Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/959

 FRENCH WEST AFRICA AND THE SAHARA

837

and military functionaries, was formed under the name of Mauritania. Over the whole of French West Africa there is a Governor-General, who is assisted by a Secretary and by a Council, the seat of the general government being at Dakar.

In 1904 a further reorganisation took place by which the Territories of Senegambia-Niger were broken up, the Senegal Protectorate restored to that Colony, and the rest of the Territories formed into a fifth colony called Upper Senegal-Niger, with its capital at Bamako on the River Niger. At the same time Mauritania was made a Civil Territory in five circles, Trarza, Brakna, Gorgol, Tagant and Guidimaka, administered by a Commissioner. In Janu- ary, 1909, the vvhole of Mauritania was formed into a French protectorate.

The five Colonies are each under a Lieutenant-Governor, subject to the direction of the Governor-General, who has been relieved of the direct administration of any portion of his Government, and is free to devote the whole of his attention to directing and controlling the common interests of the five Colonies. To facilitate this object a General Budget has been created, drawn up by the Governor-General, which provides for all the services Avhich are common to all the Colonies, and the funds for which are provided by the customs and shipping dues of each of the Colonies, which have now only their internal revenues to depend upon for their local budgets, which have, however, been relieved of the cost of all the general services.

The expenditure of France on French West Africa (budget estimates for 1913) amounts to 20,555,575 francs, most of which is military expenditure. The general budget of the Colonies for 1911 amounted to 20,875,000 francs ; in addition there are the separate budgets of the Colonies. The outstanding debt of French West Africa on January 1, 1910, amounted to 156,277,000 francs. The military forces consist of 8,956 men, of whom 2,098 are Europeans.

The population of French West Africa is (1911) 11,100,000, of whom 7,104 are Europeans, including 6,377 French, 112 English, and 75 Germans. The area 1,510,000 sq. miles (including Mauritania). Schools are at work for elementary primary, superior and commercial primary, and technical education, with a central normal school for training native teachers for the village schools. The whole system is supervised by an Inspector of Educa- tion for French West Africa. Over 10,000 children are receiving ell- mentary instruction, about 3,000 of- the pupils being girls. The expen- diture on the schools for 1908 was put at 1,015,380 francs.

The principal imports and exports of French West Africa in 1911 were as follows : —

Imports

!

Exports

Articles

j Articles

Pounds

Value

Pounds

Value

£

Textile fabrics.

13,005,233

1,579,415

Mahogany.

52,387,210

87,324

Cola nuts.

2,014,914

163,738

1 Animal.*, live

—

56,759

Tobacco, un-

i Palm kern el H

111,652,053

• 599,451

manufactured

0,494,64.5

154,957

' Palm oil.

48, 147,. '91

1 495,001

Rice.

f)8,116,13r)

296,212

Peanuts

376,719.431

, 1,618,082

Sugar.

19,232,890

157,000

GuMi aiabic

4,270,332

1 48,671

Ooal.

234,64(5,5(14

288,874

Rubber

9,067,172

' 1,129,731

Wines, spirits, &,

Other articles.

530,555

other liquors. Other articles.

1^,561,911

324,713 2,853,474

Total.

4 674,574

Total.

-

5,818,378

1