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22 MARINE REVIEW. [May 15 DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA. "Commercial Africa in 1901" is the title of a monograph which will be published by the treasury bureau of statistics in its forthcoming issue ot the monthly summary. It presents an elaborate study of the present com- mercial conditions in Africa, the growing demands of that great conti- nent, and the market offered for American goods in its various sections. Africa occupies fourth place in the list of the grand divisions of the world in its consuming power in relation to international commerce, the imports of the grand divisions being, at the latest available date, in round figures: Europe, $8,300,000,000; North America, $1,300,000,000; Asia, $900,000,- 000; Africa, $430,000,000; South America, $375,000,000; and Oceania, $325,000,000. Of this total of $11,630,000,000, the United States supplies 5 per cent. in the case of Africa, 10 per cent. of the imports of South America, 10 per cent. of those of Asia and Oceania, 14 per cent. of those of Europe, and 40 per cent. of the imports of North American countries exclusive of the United States. Within the memory of this generation the name of Africa was the synonym for mystery both as to history and condition. Physically the African continent is in many respects unique. Five thousand miles in extreme length, and over 4,000 miles in breadth, its area is greater than that of any other continent except Asia, the latest estimate being 11,874,- 600 square miles, and its population variously estimated at from 125,000,000 to 175,000,000. Its coast formation is peculiar in the absence of deep indentations, bays, or harbors, and the small number of waterways which offer entrance to its interior. The fact that the greater part of the interior is an elevated tableland extending on all sides to within a short distance of the coast renders access to the interior by the few large streams diffi- cult. At the points where the rivers pass from the elevated plateau of the interior to the lowlands of the coast the falls or rapids which there exist prevent navigation, and as a result travel to the interior by water de- veloped more slowly in Africa than in any other continent. When these conditions were established, however, modern ingenuity and energy soon found a means of transporting steamers in small pieces upon the backs of men through the forests, around the falls and rapids for scores and even hundreds of miles, and, putting them together, set afloat the steamers which penetrate thousands of miles into the interior and develop facts never before known, and which could not have been developed by land exploration in the tropical climates and jungles for many generations. Africa has, within the past few years, become the "hinterland" of Europe. Seven European nations. now control territories in Africa, two of them having areas equal in each case to about the entire land area of the United States, while a few small territories remain as independent states. Beginning at the northeast, Egypt and Tripoli are nominally at least tributaries of Turkey, though the Egyptian government, which was given large latitude by that of Turkey, has of late years formed such re- lation with Great Britain that, in financial matters, at least, her guidance is recognized; next west, Algeria, French; then Morocco on the extreme northwest, an independent government and an absolute despotism; next on the south, Spain's territory, Rio de Oro; then the Senegal territories, belonging to the French, and connecting through the Sahara desert with her Algeria; then a group of small divisions controlled by England, along the gulf of Guinea; then Liberia, the black republic; Togoland, controlled by the Germans; Dahomey, a French protectorate; the Niger territory, one-third the size of the United States, controlled by England; Kamerun, controlled by Germany: French Kongo; then the Kongo free state, under the auspices of. the king of Belgium, and occupying the very heart of equatorial Africa; then Portuguese Angola; next, German Southwest Africa; and finally, in the march down the Atlantic side, 'Cape Colony, British. Following up the eastern side comes the British colony of Natal; next, Portuguese Africa, and west of this the great territory known as Rhodesia; then German Africa, which extends almost to the equator; north of these British East Africa, fronting on the Indian ocean, and merging northwardly with the Egyptian Sudan, which was recovered from the Mahdi by the joint operation of British and Egyptian troops, and the British flag placed side by side with that of Egypt; next north, 'upon the coast, Italian territory, and a small tract opposite the entrance to the Red sea controlled by England; and a few hundred miles west of the 'entrance to the Red sea, the independent kingdom of Abyssinia. - Commercially the development of Africa keeps pace with its develop- ment in transportation, mining, and agricultural conditions. Wherever steam offers a method of prompt and inexpensive transportation, or wher- ever the presence of valuable minerals attract mankind in large numbers commerce quickly develops. The business of ports adjacent to the great diamond and gold mines of South Africa has increased rapidly in the last few years. The imports of Cape Colony, through which passes a large proportion of the merchandise for the mining regions in that part of Africa, have grown from $55,000,000 in 1894 to $100,000,000 in 1900. Those of Natal, through which also passes a considerable quantity of goods in transit for the interior, have likewise increased considerably, and into Portuguese East Africa, whose ports lie considerably nearer to the gold and diamond mines than to those of the Cape, the imports have shown a marked increase, the importation of goods in transit for the gold fields in 1897 at Portuguese ports alone having been about $15,000,000 in value. The total foreign commerce of Africa is estimated at $700,000,000, of which about $430,000,000 represents imports and $270,000,000 exports. Of the exports, especially those from the south, a large share is gold and diamonds; in the tropical regions, ivory, rubber, palm nuts and gums: in the north, the exports are chiefly products of agriculture, cotton, coffee, cacao, spices, dates, etc. Of the total recorded imports into Africa in the latest available year, aggregating $429,461,000, $157,575,000 went in to British territory, $92.- 004,000 in to French territory, $77,787,000 in to Turkish territorv, $20,795. - 000 Portuguese, $8,336,000 German, and $4,722,000 into the Kongo free state. Of this importation of $429,461,000, about 5 per cent. was furnished _by'the United States, our total exports to all Africa being in the fiscal vear 1900, $19,469,849, and in 1901, $25,542,618. Railroad development in Africa has been rapid in the past few years and seems but a beginning of a great system which must contribute to the rapid development, civilization and enlightenment of the dark continent. a i ai already extend north from Cape Colony about 1,500 miles and Me uth from Cairo about 1,200 miles, thus 'Making 2,700' miles of the "Cape esto Cairo" railroad complete, while the intermediate distance is about 3,000 - miles. SHIP BUILDING AT NEWPORT NEWS. Newport News, Va., May 14.--Another large repair contract has just been received by the Newport News Ship Building & Dry Dock Co., amounting to something like $50,000, it is said. The Morgan line steamer El Mar has arrived here to receive new boilers and to be completely overhauled. The vessel will remain here for some weeks. El Mar and El Sol were built at Cramps, while the quartet, El] Rio, El Norte, El Cid and El Sud were built here in the early 90's. Since then the Newport News company has built eight ships for the Morgan line, making twelve in all, besides several steel tugs. The aggregate cost of these vessels was in the neighborhood of $8,000,000. : During the recent. target practice of the ships of the North Atlantic squadron at the southern drill ground, just outside of the Virginia capes, the battleship Kearsarge, which is a product of the Newport News com- pany, carried off the honors, and hereafter, according to naval officers, the gunning record of the American navy will be based on the phenome- nal record of the Kearsarge during these maneuvers. The test to which Admiral Higginson put his ships is considered from the standpoint of accuracy and rapidity of fire of the heavy guns, in both of which respects, according to an authorized statement, every previous performance was eclipsed and the Kearsarge, it is stated, holds the world's record with seven hits out of eleven trials with 13-in. guns at a distance of one mile. The targets used in the squadron practice were rafts 45 ft. long, with masts, between which was stretched canvas. Enough sea was running during the maneuvers to make the targets bob like corks, though the ships maintained a fairly steady gun platform, but for all that the practice was such as to. exercise the greatest skill of the gunners. Steaming at half speed the ships poured their shots into the targets in rapid succession, and the training acquired during the recent winter cruise in the West Indies was manifest in the magnificent work of the crews, independent of the hits scored. Every vessel made a fine showing, but the Kearsarge carried off the palm with seven hits to her credit out of eleven shots fired from her 13-in. guns. In the test of rapidity of fire from this ship only 'one minute elapsed from the time the projectiles left the magazines down in the bowels of the ship until they were hurled from the guns. res The battleships Kearsarge and Alabama and the flagship 'Olympia, flying Rear Admiral Higginson's flag, are the only ships of the squadron now in these waters. The Massachusetts sailed Saturday for New York navy yard for repairs. The Indiana: was detached some time ago. The Cincinnati, which would probably have. been attached, was ordered to hurriedly sail for Santo Domingo to protect American interests 'there. She is now at Martinique representing this government in looking: after the needs of the survivors of Thursday's volcano horror. The Kearsarge is off Newport News taking on coal. The Olympia and the Alabama have dropped down to Old Point after coaling. Last Thursday two: battalions of seamen from the ships of the squadron were sent to Washington on a 'special steamer to take part in the funeral of Rear Admiral Sampson; re- turning on Saturday. The converted yacht Gloucester is at' Old Point having aboard the members of the naval board of inspection and survey, who are making a thorough inspection of each of the ships with a view of 'determining the extent of the repairs necessary. -- - 'Rear Admiral Higginson will take the Olympia, Kearsarge and Ala- bama out to meet the French cruiser Gaulois, which is due at the Capes about May 20 from France, having aboard the members of the mission 'which will represent the French republic at the unveiling of the Rocham- . beau statute in Washington May 24. The three ships will escort the Frenchman up the bay to Annapolis, where the mission will take a special train for Washington. It is not unlikely that the 'three war ships will accompany the Gaulois to several of the northern cities before she sails for France. 5 ad The naval sailors' rest of the Hampton Roads harbor mission, re- cently organized with ex-Chaplain Steele of the United States navy _at its head, was formally opened in Hampton Monday night with an interesting program. . Rear Admiral Higginson was present and he came, with sevy- eral hundred officers and men of the North Atlantic squadron. Other speakers, in addition to the admiral, were. Capts. Lyon, MicCalla and Brownson of. the Olympia, Kearsarge and Alabama, respectively; Rev. Dr. W. C. Stutt; secretary of the American Seamen's Friend Society, and Col. William Lamb, the hero of Fort Fisher, who is president. of the Norfolk Seamen's Friend Society. The Hampton Roads harbor mission will establish a home here for merchant seamen. and one at Norfolk for both merchant and naval seamen. rs The Pacific Mail liner Korea is ready to sail as soon as the word is -given by her owners. She will go directly to New York from here and. will then sail for Hong Kong, it is understood, via the Suez canal, after- wards making her maiden trip across the Pacific to San Francisco. The Coastwise Steamship Co.'s barge Chalmette, which was put up for sale, was bought in by the former owners. The bids were low and the Coastwise company's representative bought the vessel for $500. The Chalmette is a barge of only 1,000 tons capacity and the company's largely increasing ocean coal trade requires barges of greater capacity, most of _Its vessels carrying 3,000 and 4,000 tons of coal. _ The American steamship Shawmut sailed this week for San Fran- cisco, her course carrying her around the horn. She will stop at a South American port and discharge part of her cargo and will then continue 'on to San Francisco with a large cargo of coal, which she carries. It is stated that a number of barges plying out of Hampton Roads will be fitted out as oil tank ships and will be put in service out of Gal- veston. A tug left here several days ago with three converted barges and it is understood that several more will leave in the next few days. -- The American sailing ship Erskine L. Phelps, which was damaged in collision in the Delaware and which was repaired at the ship yard here, is loading a large cargo of coal for Manila. ee The new propeller passenger steamer Virginia is showing her heéls to'fast vessels plying Hampton Roads. She was built by the Wm. R Trigg Co. at Richmond for the Chesapeake & Ohio. Within the past few days she has outsteamed the N. Y. P. & N. R. R. steamer Pennsyl- vania and the new Old Dominion' flyer Hampton. If she succeeds in running ahead of the steamer Newport News, which was built here, she will be entitled to carry the broom. oe 'In Cobb, Butler & Co.'s yard, Rockland, 'Me.,' preliminary arrange- ments are being made for the construction of a 500-ton' schooner.