The San Francisco call., 1908-08-02
The Colonies of France

The foreign commerce OF the French
colonies in 1906 was as follows: I'M
ports. sS7,7s5,700; exports. sS1,117, 900.
OF the imports AIS per cent were re-
ceived from France, and of the exports
42.6 per cent went to France. As
compared with the trade of the colonies
ten years ago (1s97), the imports in
creased ss6. .465.5OO, and the exports
sS1.os2.soo.
Over one-half the population Of the
French colonies is native, and one
fourth other than French, principally
Italian, but these soon become natu-
rallied and call themselves French cit
izens. The colonists are becoming good
customers of the mother country, and
are heavy purchasers of ready made
clothing, hardware, pottery, glassware,
boots and shoes. furniture, chemicals.
jewelry. tobacco, cigars, wines and
liquors, and other products of France.
Everything Is done by the French gov
ernment to facilitate the exchanges be-
tween France and her colonies The
customs duties are all at minimum
rates or no more than is necessary to
defray the expenses of the customs
authorities.
France receives annually from her
colonies large quantities of phosphates,
hemp. india rubber, livestock, fresh
fish, rice, cork, iron and copper ore,
leather and hides, tanbark, hair for
brushes, wax. wheat. corn.l rye, tea
and cotton, several varieties of wood.
and all kinds of fruits and vegetables.
Early vegetables are received In France
from the French colonies of Algeria
and Tunis in February and March. and
as soon as the supply from that source
Is exhausted a crop is ready In the
Midi OF France. The supply of cereals
from the colonies is constantly increas-
Ing. and they are susceptible OF al
most unlimited expansion.
During the last two decades France
has expended $40,000,000 on railways
in East Africa, and the hrigand chiefs
who ruled that vast territory now oc-
cupy civil and military positions, and
are amenable to the authority of off,
cials appointed by the home govern
ment.
The lines of railroads operated in
West Africa in January. 1908, were:
Dakar to st. Louis, 124 miles; Hayes,
on the Senegal, to Kuligoro. on the
Niger, 345 miles; Guinea railroad, Kon-
akry to Kumy. 228 miles: Ivory Coast
railroad, 20 miles: Dahomey railroad.
Kotonu to Agovagu. 1s6 miles.
The French are looking to the crea-
ton of a market In their colonies
which Will belong to them. The col
onies are fast becoming an outlet for
the overflow population OF other ma
tions. while they are constantly grow
Ing more thoroughly French. The off,
cial language of all OF them Is French.
1t Is taught in the schools and In AL
geria and Tunis there are French uni
versities presided over by some of the
most learned educators OF France.
The names of the different countries
composing this immense colonial en-
pire are as follows: In Asia: French
India, AMMAN, Cambodia, Cochin China.
Tonlxin and Laos. In Africa: Algeria,
Tunis. Sahara, Senegal. Senegambia
and Niger, French Guinea, Ivory Coast,
Dahomey, Kongo, Somali Coast and de-
pendencies. Reunion and Comoro Is
lands, Mayotte and Madagascar. In
America: Guiana. Gaudeloupe and de-
pendencies Martinique. and ST. Pierre
and Miquelon. In Oceania: New Gale
donia and dependencies, and establish
ments in Oceania.