144. BRITISH POSSESSIONS IN AFRICA. 



The exports of mahogany from Lagos are rismg, those from 

 the Gold Coast fluctuating, and those from Southern Nigeria 

 rapidly rising. 



The exports of rubber, on the whole, have rapidly decreased. 

 In the case of Lagos, the exports in 1896 were valued at 

 i:347,721 ; they fell to i:9,272 in 1902 and rose again to 

 £22,961 in 1904. In the Gold Coast Colony, they reached 

 their maximum in 1899 witli 56555,731. Since then, the 

 exports have fluctuated, so that the average of the last five 

 years comes to £'215,586. In Sierra Leone, they have fallen 

 during the last five years from £79,196 to £14,090. In 

 Southern Nigeria, they have fluctuated during the last four 

 years between £46,945 and £158,991. Taking all these 

 territories together, the export is now about one-fifth of what 

 it was in 1898. It is reported from all of them that the collec- 

 tion of thelatex has been most wasteful, so that enormous 

 quantities of rubber-yielding trees and climbers have been 

 destroyed. Efforts are now being made to plant especially 

 the Para rubber tree, which, as far as experience goes, seems 

 to promise well and to give larger quantities of latex than the 

 indigenous rubber plants. 



Southern Nigeria has now an organised Forest Department, 

 presided over by an Indian forest officer. The minimum 

 size of mahogany trees allowed to be cut has been fixed at 

 twelve feet circumference. Kegeneration is said to be good, 

 and a certain amount of planting is done. 



EAST AFRICA PEOTECTORATE. 



Area = 189,838 square miles, with an estimated popula- 

 tion of upwards of two millions. A retired Indian forest 

 officer has lately acted as Conservator of Forests ; he has 

 organised a small Department, but it is too early to record the 

 results of the measure. The protectorate has of late years 

 exported gum copal valued at £1,000 a year, and rubber valued 

 at £11,000. 



