Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/936

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FRANCE

Colonies and Dependencies.

The colonies and dependencies of France (including Algeria and Tunis) have an area roughly estimated at about 4,000,000 square miles with a })opulation of about 41,600,000. Algeria, however, is not regarded as a colony but as a part of France, and Tunis is attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The administration of the colonies is directed or controlled by the Ministry of the Colonies which was organised as a se])arate department in 1894. Most of them enjoy some measure of self-government and have elective councils to assist the governor. The older colonies have also direct representation in the French legislature, Reunion, Martinique and Guadeloupe sending each a senator and two deputies ; French India, a senator and a deputy ; Senegal, Guiana, and Cochin-China each a deputy, while most of the others are represented on the " Conseil Superieur des Colonies." This council consists of the senators and deputies oi' colonies, delegates from othei' colonies, and officials and other persons appointed on account of their special knowledge or qualifications. Some only of the colonies have a revenue suffi- cient for the cost of administration. In the budget estimates of 1912 the expenditure of France directly on the colonial service was estimated at 103,477,406 francs (exclusive of a large expenditure on Algeria). Of this expenditure 327,340 francs were for civil administration ; 84,755,837 francs for military services, and 7,417,900 francs for penitentiary services. The French Ministries of War and Marine have also to bear heavy colonial expenses not included in the budget relating to the colonies. The military contribution of the colonies for 1912 is put at 14,650,000 francs of which 13,650,000 francs are from West Africa, 700,000 from Madagascar, and 300,000 from Guiana.

The area and population of the colonial domain of France in 1907, as given in the Roport of the Budget Commission on the Budget for 1909, are as follows :—

hi Aula : — India. Annarn Cambodia. Cochin-Cliiua Ton king Laos.

Total A.sia

In Africa : — Algeria Sahara

Tunis .... Senegal

Upper Senegal and Niger Guinea Ivory Coast Dahomey. Mauritania. Congo .... Reunion Madagascar • Mayotte Somali Coast

Total Africa

Year of Acquisition

1(579 1884 1862 18(51 188-1 18P2

18o(J-l'J0J

1881 1(337-1880 1893 1843 1843 1893 1893 1884 1(549 1(543-1 S9( 1843 itC4

Area in Square Miles

19(5 309,98(J

Population

•277,000 1(3.317,000

31,17t;

343,600 1 1,544,000 45,779

}- 1,085,810 2

0(19,-2SO 970

'j2(.;,oi5

840 5,790

4,421,934

U), 594,000

5,231,860 800,000

1,500,000 915,000

4,415,000

1,498,000 890,000 749,000 400,000

5,000,0(10 201,0(Xl

2,701,000

90,000

180,000

24,570,850

1 Including the Algerian Sahara. - Including Military Ten'itories.