The export duties are light, but the exports do
not seem to have increased as rapidly as they should have done during the
last twenty years; this, too, despite missions into the interior and the
hospitable reception of native chiefs and their messengers. There are no
assessed or house taxes. The revenue and expenditure of the past five
years have averaged, respectively, 63,869_l_. and 59,283_l_., leaving a
surplus of 4,586_l_., which might profitably be expended upon roads. But
the liabilities of the colony early in 1881 still amounted to 50,637_l_.,
being the balance of a debt resulting principally from the harbour-works.
The present population of the original settlement--including British Kwiah
(Quiah), an early annexation--is 53,862. The dependencies, Isles de Los,
Tasso, Kikonkeh, and British Sherbro, according to the census of 1881, add
6,684, a figure which experts would increase by 4,000. The total,
therefore, in round numbers, would be nearly 65,000. At the last census
only 163 were resident whites; the crews and passengers of ships in port
added 108.
On the whole the Sa Leonite cannot be called a success. Servants in shoals
present themselves on board the steamers, begging 'ma'sr' to take them
down coast.
Pages:
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44