Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/1157

 FINANCE 1035

(including tlie Liberians proper) may be considered civilised. All such use English as their language in daily life, and are Christian in religion. There is a British negro colony of about 500, and there are about 160 Europeans, including 60 Englishmen. The coast region is divided into counties, Basa, Sino, and Maryland, each under a Government superintendent, and Mont- serrado, subdivided into 4 districts, each under a superintendent, Monrovia, the capital, has, including Krutown, an estimated population of 6,000. It is a port of entry, the others being Cape Mount, Grand Basa, River-Cess (Grand Cestos), Sino (Greenville), Nana-Kru, Sestros, Cape Palmas, and Half Cavalla ; also Liberian Jene, on the Sierra Leone frontier. Other towns are Robertsport, Royesville, Marshall, Arthington, Careysburg, Millsburg, Whiteplains, Boporo (native), and Rocktown.

The Americo- Liberians are all Protestant (Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, or Methodist). There are several American missions at work and one French Roman Catholic. The government educational system is supplemented by mission schools, instruction being given both to American and to native negroes. In 1910 the government had 113 elementary schools with 122 teachers and 4,100 pupils. There are 87 mission schools and about ^3,000 pupils. The mission schools give industrial training. The Methodists have a college at Monrovia ; the Protestant Episcopalians a high school at Cape Palmas and 3 other important schools. The government has a college with 12 professors and 120 students. A criminal code was enacted in 1900 ; the customs laws were codified in 1907.

For defence every citizen from 16 to 50 years of age capable of bearing arms is liable to serve. The organized militia, volunteers, and police number about 400. There is one gunboat, the Lark, and one unarmoured Govern- ment steamer, the President Benson.

Finance.—

The revenue and expenditure (

in American dollars) :—

1902

1903

1904 1005

Dollars ' Dollars 301,238 296,662 314,200 298,800

1900

1908

1909

1911-12

Revenue. Expenditure.

Dollars 310,100 318,110

Dollars

333,104 338,481

Dollars 340,036

Dollars

355,209 350,000

Dollars

378,300

Dollar.?

471,335 470,000

The revenue is derived mainly from customs duties (72,632^. in 1908, 81,873Z. in 1909, 75,439Z. in 1910, 85,000^. in 1911 and 436,822 dollars in 1912) ; there is a tax on rubber exported (Qd. per lb.), and a tax is imposed on natives emigrating. The expenditure embraces chiefly the cost of the general administration. A debt of 100,000Z. at 7 percent, was contracted in 1871 ; of this the unpaid interest amounted in 1910 to 185,097Z. On March 31, 1899, an agreement was concluded for the reduction of the rate of interest, the amortisation of the principal, and the payment of arrears of interest, duties on rubber and other articles being assigned as security for the service of the debt. In January 1906 a loan of £100,000 was obtained through the Liberian Development Company to be employed partly in paying off Customs' creditors and resuming a gold currency at the Customs, and partly on road making and internal developments. In 1908 this loan was assumed by the Liberian Government. It is secured on the Custom!^. There is also an internal debt amounting (Jan. 1, 1911) to about 587,040 dollars, making a total (together with some smaller debts) of 1.627,418 dollars.