 pupils; also 13 clerical and jnivate schools. Chief commercial town, St, Pierre (25,382 inhalntants). Sugar, coffee, cacao, tobacco, cotton, are the chief cxdture, besides 15,067 hectares under the food-producing crops. In 1896, 34,429 tons of sugar and 3,765,000 gallons of rum and arrack were ex- Itorted. The trade of France with Martinique in 1897 amounted to 18,997,565 francs for imports, and 12,965,952 francs for exports. The local budget for 1898 balanced at 5,096,048 francs; expenditure of France (budget of 1899), 2,581,848 francs; debt (annuity), 95,000 francs.

ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON.

The largest islands of two small groups close to the south coast of New- foundland. Area of St. Pierre group, 10 S(j. miles; i)opulation in 1892, 5,700; area of Miquelon group, 83 sq, miles; population, 550; total area, 93 sq, miles; population, 6,250 (720 Engli.sh). There is a Governor with a Council-General, and municipal councils. Pirths (1895), 214; deaths, 185; marriages, 42. Chief town, St. Pierre. There is a colonial college for