Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-14
FRANCE DEVELOPING
HER DEPENDENCIES
Commerce and Resources Make
Them Rank Next to British
Colonies.
nv Associated Press to Every Evcnfne

Ry AsSCCfAted Press 70 hso8y HSVNfi'AS
New York, Sept. 14.-Unusual prog
rcss in the development OF commerce and
natural resources in the French colonial
POSSESSIONS and dependencies has brought
them wealth ranking next to that OF the
British colonial empire, according to a
survey made public here by the French
Commission. The French colonies, with
an estimated population of 5O,50O,0OO,
have an area of 4,000,0 900 square miles.
Toal exports from the colonies in 1917,
with the exception of Algeria and lunls,
were valued at approximately l,lOS,-
600 900 francs. Since 1914 exports In the
various possessions increased from 20 TO
100 per cent. The increases are attribut-
ed to the thrift of natives following the
wars ending.
Total Algerian exports in 19l9 9 were more
than ,33i 100000 francs an increase OF
about 55S millions over 1918. The port of
Algiers alone handled exports approx
mating AIS, ,15S, 900 francs, an increase
of 200,S22 900 francs, according TO estl-
mates. Chief imports were cotton, cloth
ing and linen skins, coal sugar and coffee.
Chief exports were wines, frult, tobacco,
wheat. oats, barley and wool. Amounts
of imports and exports were greatest In
the order mentioned.
National roads in Algeria have length
of 1910 miles, while 2,203 miles of rail-
way wage open for traffic In January,
1919.
Tunis, essentially an agricultural coun-
try, had bumper grain crops IN 1919, as
follows: Wheat, 6,500,553 bushels; bar
lev, 5,42S, ,223 bushels; oats, 3,444,722
bushels The cork industry is important,
cork trees covering more than 6OO,O
acres The annual mineral production
averages In value more than 100000 900
francs.
The spring estimate of 1920 harvest
on the French zone of Morocco valued
the crops at 900, 100000 francs, and 1t
was expected there would be a large sun
plus for export, the survey states. EX-
ports to France in 1918 We're valued at
s., ,062, $50 francs, the imports at 1861
224 ,925 francs.
The French possession IN India con-
ssts of five separate colonies with an
aggregatee area of 1850 square miles.
Rice, sugar, cotton, cocoa, coffee ana
ground nuts are grown. The principal
export from Pondicherry, the chief
possession, is oil seeds.
French Indo-China has population
of about 100000 The territory trlbu-
tarv 10 Saigon Is almost entirely agrl-
cultural, being one of the great rice re-
gions Of the world The minerals are coal,
Ignite, wolfram, tin and zinc.
In the other possessions including
Madagascar, French Equatorial Africa,
French SomaEland and French West
Africa, which is the largest of the colonies,
commerce has almost doubled since 1914,
the survey says. French West Africa,
comprised of Senegal, Haut-Senegal-
Niger, French Guinea, the Ivory Coast,
Dahomey, the military territory of the
Niger and Mauretanla, covers approx
mately 100000 square miles. The gen
eral budget amounts to about 25,O00,OOO, :
600 francs annually. The agricultural re-
sources are most important. The produc-
tion of cotton is growing while lute, agava
and sixal are cultivated extensively
Rubber Is the most important product IN
the forest resources. Cattle raising has
increased. The mineral wealth IS great:
The commerce Of this possession Increased
500 per cent since the French admlnistra-
tion was created in 1895.
The French colonies in America, con-
sistirg of Guiana, Martinique, Guade-
loupe and st. Pierre and Miquelon are
principally noted for their lumber prod
ucts, sugar, rum, cocoa and Goldfish.
Ag griculture takes an important role IN
the smaller provinces, especially IN New
Caledonia, said to be one Of the richest
countries In the world