Vol. VIII. No. 93 . 
IMPERIAL INSTITUTE JOURNAL. 
[September, 1902.] 243 
more in value, by reason of a continued low level of prices, than in quality, although in this 
also the decline was substantial. The reduction in quantity was partly due to voluntary 
restriction of output, but perhaps even more to climatic causes. Indigo also was exported 
on a reduced scale, as a consequence of an indifferent crop and partly of the contraction of 
cultivation under the discouragement of low prices. Nor was the reduction of exports 
followed by any material elevation of the low level of prices which was established when the 
synthetic indigo entered the market as an active competitor with natural indigo. The out- 
look for indigo planters does not seem more favourable than it did a year ago, but it is now 
recognised by them that their business has moved from the basis on which it stood in the 
days before dyers began to put into their vats dyes made in a chemical laboratory, and the 
recognition of the fact is the first step to the readjustments which the new conditions compel. 
Opium was the only article of prominence in the trade in which there was not an important 
decline. This was due to a material contraction in the quantity of Mahva opium exported 
from Bombay, in consequence of the failure of the crop in the famine year in the States of 
Central India, where this description of opium is grown for export. 
There was a heavy fall in Lac, but the export of this article in the two preceding years 
was excessive, and the market is variable and fluctuating. 
In 1900-01, the export trade of Bombay and Sind was reduced to a low level ; but last 
year the restoration of ordinary conditions was attested by the prompt increase of exports from 
Bombay and from Karachi. Into both ports also imports were actively brought, with too 
much activity indeed into Bombay, where the speculative enterprise of dealers was somewhat 
discouraged by the unexpected slowness of recuperation in the districts which had been so 
sorely smitten by famine. 

THE GAMBIA IN 1901. 
In the annual report of the Colony of the Gambia for 1901, it is stated Lhal the total 
value of the imports for the year amounted to £252,646, as compared with £277,659 in 
1900, a decrease of ,£25,013, which was mainly under cotton goods, and due to smaller 
importations, owing to the mercantile houses having large stocks on hand from the previous 
year; and to the failure of the ground nut crop, which considerably reduced the purchasing 
power of the natives. Kola nuts shared with cotton goods the cause of the falling of in the 
value of the imports, for whereas the value of kola nuts imported in 1900 amounted to 
£39,937, the quantity imported in 1901 exceeded that imported during 1900 by 19,423 Hr., 
but was only valued at £21,008, a decrease on the value of 1900 of ,£18,929. There was 
a considerable increase in the importations of rice, owing to the destruction of the local 
crops by locusts. 
The total value of the exports for the year amounted to £'233,667, as compared with 
£281,976 in the previous year. This decrease was almost entirely brought about by the 
failure of the ground nuL crop due to the failure of the rains. The crop yielded about 10,000 
tons, of the value of about £50,000, less than it did in the preceding year. 
There are no mines in the colony. In view of the recent development of the gold 
mining industry on the Gold Coast, it may be worth recording that a few years ago an 
individual in Government employ took samples of rock from one of the districts in this 
colony to England. He afterwards reported that on examination the samples in question 
showed a richness of gold equal to the best mines in South Africa, and immediately 
endeavoured to float a company. 
With a view to ascertaining what truth there was in the statement the Government sent 
home supplies of rock from the same district, with the result that the assay showed them to 
contain 2 dwts. of gold to the ton. It is hardly necessary to say that the Gambia Goldfields 
Corporation has not yet come before the public. 
The only manufactures in the colony are a small quantity of native pottery and narrow 
strips of cloth called “ Bandy-cloths” which, when sewed together are called “ pagns,” and 
make handsome cloths much prized by the natives. A considerable number of people at 
Bathurst and on the seacoast both northwards and to the south are engaged in fishing. Large 
quantities are caught, and what is not immediately consumed is dried and taken up the 
river in the dry season and exchanged for corn, rice, etc. The cultivation of ground nuts is 
the principal industry throughout the colony. Large crops of cassada, maize and rice, are 
also grown, but not in sufficient quantities to supply the wants of the people all the year 
round. The local grown rice is much preferred by the natives, and if put on the market it 
is believed that it would command a much higher price than the Rangoon rice, large 
quantities of which are annually imported, but, as in many other respects in this colony, the 
question of labour is the great difficulty. The following figures give the importations of rice 
for the last five years : — 
1897. 
1898. 
1899. 
1900. 
1901. 
Cwt. 
Cwt. 
Cwt. 
Cwt. 
Cwt. 
29,426 
80,956 
35.900 
53.649 
86,986 
Sweet potatoes are grown to a limited extent, and when in season large quantities of 
oranges and limes can be obtained. The former, grown in the Kommbo district, about 
eight miles from Bathurst, are well known for their excellence. A point not without interest 
in a place like the Gambia is that there is hardly a European resident, who, if he has a garden 
attached to his house, does not grow English vegetables sufficient to supply himself and his 
less fortunate friends for at least six months of the year, viz., from November to April. 
With ordinary care, cabbage, carrots, turnips, kohl rabi, lettuce, beetroot, French beans, 
cress and radishes can be grown most successfully ; indeed some of the French residents, who 
have the best gardens, are sufficiently enterprising to grow cauliflowers and celery. 
A botanic station was established in 1894, but it cannot be said to have been successful 
in the development of minor industries. It is extremely doubtful whether the site selected 
was a suitable one, and it is in contemplation to remove it at an early date to a more 
favourable locality. The present station has, however, assisted in the distribution of many 
orange and lime trees, and suckers uf the Canary banana ; but without a supervising eye it 
has been difficult to get the natives to give the necessary attention to the young orange 
and lime trees, so that the majority of them have died during their first dry season. 

VANILLA CULTIVATION IN THE SEYCHELLES. 
The following memorandum, containing information on the subject of vanilla cultivation 
in the Seychelles, and on other points, has been officially issued by the Hon. E. B, Sweet- 
Escott, C.M.G., Administrator of the Seychelles ; — ■ 
No vanilla plantation should be started in Seychelles with a capital of less than £1,000, 
seeing that it takes three years to bring in a crop. Land suitable for vanilla, cacao, coffee, 
and other tropical products cannot be secured for much under Rs. 300 per acre, and, even at 
this price, it is not easily obtainable. The ordinary rate of interest in Seychelles is 12 per 
cent, per annum. The local currency is the rupee, the value of which may he taken 
as is. 4d. 
Under the old system (planting on bars, wires, etc. ) from 1,200 to 1,300 vines were planted 
per acre. Vanilla is now planted on live trees, and the number of vines planted depends 
upon the number of trees existing on the land brought under cultivation. Cuttings of quick- 
growing shrubs are now often planted in vacant spots, and vines are grown thereon in the 
absence of trees, and within three months of the planting of the cuttings. Vines are planted 
6 feet long, and begin to bear three years after planting, but will only come into full bearing 
in three years more. Vines are worth, per 100, from Rs. 3 to Rs. 5 according to district. 
Wages ; men Rs. 14 to Rs. 16, and women Rs. 8 to Rs. 12 a month, without rations. On 
hill estates, labourers are not easy to get, and most of the Africans prefer working on the 
share system. 
A man can plant 350 cuttings or vines per day, and can keep in good order, throughout 
the year, 2,500 plants. Women are employed for marrying the flowers, i.e., removing the 
pollen from the anther of the flower and applying it to the stigma (fertilisation), without 
which operation the flower is lost. A woman can marry from 600 to 800 flowers per day. 
No flowers can be married after midday. Each vine can produce from 25 to 30 pods of 
different size from 4 inch to S inch long. On an average, 130 green pods go to 1 lb. of dry 
(prepared) vanilla. Bods shrink considerably in preparation, losing a quarter of their weight. 
Local prices : Last year (1901) line pods prepared fetched Rs. 6 to Rs. 10 p>cr lb. Green 
pods are now being sold at Rs, 3 to Rs. 5 per 100 pods. The regular flowering season is 
from August to December. The cost of preparation varies from R. 1 to R. 1.25 per pound. 
The pods are gathered about nine months after the flowers have l>ecn married, and curing the 
pods takes from three to four months. In Seychelles, as elsewhere, there are bad seasons, 
(too much rain), in which case the yield is poor. 
The climate of Seychelles is very healthy. The population on the 31st May, 1 901 , was 
19,257. The death rate in 1901 was 1S77 per 1,000. The Seychelles are in direct steam 
communication with Aden and Mauritius by a monthly service of steamers of the Messageries 
Maritimes Company, and with Colombo and Mombasa by a bi-monthly service of steamers of 
the Imperial German East Africa Company. Steamers belonging to the British India Com- 
pany call, from time to time, at Seychelles. 
The Eastern Telegraph Company has a station at Victoria. 
The rainfall in 1901 in Victoria was 101 ’83 inches. The maximum shade temperature 
registered was 88 '5, and the minimum 68*4 ; the mean for the year being 78 '50. 
Total revenue for 1901 Rs. 486,323.98 
,, expenditure Rs. 401,821.57 
,, surplus ,, Rs. 84,502.41 
Declared value of exports, 1901 . . . Rs. 1,417,515. 19 
,, ,, imports, ,, Rs. 1,149,646.21 
Hotels : Only one, small and uncomfortable. 
No cyclones. 
Principal merchants : Affoi and Co. ; Boustead, Sons, and Co. ; BaLy, Bergne, and Co. ; 
D’Emmerez and Co. ; E. Lanier and Co. ; Sai'd and Co. : L. Deltel, Son, and Co. : 
P. Mervanji and Co. ; Temooljee and Co. ; K. C. Chetty and Co. ; and K. S. K. Naiken 
and Co. 
«*> 
THE ST. LOUIS INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 1904. 
This Exhibition was originally planned to open on May I, 1903, but it has been 
decided to postpone it for a year. Some idea of the magnitude of the Exhibition may be 
obtained from the fact that 1,400 acres of ground have been appropriated for its accom- 
modation. Intimation has been received that the Foreign Office has recently signified the 
acceptance by H.M, Government of the invitation of the Government of the L T nited States 
to take part in it. The exhibits to be made by H.M. Government in its official capacity will 
be limited to Education and the Fine Arts. 
In connection with the above, a communication has been received from Mr. George F. 
Parker, the Resident Representative in this country of the Exhibition, which states as 
follows : — 
“ France was the first European country to accept the invitation of the United States. 
This was only natural, as the Exhibition celebrates the contennial of the purchase, by jlhe 
United States from Napoleon, of the great territory of Louisiana. France has made a grant 
of 600,000 frs. (£24,000), for preliminary organization and the expenses of a commission, 
which has already visited St. Louis. It is announced that a special building — the site for 
which has already been selected — will be erected upon the exhibition grounds, the Petit 
Trianon having been chosen for reproduction. Largely increased grants will be made later, 
so that the participation of the French Government and people is likely to be a conspicuous 
feature. The space already bespoken is 40,000 square metres for exhibits and 5,000 square 
metres for a pavilion.” 
“Japan has appointed a Royal Commission and has set aside the sum of 2,500,000 yen 
(£250,000) for the erection of a building and for making an exhibit which shall be complete 
throughout the whole line of its industries, devoting special attention, however, to artistic 
products. This Commission will be composed of some of its leading statesmen, and perhaps 
headed by the Emperor or some member of his family. Canada has made a preliminary 
grant of §125,000 (£25,000), has selected the site- for its building, and will make very 
elaborate exhibits in agriculture and forestry, as well as in its manufactures, railways, and 
mining, besides devoting special attention to its fisheries. Italy will give its official attention 
to a show of fine and applied arts, including glass and mosaics, which promises, if the plans 
are carried out, to be more complete than any it has made in any previous exhibition. Mexico 
and several of the republics and countries of South America, which last year displayed fine 
exhibits at the Pan-American Exhibition at Buffalo, have already accepted the invitation, 
and will make a strong show of the products peculiar to their soil and climate. In addition 
to the formal acceptances, the Emperor of China has sent a Commission to St. Louis, 
apparently for the purpose of concluding upon the most direct form in which the Empire 
may undertake a display. The German Emperor has been consulted in regard to the 
Universal Exhibition, and it is apparent that the desire b that the nation shall be fully 
represented, both in regard to trade and education, and also in the line and applied arts 
section. Further, among the older, but now progressive, nations, Korea has notified 
its intention to be represented officially. The Imperial Government at Constantinople has 
decided Lo participate and to send a Commission to the Exhibition, and is encouraging the 
merchants and manufacturers to become exhibitors. And a movement in Russia is in 
progress to attain the same ends. To add to the before-mentioned, several other countries of 
Europe and Asia have signified their intention to be represented with Commissions or with 
official exhibits of some kind. In fact, the probability is that before the end of 1902, while 
still about a year and a quarter of time will remain for perfecting arrangements, practically 
every important country in the world will have accepted the invitation to take part.” 

The Foreign MarketB for British Coal, — The Coal Merchant and Shipper says : — During 
the past six months the relative importance of our foreign customers has not shown much change. 
Taking them individually, we find that France remains at the head of the list with 3,561,329 tons, 
a considerable falling off as compared with the same period last year; Italy comes next with 
3,035,004 tons, as against 2,687,463 tons in the first half of last year ; Germany, which remains 
the third in importance of our over -sea customers, took 2,611,246 tons, the figures for last year 
being 2,681,199 tons; Russia, 893,200 tons, as against 992,653 tons; Sweden and Norway, 
1,134,525 and 673,806 respectively ; and Denmark, 937,719 tons. Egypt imported less British 
coal, and among other countries whose wants we are supplying on a decreased scale we may 
mention Gibraltar and Holland, while Portugal, the Azores, and Madeira, our own possessions 
in the East Indies, are somewhat better customers than at this time last year. Brazil and the 
buyers grouped together under the head of “other countries” are importing more coal from 
Great Britain. 
1^7 
