Omaha daily bee., 1914-08-19
POSSESSIONS OF POWERS
-Four of Six Now at War Have
Extensive Holdings
BRITISH EMPIRE THE LARGEST
Immense Extent OF the Kings
Domain Brought to Front by the
Present COnfIict-French aud
German Interests.

+ our out OF the SIX powers OF Lurope
now engaged in warfare nave colonial
possessions, protectorates and depenGen-
cies scattered all over the world.
Austria Hungary and Russia have no
colonial possessions, though the Russian
empire stretches through the continents
Of Europe and Asia, and presents a long
coast line on the northern Pacific. OF
the others, Great Britain has colonies and
protectorates the world over; France has
colonies and protectorates in Africa, In
dis, China, in South America. in the
West Indies, in the north Atlantic, and
In the Pacific and Indian oceans; Ger
many has colonial possessions In Africa.
in China and in the Pacific ocean; and
Italy has dependencies in Africa and a
concession in China.
EnglRnds vast empires, India Canada
and Australia; its holdings on the Malay
peninsular its colonies in Africa and its
fortified positions in the Mediterranean,
Gibraltar and Malta. put It at the head
of the colony-holding nations of the
world; they also increase the field OF it's
protective operations in case it becomes
involved in war with Austria-Hungary
and Germany, and possibly with Italy.
Many of the minor holdings Of the four
powers with colonial possessions to defend
are themselves without military strength
In many cases the protecting power has
only very small garrisons shore
amounting to nothing more than local
police forces. This is particularly true
in Africa, outside of the French and
British colonies. in the Pacific and in
American waters
The continent of Africa presents a nota-
BILE picture of the juxtaposition Of protec-
torates and colonies belonging to Great
Britain, France and Germany.
France has a protectorate over Mo-
rocco and its Algerian possessions, fac
. ing the Mediterranean, are bounded on
the east by Tripoli, dependency of Italy.
Then comes Egypt, where British inter-
ests are paramount On the Red sea and
contiguous to Egypt, is the Italian de-
tendency of Eritrea. Coming down the
east coast are British somaliland, Italian
Somaliland British East Africa, German
East Africa, Portuguese East Africa, and
then British South Africa, embracing
Rhodesia, the Transvaal the Orange
River Colony, Natal and the Cape of
Good Hope On the west, contiguous in
the order named, are German Southwest
Africa; Togoland. belonging to Germany;
Congo state, belonging to Belgium: the
French Congoa Kamerun, belonging TO
Germany; the Niger territories, pro-
tectorate of Great Britain; French West
Africa; Togloland, belonging to Germany;
the Gold Coast, a British colony, and the
Ivory Coast. annexed by France twenty
years ago.
The following is a list Of the colonies,
,protectorates and dependencies of the
four countries involved:
Great britain.
Gibraltar-At the entrance to the Medi-
terranean sea, area, two square miles,
military force, 1885,
Malta-In the Mediterranean sea; area,
III square miles; military strength, 1871.
Cyprus-Island in the Mediterranean,
sixty miles from the coast OF Asia Minor;
area, 1854 square miles; military strength
Empire of India--Area, 100000 square
miles population, 295.00O0O0; military
strength, British troops 1851 native
troops, les, SS6, with 80, 400 reserVists.
Ceylon-Off the southeast coast OF In
,dia; area, 2.533 square miles; military
strength, /, 2S2 men.
Maidive Islands-In the Indian ocean,
400 miles southwest OF India; area, 10
square miles; population, OO,OOO; group
of twelve coral islets.
Federated Malay States-Oh the Malay
PENINSULA; area, 5000 square miles; popu-
lation, SIS, military strength, Sol ma
tives, under eleven European officers
also a native constabulary.
Borneo-In the East Indies; area 5000
square miles; population, 5o0,0OO
Hongkong-East coast of China; area,
400 square miles; population, 100000; mill
tary- strength, 4,ZlO.
Wei-Hai- Wei-In the province of Shan
tung, China; area, 2S5 square miles; popu-
q nN far fpn German
possession OF Kaiu Chau.
Bahrein-Or Avail Islands, in the Per
sian gulf, near the coast of Arabia; area
$50 square miles population, 6e,O0. 49,
Straits Settlements (Singaporel-On the
straits of Malacca;. area, l,0OO square
miles; population, 512,COO; military
strength, 1904
of Good Hope, Natal, the Transvaai ano
Orange river colony; area, 47S,OS square
miles population, 6COGOOO; military
strength, British imperial troops, 6,sOo
and local organizations.
other British Possessions in Africa
British East Africa, with an area of 1000
square miles, and population OF 100000 Il
Tense. The same is true of British Cen
trial Africa. Somaliland, Zanzibar, Basuto
land, the territory of Bechuanas, Rho
desia, Nigeria, the Gold coast, Lagos
Sierra Leone and Gambia
In the Indian Ocean-SCattered British
. possessions or protectOrates are st. Hell
ena, Ascension, Tristan, de Acunha, Mau
ritius, the Seychelles, Chagos and othe
islands OF st. Paul and Amsterdam Al
told these islands have population o
about 100000, but their military strength
is practically negligible.
British Colonies in North America
Canada, with an area Of 36OO,O0O squar
miles, population $500 900, has a militar!
strength OF permanent and reserve force
amounting 20 about $1,000 men. New
foundland and Labrador have an area o
5000 square miles and a population o
10000 Off the coast of Florida are tn
p Bermuda islands, with an area Of twent
square miles and population OF 1900
whose military Strength is given as l'Si
men.
In the West Indes-British possession
COMPRISE Jamaica. Turks and Calico
islands, tbs Cayman islands, the Wind
ward islands, the Leeward islands, Trim
dad and Tobago, with a total area o
1900 square miles and a population o
about 100, 900 OF shese the most im
portant are Jamaica, With a muitar
strength of 1904 and With strong forth
cations at Port Royal.
In Central and South Amerlca-Brius
Honduras and British Guiana, the formt
with an area OF 49, square miles and
population OF 81 500 and the latter Wit
an area Of 900 square miles and a poi
ulaticn Of 10000
In the Pacific Ocean-The common
wealth OF Australia, comprising Ne
South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Sout
Australia, Western Australia and la
mania. with total of abOt