WEST INDIES 6 53 



pared with 308,930 in 1910. The imports were valued at 93,913 as against 94,294. 

 The principal exports are whale oil and wool. Over \\ million tb of wool, valued at 150,- 

 134, were sent away in 1911, a slight decrease on 1910. The other articles of export are 

 tallow, sheep-skins, hides, seal-skins, whale oil, whalebone, whale plates and tinned meat. 



The total general revenue during 1911 amounted to 36,146, exceeding that of 1910 by 

 9,566. The total general expenditure amounted to 23,407, an increase of 5,464 over 

 IQIO. The average excess of ordinary revenue over expenditure during 1908-12 was 

 2,910. At the end of 1911 the assets of the colony were 167,727, and the liabilities 

 76,546. 



Communications. The Pacific Steam Navigation Company's steamers call at Stanley 

 on their voyage out to Callao and on their return voyage a fortnight later, thus making a 

 monthly communication by letter with England, and fortnightly by cable via Monte Video 

 and Chile. The hitherto isolated state of the colony will shortly be terminated by the 

 erection of a wireless telegraph station, the tender of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Com- 

 pany having been accepted for a 5 kilowatt installation capable of communicating at night 

 with Buenos Aires or Monte Video. 



The number of sailing vessels that entered inwards in 1911 was 14 with a tonnage of 

 12,940; an increase of 6,159 in tonnage but no increase in the number as compared with 

 1910. The number of steamers entering was 64 with a tonnage of 141,929; an increase of 

 6 in number but a decrease of 7,192 in tonnage. 



Social Progress. Among legal enactments of the year 1911 were new regulations con- 

 cerning whaling, sealing, and the importation of animals, an ordinance dealing with the sale 

 of liquor in the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, the imposition of an export duty of 

 3d a barrel on whale oil, and a publication of a new edition of the laws of the colony. 



The volunteer force on December 31, 1911, had two officers and 117 non-commissioned 

 officers and men. The "Boy Scouts" held their first meeting on July 23, 1911. 



The results of the educational year in the government school are satisfactory. There 

 is a further advance in the numbers on the roll, and a considerable improvement in the av- 

 erage attendances. The number of children educated during 1911 was 435. 



The new hospital to be erected from a fund subscribed by the colonists as a memorial to 

 King Edward VII was begun towards the end of 1911; it will have accommodation for 12 

 patients. A new town hall to take the place of the Stanley Assembly Room, recently 

 destroyed by fire, is also in the course of erection. 



In 1911 there were only 60 convictions for various offences as against 81 in 1910. 



The reports of the medical officers indicate a general improvement in the public health 

 of the colony. (A. BRUCE JACKSON.) 



THE BRITISH WEST INDIES 



The history of the British West Indies is still that of the several colonies, no practica- 

 ble scheme for federating the islands, British Guiana and British Honduras, having been 

 forthcoming. During 1910-12 steady progress has, however, been made in the direction 

 of securing greater uniformity in all matters concerning these colonies. The question 

 of closer trade with Canada has helped to bring the various units together. 



The preference of 37^ per cent given by the Dominion on British sugar had continued 

 to attract West Indian produce to the Canadian market; the value of the preference was, 

 however, reduced by the privilege given to the best refiners of Canada for three years 

 from 1909 of importing at the British preferential rates two tons of sugar for every ton 

 of Canadian beet refined, and by the further privilege extended to the Canadian refiners 

 generally in the same year of importing foreign sugar to the amount of 20 per cent of 

 their requirements, on the terms of the British preference, in view of an alleged combina- 

 tion of the West Indian producers to raise prices. In August 1909 a Commission con- 

 sisting of Lord Balfour of Burleigh, the Hon. William Stevens Fielding, the Hon. Wil- 

 liam Paterson, Sir John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, M.P. (now Lord Islington), and 

 Sir Daniel Morris, with Mr. H. R. Cowell as Secretary, was appointed to enquire into 

 the question of trade relations between Canada and the West Indian colonies. The 

 terms of reference included improvement of transportation and telegraphic communica- 

 tion. The Commissioners visited Canada in September 1909 and the West Indian colo- 

 nies in January 1910. Evidence was also taken in London. In their Report they 

 warmly advocated the establishment of reciprocal trade arrangements between Canada 

 and the West Indies, and the improvement of steamship and telegraphic communica- 

 tion. With regard to steamship communication, they advocated the establishment of 

 a service between the West Indies and the Mother Country via Canada, but this did not 

 commend itself to the West Indian colonies, and the scheme was dropped in favour of 



