Togoland

There are a number of ancient towns on the coast and lagoons. Togo is on the south-eastern shores of the Togo lagoon. On the narrow spit of land between the lagoons and the sea are Bagida and Porto Seguro—the last named one of the oldest towns on the Slave Coast and the port of Togo town—and, close to the eastern frontier, Little Popo, called by the Germans Anecho. On the Volta, a short distance above the Oti confluence, are the adjacent towns of Kete-Krachi; on an affluent of the Mono in 7° N. is Sagada. In the north are Yendi and Sansane Mangu, both on trade routes between Ashanti and the Niger countries. Lome, the chief port, is at the eastern end of the coast.

Economic Development Under the Germans.

In the 3o years the country was under German rule attention was paid chiefly to agriculture, trade and communications. A jetty was built at Lome and from it two railways started ; one—opened in 1907—went north-north-west to Palime (72 m.), the other— opened in pp i—due north to Atakpame (105 miles). Along the coast a railway connected Lome with Anecho and several good roads had been built. Germans started plantations of coffee, cocoa, kola-nuts, rubber and cotton, but the most valuable trade was in palm oil and kernels. There was also a trade in maize, ground nuts and shea-butter. Several inland tribes reared cattle and sheep, and on the tableland horses and donkeys. Strict labour regulations were enforced on the natives. Direct steamship communication was maintained with Hamburg and Bremen, and most of the trade was with Germany. The value of exports rose from £153,000 in 1900 to L498,000 in 1912. In the same period imports increased from £176,000 to £571,000. In 1912 the chief exports were palm oil and kernels (L240,000), rubber (L48,000), live cattle (Lao, 000), cotton (L26,000) and maize (L12,000). In 1913, the last complete year of German rule, the total exports were valued at 457,000, the imports at £531,000. The European population (1912) was 368, of whom 327.were Germans.

The British Sphere.

The British sphere adjoins the Gold Coast. It has an area of 13,040 sq.m. and a pop. (1931 census) of 293,671; about io,000 were Christians and 6,000 Mohammedans. European residents (1931) numbered under 43. The sphere is di vided into two sections, the northern being administered as if it formed part of the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast, the southern as if it formed part of the Gold Coast Colony. The

southern section is known as the Ho district and has some 100,00o inhabitants, who are more advanced in civilization than their northern neighbours. The chief towns are Ho and Kpando. In this district large areas are given over to cocoa, and smaller areas to cotton. There is also an oil palm belt. The northern section is divided into districts, of which Kete-Krachi--in which there are cotton plantations—adjoins the Ho district. This northern district contains the towns of Kete-Krachi (pop. about 9,000) and Yendi Trade in the north is chiefly in cattle and foodstuffs. The exports of the British sphere as a whole are mainly cocoa, cotton and palm kernels and palm oil; the chief imports are cotton piece goods, clothing, salt, tobacco and kerosene. The division of Togo land left the whole railway system in French sphere and the railway from Palime to Lome, which runs close to the border of the British sphere and is near to the chief cocoa farms, takes a large share of the trade. The administration has, however, built good roads in the British sphere and a motor ferry over the Volta at Senchi connects the southern British section with the road system of the Gold Coast colony. Separate statistics of the trade between the British sphere and the Gold Coast are not kept; the following figures relate to the trade crossing the frontier of the French sphere :—Year ending March 31, 1924: Exports £115,230 (cocoa £99,585) ; imports L24,400. Year 1926: exports £148,000 ( cocoa L135,200) ; imports £26,000. In taking over the adminis tration the Gold Coast authorities determined that the British sphere should have the same high standard in regard to public health, public works and education as the Gold Coast had. Con sequently, expenditure for several years greatly exceeded revenue. French Sphere.—The French sphere, which adjoins Dahomey on the east, has an area of 21,893 sq. miles. In 1933 the pop. was 753,300 natives, 512 Europeans and Syrians. The sphere is administered as a separate entity, the chief official being styled commissioner. He is aided by an Economic and Financial Council (created in 1924), consisting of officials, merchants and nine native representatives. The native members are chosen by popu larly elected councils and notables established in each district into which the sphere is divided.