BRITISH EMPIRE 187 BRITISH MUSEUM toria Nyanza, and continues on that parallel to 30° E. long., when it turns N, to Darfur and Kordofan, including these countries. The territory contains the valley of the Upper Nile and the mountainous region of Equatorial Africa, in which are the high mountains of Kenia, Elgon, and Ruwenzori, The inhabitants comprise Bantu tribes, among which are the Waganda and Wangoro, Musai and Galla tribes, Swa- hili on the coast, and negroes on the Nile. Ivory, gum, India rubber, sesame seeds, cocoanuts, copra, coir, maize, rice and hides are exported. The govern- ment is principally vested in the British East Africa Company, which was founded in 1888, with a royal charter, but in 1894 Uganda (q. v.), N. of Vic- toria Nyanza, was made a separate Brit- ish protectorate, and received a separate administration. Darfur {q. v.) and Kordofan {q. v.) were merely in the sphere of British influence, by agree- ment with Germany and Italy. The Brit- ish East Africa Company is rapidly opening up the country, constructing roads and telegraphs, and taking steps to suppress slavery and the slave trade. The seat of administration is at Mom- basa (q. v.). The coast is unhealthy for Europeans, but most of the interior pla- teaus are salubrious. Consult Playne's "British East Africa" (1910). BRITISH EMPIRE, THE, includes, under some form of government, the fol- lowing: In Europe, the United King- dom, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Malta, and Gibraltar; in Asia, the Indian Empire, Ceylon, the Straits Settlements, the Federated Malay States, other Malay states. Hong Kong, Wei- haiwei, North Borneo, Brunei, Sarawak, and Cyprus; in Africa, Cape Province, Natal, Transvaal, Orange Free State, South West Province, Basutoland, Be- chuanaland, Rhodesia, Gambia, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone, Northern and Southern Nigeria, the former German West Africa, East Africa, Uganda, Zanzibar, Nyasaland, Egypt, Sudan, Mauritius, Seychelles, Ascension, and St. Helena; in America, Canada, New- foundland, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Lee- ward Islands, Windward Islands, Barba- does, Trinidad and Tobago, British Guiana, British Honduras, Bermuda, the Falkland Islands, and South Georgia; in Australasia, Australia, Tas- mania, New Zealand, Fiji Islands, Papua, and the Pacific Islands. The fol- lowing table gives the area and the esti- mated population of the Empire for 1919: Continental English Square Estimated Distribution Miles Population Europe 121,512 45,878.500 Asia 2,187,550 323,158,000 Africa 4,652,000 60,000,000 North America 3,893,000 7,458,000 Central America 8,600 50,000 West Indies 12,300 1,730,000 South America 97,800 314,000 Australasia 3,300,000 6,800.000 Total 14,272,762 445,388,500 Details of the various constituent parts of the Empire will be found un- der their titles throughout this work. BRITISH GUM, a substance of a brownish color, and very soluble in cold water, formed by heating dry starch at a temperature of about 600° F. BRITISH MUSEUM, the great Na- tional Museum in London owes its foundation to Sir Hans Sloane, who, in 1753, bequeathed his various collections, including 50,000 books and manuscripts, to the nation, on the condition of £20,- 000— less by £30,000 than the original cost — being paid to his heirs. Montague House, which was bought for the pur- pose for £10,250, was appropriated for the museum, which was first opened on Jan. 15, 1759. The original edifice hav^ ing become inadequate, a new building in Great Russell street was resolved upon in 1823, the architect being Sir R. Smirke, whose building was not com- pleted till 1847. In 1857, a new library building was completed and opened at a cost of £150,000. It contains a circular reading room 140 feet in diameter, with a dome 106 feet in height. This room contains accommodations for 300 read- ers comfortably seated at separate desks. The accommodation having become again inadequate the natural history depart- ment was lodged in a new Natural His- tory Museum at South Kensington. Further additions to the Great Russell street buildings were made in 1882. The British Museum is under the manage- ment of 48 trustees. It is open daily, free of charge. Admission to the read- ing room as a regular reader is by ticket, procurable on application to the chief librarian. The library, which is now one of the largest and most valu- able in the world, has been enriched bj^ numerous bequests and gifts, among others the splendid library collected by George III. during his long reign. A copy of every book, pamphlet, news- paper, piece of music, etc., published anywhere in British territory, must be conveyed free of charge to the British Museum. The museum contains eight principal departments, namely, the de- partment of printed books, maps, charts, plans, etc.; the department of manu-
