BRITISH EMPIRE'S STOCKTAKING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1073, 11 March 1911, Page 12

BRITISH EMPIRE'S STOCKTAKING.

WONDERFUL RECORD OF PROGRESS. 343,743,000 PEOPLE AND 11,199,000 SQUARE MILES. Tho story of the British Empire's wonderful growth is told in a volurao of amazing statistics just issued under tho prosaic title of "Statistical Abstract for the Several Solf-Govcrning Dominions, Crown Colonies, Possessions, and Protectorate." It deals with the iifloon years endiuKwith 1900.

hi their act of Imperial stocktaking tho compilers Ijogin with the people, and tho lnnd. Tho area, of tho British Empire is in this present year of graco 11,199,000 square miles. In IS9I its population was estimated at 307,174,000, but ten years later tho figure had becojno 343,748,000, The following table illustrates tho growth of the Imperial population in tho period covered by tho volume:— 1891. 1909. Canada 4,883,239 7,185,000 Australia 3,174,392 4,374,138 New Zealand ... 020,658 995,266 Natal 543,913 1,249,034 It is not possible in the case of the ro. maining Stales of tho new Union of South Africa to give similar figures, but these will add further to tha Imperial population, the Transvaal and tho Orange Free State being at the time of tho last ociisus independent Republics. Trado of Oversea Dominionsi Hero is tho story, in a nutshell, of fifteen years of Empire trade:— 1595. > 1009. . £ £ Total imports '. 109,490,000 ' 368,280,000 From United Kingdom 88,710,000, 162,021,000 From .British' Possessions 29,143,000 ' 58,194,000 From foreign counties 51,576,000 145,171,000 Total exports 192,525,000 403,785,000 To tho United Kingdom .94,155,000 181,097,000 To British Possessions 28,180.000. 56,554,000 To foreign countries 70,190,000 106,134,000

In tlio table subjoined may bo read at a glanco the story of the development of the Mother Country's trado with hor daughters, and vice versa:— Imports from the United Kingdom, 1895. 1009.

£■ Jj Australia 10,010,697 31,171,828 New Zealand 3,092,359 9,827,780 Canada .... 6,776,659 ('96) 19,599,783 (1910) Brit. India 3,733,439 ('9O) 6,246,428 (1910) Natal 1,734,258 4,721,520 ' British

S.Africa 19,137,574 ('00) 1G,853,90S Cape Colony 15,802,076 9,109,656 Exports to United Kingdom. 1895. 1909. . £ j> y - Australia 23,767,173 30,917,133 Canada ... 13,703,481 30,758,122 New Zealand 7,045,616 16,193,188 Brit. India 2,414,041 ('96) 3,295,436 (1910) Capo Colony 16,357,104 41,289,184 ' Natal 673,752 2,081,271 British S. Africa 40,797,370 ('O6) 46,701,067

The Imperial Mall. All this commerce means an enormous ma6s of correspondenco; 'indeed, tho figures for tho Imperial mail are staggering. Here are somo o£ the main totals for letters and cards alone. Tho year ia the last of thß period:— Britkh India 767,822,723 Australia 372,501,343 New Zealand 201,114,979 ' Natal 15,403,801 Oranfy: Free State 20,214,931 Transvaal 37,856,031 Capo Colony (190S) ... 6,432,800 Southern Rhodesia ... G,297,642 . panada 1..,,...., 479,6(5,000,, The figures'for telegraphs and tele* nhones tell another chapter of developing lands. Subjoined aro tho mileage figurea for 1909; — Telegraphs. Telephones, Miles. Miles. British India 70,005 Not stated Australia ...' 44,805 . 100,489 Now Zealand 10,901 1,270 Canada 35,307 110 Natal 1,996 186 Cape Colony ... 8,271 5,847 Orange Free Stato 6,271 306 Rhodesia 4,303 830 ,■ Overseas Railways. Yet another is told by the Story of the ever-extending railway, which, tho figures beneath contain:— Miles. Miles. 1895. 1909. British India 19,408 31,490 Canada 15,941 24,104 Australia 11,601 16,653 New Zealand .2,181 2,746 Natal 402 1,034 Capo Colony 2,441 3,773 Orango Freo State, Transvaal, and Basutoland ~ — 2,414 Rhodesia 90 2,193 Somo 301 miles of lino were worked in the Freo State by the Capo Government in 1595. The Empire's Granary. Below will be found an item of tho stocktaking of tho Empire's granarv— tho amount of wheat produced in India, Canada, and Australia:— l!) 09. c'wt. British India 191,754,000 Bushels. Canada 163,402,703 Australia 90,413,597 In this connection tho most astonishing passage of tho story is perhaps that which tells of tho dovolopment of tho Canadian West. For tho seeing eye tho elory of the decade is told in three lines: 1898. 1909. Bushels. Bushels. Manitoba 25,913,155 45,774,707 Alberta 792,417 7,957,039 Saskatchewan .... 4,780,440 90,215,000Tho Empire's gold production is 10,837,2780z. in a year, while that of silver ia 29,598,5950z.

The public debt of Australia is wG240,628,000, Canada £101,186)000, and India >£290,156,000.