Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/944

 892 FRANCE: — MAYOTTE AND THE COMORO ISLANDS

narivo and Fianarantsoa, the capital of the southern provinces (259 miles), and Mananjary on the east coast (328 miles). Waggon roads have been made from Tamatave to Antananarivo, from Antananarivo to Maevctanana and between most of the chief military posts. Three railways are at present worked in Madagascar. The first is the through railway line between Antananarivo and Tamatave (229 miles) which was opened for traffic in March, 1913. The second is the railway which is being constructed between Antananarivo and Antsirabe (noted for its thermal springs), 107 miles south of Antananarivo, 27 miles of which were opened for traffic in January, 1919. The third is the branch line of the Tamatave railway, from Morarnanga to the Antsihanaka provinces, towards the north of the island, which was opened for' traffic in October, 1917, as far as Anosiroa, a distance of 61 miles. Total railway mileage on June 30, 1919, 776 miles.

There is postal communication throughout the island. The telegraph line has (December 31, 1918) a length of 4,444 miles, and 6,520 miles of wire. In 1916, 366,521 telegrams were sent. There is cable communication to Mozambique, Mauritius, Reunion, and Aden. In 1918 there were 462 miles of urban telephone line, 1,703 miles of inter-urban circuits, and three Government wireless telegraph stations.

Money and Banks.

The Comptoir National d'Escompte de Paris has agencies at Antanana- rivo, Tamatave, Diego-Suarez, Mananjary, Majunga and Tulear ; in 1911 the Bank of Madagascar, with headquaiters in 1'aris, was opened at Tamatave with a capital of 600,000 francs.

The only legal coin is the silver 5-franc piece, with its silver sub-divisioDs, as well as copper coins of 5 and 10 centimes, but the Italian 5-lire piece and Belgian, Greek, and other coins of equal value are also in circulation. French Bank notes of 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 francs are also legal tender, as well as, since the war, postage stamps affixed to cardboards, for smaller values, viz., 10, 25 and 50 centimes, and 1 and 2 francs.

MAYOTTE AND THE COMORO ISLANDS.

The archipelago of the Comoro Islands, is formed by the islands of Mayotte, Anjouan, Grande Comoro and Moheli. Before 1912, Anjouan, Moheli and Grande Comore were only under French protection ; Mayotte alone being a colony. But by a law of July 25, 1912, and a decree of February 23, 1914, the whole archipelago has become a colony, attached to the general government of Madagascar, of which it forms a twenty-third province, the ' Province des Comore.s. '

The island of Mayotte (140 square miles) had a population (1915) of 13,500. There is an increasing emigration to Zanzibar and Madagascar. In 1914 there were two schools with 2 teachers and 60 pupils. The chief pro- duct was formerly sugar, but the cultivation of vanilla has now superseded that of the sugar cane. There are now only two sugar works and two distilleries for rum. Besides vanilla and sugar, cacao, aloes and perfume plants (citronella, ylang-ylang, patchouli, &c.) are cultivated.

Grande Comore, Moheli, Anjouan, and a number of smaller islands, have an area of about 650 square miles and population in 1914 of 84,117. Vanilla, cacao and perfume plants are successfully cultivated. Grande Comore has a fine forest and exports timber for building and for railway sleepers.