Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/968

 G12 GERMAN EMPIRE: — EAST AFRICA

1,383,400 marks ; showing a deficit of 212,840 marks. Budget for 1899, revenue (including Imjierial contribution of [1900] 983,400 marks) and expenditure, 1,394,100 marks. The chief town is Kamerun. Buca, Victoria, Bibundi, and Canipo are other important trading stations, and Aqua-town and Bell-town are the principal native settlements. Gold and iron have been found within the territory. In the j'ear ended July 1, 1896-97, 25 German vessels of 32,796 tons, 39 British vessels of 47,147 tons, and 1 French of 1,205 tons entered the ports of Kamerun ; total tonnage entered, 81,148.

In the year 1897, the imports into the Kamerun region amounted to 5,340,000 marks ; and exports to 3,706,000 marks. The chief exports were : rubber, 1,060,000 marks ; palm oil, 980,000 marks ; palm kernels, 1,320,000 marks; ivory, 370,000 marks ; cacao, 44,000 marks ; ebony, 111,000 marks. The chief imports were cottons, spirits, salt, tobacco, rice, iron wares, wood and powder, and colonial produce. Kamerun is connected by telegraph cable with Bonn}^ in the Niger Coast Protectorate.

German South- West Africa.

This region extends along the coast for about 930 miles, exclusive of Walfisch Bay, which is British. The Orange River forms the south boundary to long. 20° E. ; the east boundary goes north along the 20° till it meets the 22nd parallel of S. lat. ; it then turns east till it meets long. 21° E., which it follows north to the 18th parallel ; it then goes east to the Chobe River, which it follows to the Zambesi. The northern boundary is formed by the Cunene River as far as the Humbe cataracts ; then east to the Cubango and the Katima rapids of the Zambesi. The total area is estimated at 322,450 square miles and the population at 200,000, belonging to the Hottentot and Bushman, the Bantu and the Damara races, among whom there are two evangeli- cal missionary societies at work. The white population is 2,628 (1897), 1,221 males being Germans and 299 males British and Boers. The military force consists of 755 officers and men, all European, but natives also are em- ployed. The whole southern part and much of the east is barren and desert. The coast lands are held by the ' Deutsche Kolonial Gesellschaft fiir Siidwest Africa,' which has given the special names of Deutsch-Naraaland to the southern part of its territories, and Deutsch-Damaraland to the northern. An Anglo-German company has obtained from the German Government (1892) a concession of the northern part of the territorj^ The chief stations are Windhoek, Gobabis, Otjimbingue, Tsoakhaubmund, Keetmanshoop, Gibeon. The two chief harbours in German possession are Sandwich Harbour, which is being gradually sanded up, and Angra Pequena, or Liideritz Bay. A new harl)our is being constructed at Swakopmund, whence a railway to Windhoek is under consideration. The seat of adminis- tration is at Great Windlioek, about 180 miles inland from Walfisch Bay. There are also Government stations at the chief centres of pojmlation. There is little agriculture. The chief industry is pastoral ; in Damaraland the natives possess vast herds of cattle, while sheep, introduced from Cape Colony, and goats of native breed are also reared. Copper has been found, though the expense of working it has hitherto rendered the discovery almost useless. Gold has been found, but not in sufficient quantity for working, and traces of other minerals have been observed. Revenue for 1895-96 (including Imperial contribution of 1,700,000 marks) 1,856,860 marks; expenditure. 1,991,480 marks ; deficit 134,620 marks. Budget for 1899, revenue (including Imperial contrihution of 6,970,000 marks) and expenditure, 5,001,000 marks. Imports in 1897, 244,366/.; exports, 62,337/. The chief imports are provisions and textiles ; and exports, guano and ostrich feathers.