217
42
Fiji consists of a large number of islands, the two principal ones being Viti Levn, 4,053 square miles, and Vanna Leva, 2,130 square miles.
Both these islands have good rivers, one navigable for 50 miles and another for 15 miles. There are splendid harbours protected by natural breakwaters in the form of barrier reefs.
The main industries and exporte are now sugar, copra and fruit, principally bananas. Maize and cotton, once important, have become negligible.
The development of fruit export is the result of Government subsidised steamship com- munication with Sydney, Auckland, and Melbourne. The Jamaica banana experience in repeated in Fiji in this respect.
There is no direct shipping communication with the United Kingdom.
Rubber planting is now an established industry, though small; the value of the export in 1917 was £11,804.
There are a few good roads and more are being constructed. Communication between the islands is maintained by sailing boats, steam launches and subsidised steamers.
Fiji appears to have achieved rapid development without the capital expenditure which has been the fertilising cause elsewhere, but it would appear that the real cause of progress has been the activities of certain companies, notably the Colonial Sugar Refining Co., and the Union Steamship Co., backed up by Government subsidies to provide shipping, while the notable progress in the production of sugar was rendered possible largely by the immigration of indentured Indians. This form of immigration was stopped in 1917 by the Indian Govern- ment, and great anxiety is felt on that account.
However, no less than 52,000 time expired indentured immigrants have settled in the Colony.
FALKLAND ISLANDS AND SOUTH GEORGIA.
Population (1911), 3,275. Area, 7,500 square miles.
1901.
1913.
Public Revenue
£15,000
£32,000
Public Expenditure
£18,000
£25,000
Loan Expenditure, 1901-13
·
£2,500
Public Debt.
Nil.
Nil.
Shipping entered and cleared, net tonnage
194,000
500,000
1901.
1912.
1913.
Imports (excluding bullion and specie) Exports
}}
£75,000 £108,000
£91,000
£243,000*
£623,000
£1,460,000
The islands depend mainly on sheep farming and whaling, and the chief articles of export are wool and whale oil.
The amazing development of trade is due to the enterprise of The Falkland Islande Company, Limited, which engages in sheep farming on a large scale, and to the enterprise of a number of whaling companies.
Whaling only started seriously about 1906. There are about 25 companies, all but four, Norwegian, and practically all the employees are Norwegian.
Whaling is carried out from the Falkland Islands and from its dependencies, Bouth Georgia, South Shetlands and Graham's Land, and South Orkneys. South Georgia is the principal centre.
1916 was the record whaling year, when the total value of products from the whales caught was £1,775,000.
There is also seal fishing.
The number of sheep is just under 700,000.
There would appear to be no country in the world where the production of wealth per head is greater than in the Falkland Islands.
BRITISH GUIANA.
Population (1911) 296,000. Area 89,480 sq. miles.
Public Revenue
Public Expenditure
Loan Expenditure, 1901-13
Public Dobt
Shipping entered and cleared, net tonnage Imports (Exclusive of Bullion and Specie) Exports (Exclusive of Bullion and Specie) Exports of Gold Bullion
• Including South Georgia.
1901.
1913.
£524,000
£602,000
£523,000
£593,000
£88,000
£992,000 726,000
£883,000
921,000
£1,367,000
£1,567,000
£1,643,000
£1,768,000
£394,000
£290,000
Balata Gum Diamonds
Grain and Rice Rum Sugar
Railway Mileage
Telegraphic Mileage
Telephone Mileage
43
PRINCIPAL EXPORTS..
1907. £21,000 £3,000 £1,000
1913. £163,000 £17,000
£108,000
£301,000 £1,127,000
£204,000 £1,103,000
COMMUNICATIONS.
95
95
311
317
25
48
The railway system is not extensive and has not been developed at all during the period under review.
The Colony has fairly good river transport as the Demerara, the Essequibo and the Berbice aro navigable for 90, 36 and 150 miles respectively, while there are some canals connected to the Demerara. There is a good network of roade.
There has not been any great development of transport for many years and there has not been any great trade development, and it is not unreasonable to assume that the two facts are associated.
The great article of export is sugar and as measured by weight a downward tendency is shown during recent years.
Balata gum shows notable improvement and so also does the export of rice, which goes almost entirely to the West Indies.
Rum shows a downward tendency which is, of course, a natural consequence of the downward tendency of sugar.
Cocoa is produced fairly largely, but it is nearly all used in the Colony for the manufacture of chocolate and confectionery.
The production of rubber shows stagnation. Gold mining is declining, though still important. During the war it was adversely affected by the decline in the value of gold relatively to ordinary commodities.
Mineral oil prospecting is proceeding, but without definite results so far.
As a whole the progress of Guiana is disappointing, and would appear to be due to the lack of an enterprising investment of new capital.
Bauxite is being mined and in view of the world's demand for aluminium, this industry may have great possibilities.
Bananas
BRITISH HONDURAS.
Population (1911), 40,000. Area, 8,698 square miles.
1901.
1913.
Public Revenue
£56,000
£118,000
Public Expenditure
£53,000
£106,000
Loan Expenditure, 1901-13
£180,000
Public Debt
£35,000
£195,000
Shipping entered and cleared, net tonnage
£415,000
£817,000
Imports (excluding bullion and specie) Exports
£246,000
£654,000
£221,000
£629,000
PRINCIPAL EXPORTS.
£31,000
*£30,000
Chewing Gum
£8,000 £5,000
£34,000 £199,000
Timber :-
Cedar Logwood Mahogany
£4,000 £77,000
£46,000
£74,000
£11,000 £216,000
COMMUNICATIONS.
Railway Mileage ...
Telegraph Mileage
Telephone Mileage
The chief industry is wood-cutting.
Nil.
Nil.
Nil.
25
Nil.
422
Coconuts
cultivation.
Only about 80 miles of this Colony are under
In the 1917 Report the following words appear: "but the fact remains that, despite the
richness of the soil, this Colony cannot at present be considered an agricultural Colony. There is no agricultural tradition and no agricultural knowledge."
H
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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
co
Reference :-
mmimmim
885/26
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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