230 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — WEST AFRICAN COLONIES
Commissioners are stationed at Abeokuta, Badagri, Epe, Ikorodn Ilesha Ijebu-Ode, Meko, Ondo, Oshogbo, and Oyo.
Eastern and Central Provinces. — The approximate area of these two provinces together is 51,280 square miles and population (1911) 5,705,841 (Eastern Province, 3,297,247 ; Central, 2.408,594). 'I'he prominent tribes are : the Binis, the Ibos, the Jekris, the Sobos, the Igaras, the Ijaws, and the Efiks. The Aros are a large trading tribe of the Ibo family and are to be found all over the Eastern Province. Cannibalism and human sacrifices exist to some extent, but these practices are rapidly being stamped out. Agriculture is extensively carried on.
The headquarters of the Central Province are at Warri. The other most important towns in the Central Province are Abo, Agbor, Asaba, Awka, Benin, Forcados, Idah, Ifon, Ubiaja, Kwale, Onitsha, Okwoga, Sapele, and Udi. Calabar is the headquarters of the Eastern Province. The other most important towns are Aba, Abak, Abakaliki, Afikpo, Ahoada, Aro-Chuku, Bende, Bonny, Brass, Degema, Eket, Ikom, Ikot-Ekpene, Oban, Obubra, Obudu, Ogoja, Okigwi, Opobo, Owerri, and Uyo.
There is a weekly mail service between Liverpool, Forcados, and Calabar vid Lagos,
Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast stretches for 334 miles along the Gulf ol Guinea, between the French Ivory Coast and German Togoland. The Colony is administered by a Governor with an Executive and a Legislative Council, both nominated, with four unofficial members in latter. The area of the Colony, Ashanti, and Protectorate is about 80,000 square miles ; population, census 1911, 1,502,899; Europeans 1,700. Chief towns: Accra, 19,585; Seccondee, 7,725 ; Cape Coast Castle, 11,364 ; Quittah, Saltpond, Winnetah, Axira, and Akuse. There are 9 Government primary schools, and 153 assisted schools which are under the control of the various religious bodies, the Basel, Wesleyan, Roman Catholic, Bremen Missions, Church of England (S.P.G. ), and African Methodist Episcopal Zionist; average attendance of ]irimary and secondarv schools, 13,619 (1911) ; enrolled 18,680 ; Government grant 1911, 7,502Z, 'Revenue, 1911, 1,111,632Z. (customs, 663, 071?.; rail- ways, 294,650?.). Expenditure, 914,500?.; (railways, 127,909?.; public works, 130,709?.; public debt charges, 80,677?.; Gold Coast Regiment, 65,096?.; medical, 51,469?.; education, 19,587?.). Public debt, December 31, 1911, 2,489,118?. (For further statistics and for statistics of trade and shipping, see pages 233-6.) In 1911 tlie savings bank had 3,137 depositors with 34,781?. to their credit. The strength of the police (1911), 10 European officers and 770 of other ranks. This includes 1 European officer and 105 other ranks in Ashanti. The constabulary (Northern Territories) consists of 2 officers and 319 of other ranks. Staple products and exports, palm oil, palm kernels, cocoa, and indiarubber ; the export of valuable native woods is increasing. Many of the coast inhabitants are fishermen, and there is considerable traffic in dried fish by rail into the interior. The botanical station at Aburi aids in the plantation of cocoanut trees, rubber, cocoa, coff'ee, cotton, pepper, nutmeg, pimento, and croton.
Gold is found in quartz, in banket, and in alluvium. The output of gold in recent years was: 1907, 273,898 oz. (1,163,516?.); 1908, 281,257 oz. (1,194,743?.); 1909, 230,494 oz. (979,074?.); 1910, 204,617 oz. (790,282?.); 1911, 253,976 oz. (1,079,024?.) ; 1912, 1,350,000?. There is a Government railway, from Seccondee on the coast to Coomassie, a total length of 168 miles ; capital expenditure to end of 1911, 2,044,840?. A line between Accra and Mangoase (40 miles) is under construction. Road construction is proceeding
