792 



WEST AFRICA. 



Before the advance to Yola it was necessary to 

 drive them from both banks of the river and to 

 garrison several posts. In 1900 and the early 

 part of 1901 an attempt was made to extend 

 British authority up the Niger so as to render 

 secure the chosen site of the new capital and 

 establish the administrative headquarters in a 

 more healthful place than Lokoja. The emirs of 

 Kontagora and Bida, who were the most power- 

 ful chiefs south of Socoto, challenged the English 

 when they first came to build their capital at 

 Jebba, and made a combined attack on the ad- 

 vanced post at Wushishi. The garrison of the 

 fort could do nothing to prevent them from rav- 

 aging the country, and when other posts were 

 established the force was not strong enough to 

 prevent their carrying off thousands of slaves 

 and even plundering the canoes bringing up mate- 

 rial for the new headquarters. On Jan. 19, 1901, 

 Gen. Lugard despatched an expedition of 400 in- 

 fantry, first against Kontagora, a walled city of 

 25,000 inhabitants, which was deserted after a 

 pitched battle in which the emir's army of 5,000 

 cavalry and bowmen repeatedly charged the Brit- 

 ish square, hundreds falling under a murderous 

 fire of Maxims, grape-shot, and rifles. Some ap- 

 proached within 30 yards, and every one of their 

 wounded was carried away under heavy fire. Im- 

 mense quantities of poisoned arrows fell inside 

 of the square, but only a single man was killed on 

 the British side. The emir's men were pursued 

 for three days and a great many more were killed. 

 Gen. Lugard, who had arrived with another bat- 

 talion, conducted the advance to Bida. He sum- 

 moned the emir and his chiefs to meet him at 

 Wuyu, 12 miles from the capital. Only the ma- 

 kum came, the heir apparent or deputy, whom 

 the British had installed as emir in 1895, and who 

 had been supplanted by the real emir as soon 

 as they departed. The emir did not now attempt 

 to defend his city, but fled with his army, which 

 was hotly pursued by mounted infantry who 

 killed a great number. On Feb. 18 Sir Frederick 

 Lugard formally installed the makum once more 

 as emir and Capt. Cochrane was left British Resi- 

 dent with a strong garrison. Capt. Keyes led a 

 small force against Raha, a slave-raiding chief 

 who ravaged French as well as British territory. 

 He fled, and a new chief was set up in his town. 

 Jegga, where Sir Frederick Lugard first deter- 

 mined to fix the seat of administration, is a 

 market town in a well-cultivated district. He 

 afterward decided to transfer the administrative 

 center 100 miles northeast to Mykonkila, a more 

 healthful spot nearer to Socoto and Kano. It 

 is intended to carry the railroad from Lagos to 

 Ilorin through to Bida and Mykonkila, which 

 is already connected with the coast by telegraph. 

 Capt. C. V. Keyes was murdered by French 

 traders and freebooters who with a band of na- 

 tive followers went about stealing cattle. The 

 murderers were arrested by the French authori- 

 ties and handed over to the British for trial 



German West Africa. The German posses- 

 dons on the Guinea coast were acquired in 1884. 

 Toffoland has an estimated area of 33,000 square 

 miles and 2,500,000 population. The number of 

 Europeans in 1900 was 114. The imports were 

 3,300,000 marks; exports, 2,600,000 marks. The 

 revenue for 1901 was estimated at 750,000 marks, 

 of which 270,000 marks are contributed by the 

 Imperial Government. The exports are oil-fruits 

 chiefly, and besides these rubber and live animals. 

 Coconut-trees have been planted in the coast dis- 

 tricts. There is an experimental agricultural sta- 

 tion and school. Cotton and tobacco are raised 

 experimentally. Cola-trees are being planted. 



Cola-nuts are exchanged in the markets of the 

 interior for cattle and horses and for native 

 cloths, but the trade is with the Soudan. The rub- 

 ber forests have been destroyed to such an extent 

 that the export fell from 177 tons in 1900 to 82. 

 tons in 1901. The roads extend but a short dis- 

 tance inland. A tax of 10 marks a head was 

 imposed on emigrating laborers in 1899, but was 

 removed in the following year. A light railroad 

 from Lome to Little Popo was authorized in 1901. 

 The territory of Salaga, in the interior, has been 

 claimed by both England and Germany, and was 

 long left as a neutral zone. On Nov. 14, 1899, 

 they agreed to divide it so that the Daka river 

 shall form the boundary up to 9 of north lati- 

 tude, and beyond that point the line shall be fixed 

 by a mixed commission in such a way that Yendi 

 and Chakosi fall to Germany and Mamprusi and 

 Gambaga to England. Negotiations for the parti- 

 tion of the northern part were carried on in 

 March, 1901, but were suspended until more ac- 

 curate geographical knowledge could be obtained. 

 When the dry season of 1900 began expeditions 

 were undertaken to subdue the Konkombas east 

 of the Oti river and the tribes of the mountain- 

 ous districts of Moba and Rotyabu. The district 

 of Dagomba, which was assigned to Germany in 

 the division of the neutral zone, was effectively 

 occupied. After the death of the powerful Sultan 

 Mohammed Andani the northern country lapsed 

 into anarchy until the black troops under Ger- 

 man officers restored order. 



Camerodns has an area estimated at 191,130 

 square miles and a population of about 3,500,000. 

 The Europeans numbered 528 in 1900. The offi- 

 cials and European officers of the protectorate 

 troops numbered 81. There are German planta- 

 tions of cacao, coffee, and tobacco near the coast, 

 where the volcanic soil is exceedingly fertile. The 

 main difficulty is lack of laborers. There are not 

 half enough for the land already under cultiva- 

 tion, and until a supply can be found Gov. von 

 Puttkamer will grant no more concessions. In 

 the botanic garden cloves, rubber, vanilla, ginger, 

 and pepper have been grown experimentally. 

 German merchants carry on trade with the in- 

 terior in palm oil and kernels, rubber, and ivory. 

 The revenue in 1900 was 3,245,000 marks, of which 

 the Imperial Government gave 2,063,000 marks. 

 Gold and iron have been found. The imports 

 in 1900 were 12,700,000 marks; exports, 5,100,000 

 marks. The northern territory was for a time 

 closed to trade by the natives. Capt. von Besser 

 led an expedition in 1900 and established a sta- 

 tion. From the station at Yoko, Lieut. Ratke set 

 up Jerima Abo as sultan in Tibati in accord with 

 the Emir of Adamawa, who was afterward driven 

 out of Yola by the British, and who was regarded 

 as the religious head of the Mohammedan states 

 in German Adamawa, and himself nominally 

 tributary to the Sultan of Socoto. At the begin- 

 ning of September, 1901, Lieut.-Col. Dominik 

 set out to plant a station at Garua on the 

 Binue, where no German force had appeared for* 

 eight years. At the same time a scientific expe- 

 dition to Lake Chad was fitted out. These enter- 

 prises indicate a change of policy on the part of 

 the Government, which since a formidable up- 

 rising in the Soudanese territories has devoted its 

 resources to the development of the coast regions, 

 although colonial experts advised the opening of 

 communications with the interior and the sup- 

 pression of the trade monopoly of the coast tribes 

 as the best means of extending commerce and 

 procuring suitable labor for the plantations. 



Portuguese West Africa. The Cape Verde 

 Islands are administered by a Governor residing 



