MADAGASCAR. 



449 



Snider rifles have been imported since the war 

 of 1885, and there were already 40,000 on the 

 island. There are 2 batteries of 7-pounder 

 mountain guns, each of 6 guns, 2 batteries of 

 5-barreled Gardners, each of 6 guns, and 6 bat- 

 teries of 6-barreled Gatling guns. The total 

 fighting strength of the nation is about 300,000 

 men, for less than one half of whom there are 

 firearms, while the rest would be armed with 

 spears. 



Area and Population. The area of Mada- 

 gascar is estimated at 228,500 square miles. 

 The population is between 3,500,000 and 5,000,- 



and gold are abundant. The annual export of 

 gold dust to England was estimated in 1892 to be 

 $500,000. The total value of exports in 1890 was 

 reported to be 3,741,355 francs, but the returns 

 are incomplete and the commerce has since in- 

 creased greatly. The total commerce, import 

 and export, is supposed to amount to nearly 35,- 

 000,000 francs. The French have not gained 

 by this development. They have not more than 

 10 per cent, of the total trade, while the British 

 have 40 per cent., the Americans 30 per cent., 

 and the Germans 20 per cent. Of 255 vessels 

 entered at the port of Tamatave in 1890, 183 



THE QUEEN'S RESIDENCE. 



000. The dominant Hova tribe numbers 800,- 

 000 or 1,000,000. Antananarivo has about 100,- 

 000 inhabitants, and Tamatave 15,000. 



Commerce. The imports in 1890 were valued 

 at 5,597,260 francs, of which 2,725,780 francs 

 were for textile manufactures, mainly American 

 sheetings and striped cloth for garments, of 

 which $580,000 worth were imported in 1892. 

 The English manufacturers have tried to com- 

 pete by imitating the American goods. The ex- 

 ports to the United States amount to about 

 $200,000 a year, mostly consisting of rubber 

 and hides. Rafia fiber is exported to Europe to 

 be made into rope for tying vines. Crocodile 

 skins, wax, oxen, coffee, hemp, copal, vanilla, oil 

 seeds, horns, tallow, and cabinet woods are other 

 exports. The silkworm is cultivated, and silk is 

 woven by the natives, as well as the rafia cloth. 

 Rice is raised in abundance, and is the ordinary 

 food of the people. Their chief wealth consists 

 in herds of cattle. Copper, iron, lead, silver, 

 VOL. xxxiv. 29 A 



were British, 39 French, 11 German, and 10 

 Danish. 



The French Ultimatum. Through jealousy 

 of the French claim of a protectorate, the Prime 

 Minister has hampered French trade and enter- 

 prise wherever he could, and granted the valu- 

 able concessions to Englishmen and Americans. 

 A Frenchman obtained the first privilege to 

 open gold mines, but was prevented from ob- 

 taining the necessary laborers. Subsequently 

 mining rights were accorded to English com- 

 panies, and every facility was given them. The 

 monopoly of the rubber trade in the southern 

 half of the island and a concession of 225 square 

 miles were granted to John L. Waller, who had 

 been United States consul, to the prejudice of 

 the French planters and traders who had estab- 

 lished themselves there. The preference con- 

 tinually shown by Rainilairivony to the com- 

 mercial rivals of the French caused a tension in 

 the diplomatic relations with France, which had 



