Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/307

 CAMEROON 25n

CAMEROON.

The Cameroons, lying between British Nigeria and the French Congo extend from the coast north-eastwards to the southern shore of Lake Chad. In 1911 a considerable tract of land was transferred to Cameroon from French Congo, the new acquisition being known as New Cameroon. An agreement settling the frontier between Nigeria and Cameroon from Yola to the sea was signed in London on March 11, 1913. The Colony was captured from the Germans by French and British troops in February, 1916, and is now divided between the British and French. The British por- tion of the country is a strip, area about 30,000 square miles, stretching from the 3ea along the Nigerian frontier to Lake Chad. Total area 191,100 square miles ; population, 2,540,000. Bantu negroes near the coast, Sudan negroes inland. In 1913 there were 1,871 whites. The seat of Government was at Buea. Duala (pop. 22,000), Victoria, Kribi, Rio del Rev and Campo are important trading stations, and Aquatown and Belltown are the principal native settlements.

There are four Government schools, at Duala, Victoria, Jaunde, and Garua. Four missionary societies have schools with 24,270 pupils.

The soil in the coast region is fertile, and numerous valuable African vegetable productions grow in profusion. Plantations of cocoa occupy 26,000 aires ; and of rubber of various sorts, 18,000 acres. There are 345,824 oil palms. In Victoria, experiments are being made towards the cultivation of cloves, vanilla, ginger, pepper, and many other products ; an active trade in ivory and palm-oil. The colony is rich in hardwood ; ebony is abundant. Gold and iron have been found. Natives in the Bamenda division smelt iron. Salt is found in the Keara country, Ossid- inge Division, and at Bamessing in the Bamenda division.

There is a poll tax which yielded 24,178/. in 1918. Estimated revenue 1920 (British sphere), 54,680/.

Imports iuto the British Cameroon in 1919, 67,000/. : exports, 235,000/. Chief exports : palm kernels, rubber, palm oil, ivory, cocoa. Chief imports : textiles, spirits, timber, salt, iron wares, and colonial produce. In 1919 there entered Victoria 30 trading vessels of 52,221 tons.

Roads are being constructed between the coast towns and from the coast inland. The total length of railway line (1913) is 149 miles. The Manenguba railway is constructed to the length of 160 kms. A line from Duala to Edea and Widimenge was in construction, and other lines near the south-west coast were being projected. The telegraph system is being rapidly extended. Cameroon is connected by cable with Bonny in Southern Nigeria. A new- direct cable to Germany was opened in 1913.

The mark is still (September 1919) in use, value Id. at the official rate, both in the French and British spheres, but its purchasing power in the markets is the same as the shilling.

I nistralor of British Zone. — The^Governor of Nigeria.

Books of Reference.

Calctrt (A. F.), The Cameroons. London, l'.'lT.

£><mint'k(H.), Kamerun: Sechs Kriegs und Friedensjahre in dentschen Tropen Berlin, 1901.

Haa*e(l,.), Durchs unbekannte Kamerun. Berlin, 1910.

Hutter (F.). Wanderungen und Forschungen im Nord-Hinterland von Kamexuu Braunschweig, 1902.