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LIBERIA.

Constitution and Government.

THE Constitution of the Republic of Liberia is on the model of that of the United States of America. The executive is vested in a president and a non-active vice-president, and the legislative power is exercised by a parliament of two houses, called the Senate and the House of Representatives. The president and vice-president are elected for two years; the house of representatives also for two years, and the senate for four years. There are 13 members of the Lower House, and 8 of the Upper House; each county sending 2 members to the senate. It is provided that, on the increase of the population, each 10,000 persons will be entitled to an additional representative. Both the president and the vice-president must be thirty-five years of age, and have real property to the value of 600 dollars, or 120l. In case of the absence or death of the president, his post is filled by the vice-president. The latter is also President of the Senate, which, in addition to being one of the branches of the legislature, is a Council for the President of the Republic, he being required to submit treaties for ratification and appointments to public office for confirmation.

President of Liberia.-Daniel Bashiell Warner, elected May 5, 1864, for the term of two years.

Vice-President of Liberia.-James W. Priest, elected May 5,

1864.

The first president was Joseph Jenkins Roberts; he was succeeded by Stephen Allen Benson. Each of these two presidents served four terms of two years each. Mr. David B. Warner, the actual chief magistrate of the republic, is the third president.

For political and judicial purposes, the republic is divided into counties, which are further subdivided into townships. The counties are four in number, and called Montserrado, Grand Bassa, Sinoe, and Maryland. The townships are commonly about eight miles in extent. Each town is a corporation, its affairs being managed by officers chosen by the inhabitants. Courts of monthly and quarter sessions are held in each county. The civil business of the county is administered by four superintendents appointed by the president with the advice and consent of the senate. The county system of

government is capable of indefinite extension over new districts of territory that may be acquired, giving all the advantages which local self-government affords to the inhabitants. The government of Liberia is entirely in the hands of men of the African race.

Population, Revenue, and Trade.

The settlement of Liberia, founded in 1822, was, on August 24, 1847, proclaimed a free and independent state, as the Republic of Liberia. The state was first acknowledged by England, afterwards by France, Belgium, Prussia, Brazil, Denmark, and Portugal, and, in 1861, by the United States. The republic has about 600 miles of coast line, and extends back about 100 miles on an average, but with the facility of almost indefinite extension into the interior. It is stated that the natives everywhere manifest the greatest desire that treaties should be formed with them, so that the limits of the republic may be extended over all the neighbouring districts. The Liberian territory has been purchased by more than 20 treaties, and in all cases the natives have freely parted with their titles for a satisfactory price. The chief solicitude has been to purchase the line of sea-coast, so as to connect the different settlements under one government, and to exclude the slave trade, which formerly was most extensively carried on at Cape Mesurado, Tradetown, Little Bassa, Digby, New Sesters, Gallinas, and other places at present within the republic.*

The population is estimated to number 500,000, of which 16,000 are Americo-Liberians, and the remaining 484,000 aboriginal inhabitants. In the year 1862, the public revenue amounted to 30,1907., and the expenditure to 29,9731. The Liberians have built and manned 30 coast traders, and they have a number of large vessels engaged in commerce with Great Britain and the United States. The principal articles of export are coffee, sugar, palm oil, and various other products of the soil of Africa. In the Board of Trade returns, including the Annual Statement of the Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom,' the imports and exports of Liberia are not distinguished, but thrown with others together under the heading 'Western Coast of Africa.'

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*The Republic of Liberia, its Products and Resources. By Gerald Ralston, Consul-General for Liberia. A Paper read before the Society of Arts.

NATAL.

Constitution and Government.

THE colony of Natal, formerly an integral part of the Cape of Good Hope settlement, was erected into a separate government by Letters Patent issued in November 1845. A Lieutenant-Governor was appointed, as well as an Executive Council created. The Lieutenant-Governor was subordinate to the Governor of the Cape, and the Legislative Council of the latter continued to frame laws for Natal till 1848, when a separate Legislative Council was established. In 1856 Natal was erected into a distinct and separate colony, and from that time has not been under the control of the Governor of the Cape. Its affairs are administered by a Lieutenant-Governor, assisted by an Executive Council, composed of the Chief-justice, the senior officer in command of the troops, the Colonial Secretary, the Treasurer, the Attorney-General, and the Secretary for Native Affairs; and a Legislative Council, composed of four official members, namely, the Colonial Secretary, the Treasurer, the Attorney-General, and the Secretary for Native Affairs, and 12 members elected by the counties and boroughs.

Lieutenant-Governor of Natal.-John Maclean, C.B.; formerly Chief Commissioner for British Kaffraria, 1852-60; LieutenantGovernor of British Kaffraria, 1860-4; appointed LieutenantGovernor of Natal, April 6, 1864.

The Lieutenant-Governor has a salary of 1,2007., and the Colonial Secretary of 7001.

Revenue and Population.

The public revenue and expenditure of the colony in the five years 1859-64, were as follows:

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About one-third of the revenue is derived from customs, and the rest from miscellaneous sources of income, chief among them a 'huttax on natives.' The latter produced 17,9267. in the year 1862. The chief item of expenditure is for police and the administration of justice. The public debt, which was 50,000l. in 1860, had risen to 100,000l. at the end of 1863.

Natal is a solitary instance of a colony having been established by Great Britain without cost to imperial funds. In its early days it had a loan of ten thousand pounds, which has long since been repaid. Its military expenditure is, however, still paid by Great Britain.

The colony has an area of abont 18,000 square miles, with a seaboard of 150 miles. No census of the population has ever been taken; but it appears from government estimates that the number of persons of European origin amounts to about 18,000, while the natives number above 200,000. The estimates of this native population are formed from the assessment of the 'hut-tax,' which is collected with great strictness every year.

A small number of emigrants are introduced every year into the colony through government aid. The number thus conveyed from Great Britain in the year 1863 was 256, of whom 35 were married men, 31 married women, 78 single men, 42 single women, 35 boys between the ages of 1 and 12, 23 girls between the same ages, 7 male infants, and 5 female; 184 were English, 59 Scotch, and 13 Irish. A number of Indian coolies, from 500 to 800 per annum, have also been recently introduced into Natal.

Trade and Commerce.

The value of the imports and exports of the colony in the five years 1859-63, was as follows:

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The staple article of export is sheep's wool; next to which in importance stand sugar, ivory, and hides. Many of the exports, particularly wool, come from the neighbouring Dutch republics, which also absorb more than one-third of the imports. The native population, though extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits, have not as yet been able to bring forth any articles of export from Natal.

III. ASIA.

CEYLON.

Constitution and Government.

THE present form of government of Ceylon was established by letters patent of April, 1831, and supplementary orders of March, 1833. According to the terms of this constitution, the administration is in the hands of a Governor, aided by an Executive Council of five members; viz., the Officer Commanding the Troops, the Colonial Secretary, the Queen's Advocate, the Treasurer, and the Auditor-General; and a Legislative Council of 15 members, including the members of the Executive Council, four other officeholders, and six unofficial members.

Governor of Ceylon.-Sir Hercules G. R. Robinson, Knt., formerly in the 87th Fusiliers; subsequently, 1846-53, a member of the Irish Poor-law Board; appointed President of Montserrat, 1854; Lieutenant-Governor of St. Christopher, 1855; Governor of Hong-Kong, 1859. Appointed Governor of Ceylon, 1864.

The Governor has a salary of 7,000l., and the Colonial Secretary 2,000l.

Revenue and Expenditure.

The public revenue and expenditure of the colony, in each of the years 1856 to 1863, was as follows:

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Rather more than one-third of the revenue is derived from import and export duties, and the rest from miscellaneous indirect taxes, of

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