Preface. 



Being considered somewhat legendary and mysterious, the 

 remote tropical colonies were very little known for a long time. 

 Although reputed sources of considerable riches, very vague notions 

 of them, mostly far from correct, loere generally knoivn. 



At the present day (dl this has much changed. The colonies 

 and particularly those situated in the intertropical zone are at 

 present every-ivhere the subject of serious and thorough studies. Inte- 

 rest is taken in their history, organization and administration. 

 Researches and investigations are being made in regard to their 

 flora and fauna, as irell as into the numerous problems lohich they 

 present from an ethnologic and anthropologic point of view. 



Large associations have been formed with the purpose of 

 encouraging and directing these studies, and many a periodical, in 

 several languages, is devoted exclusively to colonial questions. 



In these questions the interest by preference relates to the 

 politiccd economy of the colonies and to their commercial impor- 

 tance. In this respect the mining resources are mentioned by some. 



