GEOLOGY. Although the geological structure of the island has not yet been adequately investi gated. important discoveries of gold have been made in British New Guinea—alluvial gold on the eastern islands and along the Alambare and other streams. and auriferous reefs on Mount Scratchley and in other places. Prospecting has scarcely more than begun, but the gold-bearing region seems to be extensive, and mining is al most the only industry of the white men in British New Guinea, the number of miners vary ing from 100 to 1000 mc•n, who are meeting with some success and sonic disappointment. Gold has also been found in the BisrnareK range of Kaiser Wilhelmsland.
CoxtmEncE. The trade of the island is still very small. The incoming of miners into British New Guinea has increased the eonimerce of that colony, which now amounts to over $500.000 a year, about equally divided between imports (chiefly foodstuffs. tobacco, cloth, and hardware) and exports (copra, pearl shell, gold, pearls, and sandal wood). Nearly the entire trade of this
possession is with Queensland and New South Wales. about 400 small vessels a year entering and clearing the ports. The colony is treated as a postal district of Queensland. the postal movement toeing about '20.000 letters and 13.000 newspapers a year. The German New Guinea Company has a concession placing in its hands the development of Kaiser Wilhelnislanill with stations along the coast at Friedrich NVillielnis ha fen. Konstantinlin fen, Finsehhafen, and Ste phansort. The few plantations yield export to 1aa•0 and cotton, and the natives barter copra, trepang. and inother-of•pearl. Several steam and owned by the company con nect the ports with Bremen. Duteh New Guinea has very little trade except. along the coast, an Dutch war vessel supplying the needs of the trailing and missionary posts.