Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/212

 90 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — UNITED KINGDOM

ISLE OF MAN.^

The Isle of Man is administered in accordance with its own laws by the Court of Tynwald, consisting of the Governor, appointed by the Crown ; the Leo-islative Council, composed chiefly of ecclesiastical and judicial dignitaries appointed by the Crown, numbering 9 members, including the Governor ; and the House of Keys, a representative assembly of 24 members chosen on a property qualification for 7 years by the 6 'sheadings' or local sub- divisions, and the 4 municipalities. Number of voters 1911, 16,148. The island is not bound by Acts of the Imperial Parliament unless specially mentioned in them.

Lieut. -Governor. — Lord Raglan, C.B. (1,800Z.).

The principal towns are Douglas (population in 1911, 21,101, Ramsey (4,216), Peel (2,590), Castletown (1,817). Births (1910) 1,023; deaths, 841 ; marriages, 303 ; birthrate per 1,000 in 1910, 18-6 ; death rate, 15-3. In 1911 there were inspected 48 elementary schools, 43 being board schools. The enrolled pupils numbered 8,246, and the average attendance 7,244. The expenditure of school boards and of primary schools for the year 1910-11, amounted to 29,388Z. There were, in 1911, 2 secondary schools, 9 supplementary classes and 18 evening classes; pupils on register, 1,038, The expenditure of higher education boards in 1910-11 was 5,482/. On December 31, 1911, 978 persons received poor-relief (135 indoor and 843 outdoor). In 1911 the police force numbered 85 ; in the year there were 736 persons convicted.

Revenue is derived mostly from customs. In 1911-12 the total revenue amounted to 88,597Z. ; and total expenditure to 77,494Z., of which 10,000Z. was paid to the Imperial Exchequer as contribution from the Customs Revenue. Estimates, 1912-13 : revenue, 87,500Z, ; expenditure, 81,880Z. Government debt (1912) 19o,731Z.

The principal agricultural produce of the island consists of oats and barley, turnips and potatoes, and grasses. The total area of the island, excluding water, is 140,986 acres ; the total area of arable land in 1912 was 76,303 acres and of permanent grass, 16,745 acres. The total acreage under corn crops in 1912 was 22,526 acres, including 19,302 under oats, and 2,593 under barley or here. There were also 8,017 acres under turnips and swedes, 2,558 under potatoes, and 41,684 under clover, sainfoin and grasses under rotation. The numbar of agricultural holdings in 1912 above 1 acre in size was 1,776. Of these, 512 were owned or mainly owned by the occupiers, the aggregate acreage being 23,528 acres. The live-stock in 1912 consisted of 5,978 horses; 21,188 cattle ; 80,422 sheep, and 4,329 swine. The island has considerable mineral resources, the output in 1911 being to the value of 31,261Z. The chief products (1911) were lead ore, 930 tons (9,034^.); zinc ore, 1,860 tons (12,049Z,) ; salt, 8,736 tons (5,851Z,) ; besides igneous rocks, limestone, slate, sand and gravel. In 1911 there were 221 fishing boats of an aggregate tonnage of 3,172 net tons, employing 832 men and boys, engaged in sea fisheries.

The registered shipping (1911) comprised 50 sailing vessels (4483 net tons) and 27 steamers (5,808 net tons) ; total tonnage, 10,291 net tons. The tonnage entered at ports of the island (1911) was 809,944 tons (808,494 coastwise), and cleared 805,149 tons (803,468 coastwise). The railways have a length of 46^ miles, and there aire 25 miles of electric railways,

1 Area and population, see p, 12.