Arizona republican., 1920-10-03
FRENCH COLONIAL POSSESSIONS RANK
 HIGH IN RESOURCES

NEW YORK-Unusual progress In he development of commerce and na- ural resources in the French colonial possessions and dependencies has 'rought them wealth ranking next to hat of the British colonial empire, ac- ordfng to a survey made public here ,y tho French commission. The French .olonies. with an estimated popula- ion of 50.500.000. have an area of 100000 square miles.
 Total exports from the colonies in 917. with the exception of Algeria and runis were valued at approximately .10s. 100000 francs. Since 1914 ex- lorts in the various possessions in- ,reased from % to 100 per cent. The increases are attributed to the thrift ,f natives following the wars end ng.
 Total Algerian exports in 1919 were nore than 1,334. 900 francs, an in- rease of about 56S millions over 1918. The port of Algiers alone handled ex- ports approximating 475.15S,0OO francs. m increase of 200. .S22 ,0OO francs. ac- ,ordgng to estimates. Chief imports were cotton, clothing and linen. skins, soal sugar and coffee. Chief exports were wines. fruit. tobacco. wheat oats. barley and wool Amounts to of i'm ports and exports were greatest in the order mentioned.
 National roads in Algeria have a ength of 3.3iO miles while. 2.203 miles of railway were open for traffic i'm January, 1919.
 Tunis. essentially an agricultural country had bumper grain crops in 1919. as follows: Wheat, 6,500,55S bushels: barley. 5.42S,223 bushels oats. 2.444,722 bushels. The cork in- iustry is important. cork trees cover Ing more than 6O0,OOO acres. The an nual mineral production averages in value more than sO.O00,0OO francs.
 The spring estimate of 1920 harvest on the French zone of Morocco valued Inc crops at 100000 francs, and it was expected there would be large sur plus for export. the survey states. Ex- ports to France in 1918 were valued at VI. .Og2. .SSO francs, the imports at l55, 224.925 francs.
 The French possession in India cor sists of five separate colonies with an aggregate area of 1860 square miles Rice, sugar. cotton. cocoa. coffee aIo ground nuts are grown. The rrincir1 export from Pondicherry, the chief possession, is oil seeds.
 French Indo- China has a populatlcr of about 17.OO0, ,00O. The territory tri- butary to Saigon is almost entirely Hauricultural being one of the grea rice regions of the world. The minerals lare coal. Ignite. wolfram, tin ana szinc.
 I'm the other possessions includini iMadarascar, French Equatorial Africa French Somaliland and French Wes Africa. which is the largest of the col onges. commerce has almost double. since 1914, the survey says. Frencl West Africa. comprised of Senegai Haut Senegal Niger. French Guinea The Ivory Coast. Dahomey, the mil terv territory of the Niger and Mau retania. covers approximately 1,S40,OO souare miles. The general budge anounts to about 25OO0. 100000 franc annuailv. The agricultural resource arc most important. The production c cotton IS growing while Jute' asaV and sisal are cultivated eNtehslVeN pubber is the most important pro1u. I'm the forest resources. Cattle ralstn Eas Increased. The mineral wealth great. The commerce Of this posses j. sion increased soc per cent since tn French administration was created ! 1895. .-,. consisting of Guiana. MaruhiGu' Guadeloupe and St. Pierre and MI oueIon are principally noted Tor thel lumber products. sugar rum cocoa an eodfish. Agriculture takes an import ant role in the smaller provinces. espe cisltv i'm New Caledonia, said 70 De on ,s tbe richest countries fin the world
 -O--