Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05
Exports Nearly 100000.

I'VE have built 1GS miles of railway and
are constructing another line of twenty
miles. while a third line of thirty-five
miles. to reach the cocoa-planting districts
of the interior. is proposed. We are build
ing harbor at Akkra and are preparing
TO construct water system for that
city. We have built many miles of good
cart roads into the interior for the benefit
of the planters, in order that they may
bring their crops to the coast. Our ex-
ports last year were nearly S10,000bOO
and our imports were considerably more
than that. They are increasing rapidly
Cocoa plantations are being developed
and rubber is now cultivated in various
parts of Ashanti. About 64.O00 rubber
trees were distributed among the natives
last year by our agricultural department
The open plains are well suited for stock
raising and in the forests adjoining Ash
anti two different kinds of rubber have
been discovered. Il tree and vine, which
VIII be a source of considerable wealth.
Cotton is successfully cultivated for local
use. and excellent cloths are being woven
A gin has been erected by the British
Cotton Growing Association. and while
the cultivation of cotton will not be a
large industry, because cocoa and the
gold mines will pay better we shall grow
enough for our own use.
Africa will ultimately be d large pro-
Queer of cotton. 1t will be felt in the
markets within the next twenty or TWEEN
ty-fiVe years. In Nigeria there is d large
DEVELOPMENT under the direction of the
British Cotton Growers Association.
Africa has a very large territory suitable
for cotton, Il good soil, plenty of cheap
labor. and the climate is not severe for
natives. They can work under the sun
all right but white men are useful only
as supervisors.
Cocoa the Great Crop.
Cocoa is the great crop, and last year
the plantations. which now extend across
the borders of Ashanti. produced for eX-
port more than 20.C0o.o0O pounds The
government is promoting the industry in
every way. and an association has re-
Gently been formed among the planters
for cooperation. Cocoa growing dates
back only fifteen years. and the plant
which is not native to the country, was
plantations all belong 10 natives. who are
working them on II large scale There
is not a single European in the business.
The government agricultural stations are
now encouraging the cultivation of pine
apples. bananas. and other tropical fruits
Provision has been made for three native
travelling instructors to teach these in
dustries Two of them were trained in
the West Indies.
There is large trade in mahogany
furnished by Europeans. and we have in
PRODUCED regulations to prot Get the for
ests and to prevent the cutting of imma-
ture trees.
THE mai ires of West Africa are better
worimen than the Malays, according to
my experience. The Malays will not work
at all The DEVELOPMENT of the resources
of the ,Ialav federation is due entirely
to Chinese labor.
Malays and Africans.
1.-The contrast between the African and
the Malays in this respect is illustrated
in the gold mines of Africa and in the tin
mines of the Malay federation. In the
latter all the labor is done by the Chi
nese; in the former BY native negroes,
who do excellent work at low wages The
minimum is about 30 cents day in
your money. The gold mines are owned
by British companies. which have in
vested large sums of money in machinery.
Last year they took out about five
Wilton dollars worth of gold, which
was an increase of nearly two million
dollars over 1865. Although gold mining
is the most profitable industry at present,
the future prosperity of West Africa. in
my opinion depends upon its agricultural
DEVELOPMENT.
I'VE have MANY missionaries. but no
Americans. They are mostly French
Roman Catholics Swiss Protestants and
English Weseyans. In many ways they
have done good work. particularly in edu-
cation and medical relief. and we en-
courage them all we can. The govern
ment subsidies their schools