1 5 s [June, 1902.] 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
Vol. VIII. No. 90. 
Sir E. Sassoon, in opening the discussion, said that the security of the Persian Gulf 
was as essential to our peace and security in India as the peace and security of Ireland were 
to us here at home. Our best policy was to see that no change took place in the policy of 
the open door, that those few institutions which carried aloft in Persia the flag of England 
should be firmly supported, and that the Consular staff should be increased. 

FUNCTIONS AT THE INSTITUTE. 
EXHIBITION OF THE GIFTS AND ADDRESSES PRESENTED 
TO THE PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES. 
The Exhibition of the Gifts and Addresses presented to their Royal Highnesses the 
Prince and Princess of Wales during their recent colonial tour, was opened to the public 
on the 15th ult. On the day previous Her Majesty the Queen, the Prince and Princess of 
Wales, and Prince Edward of Wales, paid a private visit to the exhibition, and expressed 
themselves highly pleased with the arrangements. The collection has been placed in the 
North Gallery, where the wedding presents to the Prince and Princess, and the Jubilee 
addresses and presents to the late Queen Victoria, were exhibited. The arrangement follows, 
in geographical order, the course taken by the Ophir. The greater portion of the exhibition 
naturally consists of the loyal addresses from the various cities and towns visited by their 
Royal Highnesses. These form a unique collection, evincing the unanimous and heartfelt 
loyalty of the Colonies, and their patriotic devotion to the mother -country and the reigning 
family. Many of them are remarkable for the excellence of their design and caligraphy, as 
well as for the sentiments expressed. 
The presents are also equally interesting, and, coming from so many different sources, 
are of a very varied character : some are remarkable for their value or beauty, others are 
striking curiosities. Among the Eastern gifts, the most noteworthy are a star-shaped box 
from the Federated Malay States, and a facsimile of the traditional chain of office of the 
Sultans of Perak, in pure gold. The Australian gifts are remarkably handsome and costly, 
and the New Zealand collection deserves special attention. It includes beautifully carved models 
of Maori houses, enriched with gold and silver, and inlaid with greenstone ; numerous green- 
stone meres, many of them handed down from generation to generation for centuries ; also 
feather mats and kilts, huia feathers, and a model of the sacred canoe. From South Africa 
come precious stones, and ingenious mementoes of the war. Boer prisoners are represented 
by articles made by them in South Africa and St. Helena, showing great mechanical 
ingenuity. Canada, like Tasmania, is represented by a beautiful collection of furs, and by 
some valuable jewellery, notably two unalloyed nuggets from the miners of Atlin, British 
Columbia, and a branch of maple leaves in gold, the outline and stem being marked with 
brilliants. Indian souvenirs, also, are numerous, including the canoe which was used by the 
Royal tourists at Ottawa. 
In all there are 871 exhibits: a full descriptive catalogue of these has been compiled, 
copies of which can be obtained at the Institute. The exhibition will remain open during 
the summer months, on week-days, from 11 a.rh, till 7 p.m. The admission is is. ; the 
proceeds will be contributed to the “ Coronation Gift” to King Edward’s Hospital Fund. 

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT. 
CORRESPONDENCE AND ENQUIRIES. 
XUS’ The following are given as specimens of some of the enquiries which have been addressed to, 
and satisfactorily answered by, the Institute during the past month ( May). 
All communications must be authenticated by the name and address of the writer. Enquiries 
which would involve special applications or expense will be a matter of arrangement with 
the correspondent. 
T. M. , Berks. — Cultivation of Alfalfa or Lucerne. 
D. & Co. , London. — Cultivation of pepper. 
H. C. R. , London. — Yacal-wood. 
D. E. H., Shipley. — New Zealand ornamental timbers. 
R. & Co., Wolverhampton. — Weights and measures in Hayti and Cuba. 
F. S. W. , Folkestone. — Sunflower cultivation. 
E. S., Manchester. — Aden. 
A. M. J., Hull.— New patent process for making sulphuric acid. 
J. J. F., London. — Climate of Sao Paulo and Santos. 
R. E. W., Liverpool . — Molybdenite in Australia. 

REQUIREMENTS REGISTRY. 
In order to provide correspondents with an opportunity of making known special “wants" 
or “needs" in the British Colonies, India, and Foreign Countries, space will be regularly 
devoted to the publication of approved notices in the Imperial Institute JOURNAL. Notices, 
as a rule, should not exceed 25 words in length, for which a charge of 2s. 6d. will be made for 
each insertion. Special arrangements can be made for longer notices. 
Specimens of Foreign and Colonial Woods desired. Purchase or 
exchange. Names and localities must be well authenticated. Address — 
Herbert Stone, Bracebridge-street, Birmingham. 
The Curator of the Canadian Section of the Imperial Institute is prepared to 
'• furnish information about Canadian Trade and to supply names of importers, manufacturers, 
shippers, etc. 
The following trade enquiries have been received at the Canadian Section of the Imperial 
Institute, from the Curator of which Section further particulars may be obtained ; — 
Home Enquiries. — A Scotch firm wish to appoint responsible Canadian resident agents in 
the leading cities for the sale of Clyde refined sugars, 
A London house seek the services of an influential Canadian agent to deal in French wines 
and champagnes. 
A firm of manufacturing confectioners are prepared to appoint a Canadian agent who is in 
a position to advantageously introduce their specialities to the trade. 
A London manufacturer's agent, long established, wishes to hear from Canadian manu- 
facturers and shippers desiring representation. 
Canadian Enquiries. — A commission merchant residing at St. John, New Brunswick, who 
possesses large warehouse accommodation, asks to be placed in communication with 
wholesale wine and spirit merchants, and also with manufacturers of builders' materials 
such as fire-clay goods, fire bricks, cement, etc. 
A Canadian manufacturer of “ Excelsior " for upholstering purposes wishes to hear from 
United Kingdom importers of the material. 
A Toronto manufacturer’s agent claiming a good connection in Eastern Canada, and able 
to furnish United Kingdom reference, is prepared to represent a few manufacturers and 
shippers. 
SOUTHERN NIGERIA. 
By the Southern Nigeria Order in Council, 1899, which came into operation on the 
1st January, 1900, part of the territories of the Royal Niger Company, Chartered and 
Limited, was added to the Niger Coast Protectorate, and the combined territories were 
constituted into the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, under the administration of a High 
Commissioner. 
In the report by the High Commissioner on the Blue Book for 1900, it is stated that 
the statistical system which obtained in the Royal Niger Company differed from the system 
observed in the Niger Coast Protectorate Blue Book, and comparison is, therefore, impractic- 
able between the figures in the Blue Book for 1900 and the statistics contained in the Blue 
Books of the Niger Coast Protectorate. The financial returns in the Blue Book of 1900 
relate to the period ending on the 31st March, 1900, and consequently do not wholly 
represent the statistics either of Southern Nigeria or of the Niger Coast Protectorate. There 
was a decrease of .£5,459 in the revenue of the year ending 31st March, 1900, as compared 
with the revenue of the previous year. The decrease is the more noteworthy because, during 
the last quarter of the year, duty was received in respect of the importations of the Niger 
Company. The amount of duty received at Akassa during the last quarter was £4,617, and 
probably a similar amount was collected at ports in the Western Division. But for this 
increase the decrease mentioned above would, therefore, have been nearly £15,000. It has to 
be further remembered that ad valorem duties were levied during the last quarter of the year 
for the first time. The decrease can, however, be accounted for by the large decrease in 
the importations of rum and gin, which was probably, in part, due to the large importation 
during 1898-99, as is shown by the following figures : — - 
Gin 
Rum 
1899-1900. 1898-99. 
Gallons. Gallons. 
614,298 980,944 
164,208 324,161 
1897-98. 
Gallons. 
857,802 
266,969 
1S96-97. 
Gallons. 
59^,073 
253.289 
Of the increase, £29,389, which took place during the year in the expenditure, £11,710 
was due to increases in personal emoluments and £17,678 to expenditure on other charges. 
It will be seen, therefore, that as regards the period ending the 31st March, 1900, the 
incorporation of territories of the Royal Niger Company produced relatively little change in 
the expenditure and revenue of the Protectorate. 
By universally accepted custom, the currency of the Protectorate is, as between persons 
who are not natives of the Protectorate, the British currency. The natives, in dealings be- 
tween themselves, use in different parts of the Protectorate brass rods, manillas, brass wire, 
gin, cloth and tobacco. In transactions between or with Europeans, these articles cannot be 
regarded in any way as serving the purpose of a currency, their use in such transactions being 
merely an instance of barter. In the Benin territories, as in Lagos, cowries are used for 
small purchases and may be regarded as acting as a currency to a limited extent. The 
absence of coin in the district has made it necessary to recognise that orders of the Native 
Courts can Ire complied with by payment in manillas, brass rods, etc., and even in “ trade 
goods” except gin. This custom probably originated with the provisions contained in 
Section cxi. of the African Order in Council, 1880. 
The estimated average value of brass rods is 2^d., of manillas ifd., and of wires -£d. 
The value varies, however, not only in different districts, but also at different times of the 
year. The use of “wires” is confined to parts of the Old Calabar and Cross River districts. 
In other districts the absence of a small medium of exchange is remedied in native trans- 
actions by sub-dividing tobacco, gin, etc. 
By the “Amended Customs Tariff Proclamation of 1900,” silver of the realm (meaning 
of course the United Kingdom) not being of the established standard in weight or fineness is 
absolutely prohibited from importation. During 1900 specie was imported to the value of 
£135,309. The importations of specie into the Niger Coast Protectorate during the years 
1897-98, 1898-99, 1899-1900, were £29,202, £29,290, and £36, 372, respectively. Practically 
there was no exportation of specie during 1900. 
With regard to trade and commerce, the exports and imports in 1900 nearly balanced 
one another, there being a surplus of £18,021 only of exports over imports. This surplus, 
however, is only arrived at by including in the imports the sum of £i35>3*9> the amount of 
specie imported. As there was practically no export of specie, the figures in reality show 
that the value of the imports exceeded the value of the exports by over £ico,ooo. The 
exports from the Protectorate to foreign countries was very largely in excess of the imports 
from those countries. This large excess is due to the large quantities of palm kernels shipped 
to Germany, and in a minor degree to the palm oil shipped to France. 
In the case of the United Kingdom, the imports into the Protectorate were, unlike those 
from foreign countries, in excess of the exports from the Protectorate. This surplus of 
imports over exports is largely due to the fact that £130,850 specie was imported from the 
United Kingdom. Kerosene and lamp oil to the value of £6,047 ware imported from the 
United States, and £1,665 kerosene and lamp oils and £4,459 of specie reached the 
Protectorate from Grand Canary. With these exceptions the principal importations were con- 
fined to imports from the United Kingdom, Germany and Holland, and the principal 
exports to those sent to the United Kingdom, Germany and France. The importation of 
perfumery from Germany largely exceeds the importation from the United Kingdom. The 
importations of gin and geneva from Holland and Germany complete the list of cases in 
which the imports from the United Kingdom were exceeded by the imports from other 
countries. 
No change in the direction of trade appears to have taken place. The import and 
export returns contained in the Blue Book for 1900 include the imports into and exports from 
Northern Nigeria. This fact accounts for the amount of gum copal exported and also for 
the large exports in ivory. But with these two exceptions there is nothing to show that the 
exports returns have been greatly increased by exports from Northern Nigeria. 
♦ 
THE WORLD’S SUGAR PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION, 
1800 - 1900 . 
The above is the title of a monograph recently issued by the United States Treasury 
Bureau of Statistics. It discusses the sugar production and consumption of the world during 
the past century, and especially during the last half-century, in which the burden of sugar 
production has been transferred from cane to the sugar-beet, and in which the world has so 
largely increased its consumption of sugar. The world’s sugar production has grown from 
1,150,000 tons in 1840 to 8,800,000 tons in 1900. During the same period the world’s 
population has grown, according to the best estimates, from 950,000,000 to about 
1,500,000,000. Thus, sugar production has increased about 650 per cent, while population 
was increasing but about 50 per cent. Considering the United States alone, it is found that 
the consumption of sugar, which in 1850 was only 22 pounds per capita, was in 1901 over 
68 pounds per capita. 
One especially striking fact shown by the statistics presented in this study is the rapidly 
increasing proportion of the world’s enlarged sugar consumption which is supplied by beets. 
According to the figures presented by this study, beets, which supplied in 1840 less than 
5 per cent, of the world’s sugar, in 1900 supplied 67 per cent, of the greatly increased 
