Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/306

 254 THE BRITISH EMPIRE :— TOGOLAND

The southern half of Togoland is peopled by natives using 30 different languages, of which the principal is Efe — these may be regarded as an off- shoot of the Bantu peoples. The northern half contains, ethnologically, a totally different population descended largely from Hamitic tribes and speak- ing in all 16 languages, of which Dagomba and Tim are the most important. The majority of the natives are pagans, but many profess Mohamedanism, while Christianity has, latterly, been making some progress in the coast districts.

In the British zone there is one Government school with 200 pupils, and Missionary Societies have 35 schools with 3,912 pupils.

The climate is extraordinarily cool for the tropics, and, although far from healthy, is not unpleasant.

Inland the country is hilly, rising to 3,600 feet, with streams and water- falls. There are long stretches of forest and brushwood, while dry plains alternate with cultivable land. Maize, yams, cassada, plantains, ground- nuts, etc., are cultivated by the natives ; oil palms, caoutchouc, and dye- woods grow in the forests ; but the main commerce is the barter trade for palm oil, palm kernels, coco, rubber and copra carried on with the European factories. There are considerable plantations of oil and coco palms, coffee, coco, kola, and cassada ; kapok and cotton are also being tried as well as fibrous and other plants. In the Sokode and Sansane-Mangu districts there are about 65,000 head of cattle ; sheep, goats, poultry and pigs are found, but nowhere in large numbers ; in some districts horses of small size are bred. Native industries are : weaving, pottery, smith-work, straw-plait- ing, wood-cutting, etc. There is no mining by Europeans, but the natives in the Sokode and Misahbhe districts smelt iron. Customs revenue for 1917 was 63,578Z. ; for 1918, 54,203/,.

Revenue, 1918 (English and French zones), 127,444Z. ; expenditure 118,953*.

Imports and exports for six years : —

Years Imports Exports Tears

.c

&

1912

571,391

1913

531,550

1916

325,68 1

Imports Exports

& £

497,945 1917 845,868 473,774

456,850 1918 414,566

286,913 1 1919 665,332 85(1.744

1 From Lome only.

The principal imports in 1918 were cotton goods, provisions, salt, and tobacco. Principal exports were palm oil, palm kernels, cocoa, copra, and cotton.

There are good roads, connecting the more important centres of the Colony. There are three railways connecting Lome with Aneoho (Little l'opo) (27 miles), with Palinie (74 miles), and with Atakpaine (103 miles). Total, 204 miles. There are 13 post and telegraph stations and 4 sub-stations, connected by telegraph and telephone with the Gold Coast Colony, PltW 1' Dahomey, and with Europe.

Aihninixtntlor <«<.— Major V. \V. V. J<t<Lso,i. D.S.o. K..\.

Books of Reference.

<r»iW»(Miss M.), A Camera Actress in the Wilds of togoland. London, tin I.

Pauarge (8.), Togo. Berlin, H'ln.

Triermbery ( I.), ICWO. Berlin, 1914.

Von Puttkamer(\.), Ikmverneursjatare. Berlin, 1912.