CONCLUSION 281 



There is a second class of commodities, however, in which 

 we are at present not self-supporting, and still another in 

 which we are entirely dependent for supplies on other countries, 

 as our own empire is deficient in them. 



In the first class, that is, commodities in which the empire 

 is self-supporting, we must place, among minerals, asbestos, 

 chromium, coal, cobalt, gold, graphite, manganese, mica, 

 monazite sand, nickel, tin, tungsten, zinc. With regard to 

 nickel, cobalt, asbestos, and mica, not only are we self- 

 supporting, but we produce the bulk of the world's output of 

 these, while with regard to tin * foreign countries are depen- 

 dent on the empire to the extent of nearly 60 per cent, of their 

 total supplies ', and with regard to gold the ' empire produces 

 over 60 per cent, of the world's output '. 



Among food products, empire production is equal, or nearly 

 equal, to empire demands in the case of fish, spices, oil-seeds, 

 cheese, and wheat. 



Our fisheries are an invaluable asset, for not only are we 

 able to produce enough for our own consumption, but we are 

 able to export large quantities to other countries. 



The empire, too, is very rich in spices, especially cinnamon, 

 ginger, allspice, and cloves, producing indeed of these last 

 the greater part of the world's supply. 



In oils and oil-seeds also we are very rich. West Africa 

 has a practical monopoly of palm oil and palm kernels, while 

 India and Ceylon export enormous quantities of copra, 

 linseed, castor seeds, cotton seeds, rape seeds, and sesame. 

 In addition to these, ground-nuts from West Africa and India 

 have become increasingly importantduring the war ; and though 

 at present olive oil and almond oil are not produced in suffi- 

 cient quantities to supply our needs, yet even of these there are 

 hopeful indications of a much greater production in the future 

 than in the past, while there are very many other oil-seeds 

 at present but little known, such as shea nuts, cashew nuts, 

 and mowra seeds, to name only a few, which the empire is 

 capable of producing in very large quantities. 



