37 



The agricultural production of. the Cazengo and Golungo 

 districts was estimated at 1,000 cantos per annum. The transport 

 problems were already calling for the attention of the Bank, as 

 the volume of trade hi creased. 



In 1872 S. Thome exported 1,099 tons of coffee and 78 tons 

 of cocoa; but the labour question was a drawback. The island 

 had not enough native population for the supply of the 

 agriculture. 



In 1872 there were 375 contos of notes in circulation at 

 Loanda, 353 contos at S. Thome, and 26 contos at Cape Verde. 



In 1873, the freedom granted to criminals who were deported 

 to Angola, caused the Bank to make strong representations to 

 the Government, showing how inconvenient and dangerous it 

 was and how it affected the free colonisation of Angola by a better 

 class of settlers. The current of emigration was thus encouraged 

 to Brazil to the detriment of Angola, where the mortality of the 

 Europeans was lower. The Bank, that year, caused samples 

 of products from S. Thome and Angola to be exhibited at 

 Vienna. 



The abolition of slavery caused a slow readjustment of 

 the economic conditions of the colonies, and credits had to be 

 restricted accordingly. 



Plagues, revolts, epidemics, and other events troubled the 

 normal development of West Africa. The Bank, however, 

 advanced money for the completion of the most urgent works, 

 such as harbours, jetties, &c., and forwarded plants from one 

 colony to the other. 



In 1876, the offices of the Bank were opened at Lourenco- 

 Marques. But trade with East Africa was in a critical position. 

 Ivory was becoming very scarce. The riches of Mozambique were 

 lying idle, as there were no white settlers to promote them. 



In 1879, Angola showed very good prospects and a regular 

 shipping line was established, giving a strong impetus to the 

 trade. Cocoa, coffee, cinnamon, chinchona, vanilla were 

 cultivated hi the northern districts of Angola and in some estates- 

 of S. Thome. In 1881 the Bank was supporting the sugar planta- 

 tions in Angola and suggesting tobacco plantations in that colony. 

 The coffee cultivation, to which most of the agriculturists devoted 

 their activity, was exposed to a strong competition from Brazil, 

 and consequently, the Bank in 1882 tried to show to its clients 

 the advantages of other tropical plantations. The 100 chinchona 

 trees (quinine) introduced in 1869 in S. Thome* had been the 

 object of the special attention of agriculturists, and 32,800 trees 

 were recorded in 1884. 



