area is of special interest, as it is inhabited by a small tribe of Eskimos who, like the Polar Eskimos, have for centuries lived on this out-of-the-way coast on the 65th to 66th degree of latitude in ignorance of the outer world. The tribe was visited for the first time by the Danish Captain C. F. Holm on his famous "Konebaad"*) expedition in 1883-84, and in 1894 the trading station of Angmagssalik was founded. It is now governed as a Colony, but, owing to its remote situation, it occupies a special position In the colony system as regards certain features of its administration.

Throughout all these endeavours to colonise Greenland, Denmark has worked hard to spread civilisation without at the same time obliterating the national characteristics of the Eskimos. Experience in other places shows that a task of this kind among primitive people is a very difficult one, particularly in such an extensive and thinly populated country as Greenland. The work is, however, performed gradually as conditions permit, and plans have been made, by Danish private initiative, to attempt the colonisation of the district around Scoresby Sound, on the 70th degree of latitude, this summer.

ADMINISTRATION

With regard to the administration of Greenland, the colonial Government is regulated by the Acts of 1908 and 1912. Except for matters of a purely ecclesiastical character, which belong under the Church and Education Authorities, the Greenland Colonies are administered by the Danish Home Office, with a Director as the superior authority and, under him, a commercial manager, who, in particular, superintends the sale of Greenland products and the purchase of goods for Greenland.

The Colonies on the West coast are divided into two Inspectorates, South Greenland and North Greenland, each with an Inspector as the representative of the Government and the supreme local authority of the area.

Each Inspectorate is divided into Districts (which, however, are not the same as the Colony Districts already referred to), and further into Counties, and Communes.

South Greenland consists of six Districts, 11 Counties and 26

*) i. e. skin boats manned by native women.

Communes, while North Greenland has six Districts, 12 Counties and 36 Communes.

The division into Communes is made in such a way that all Greenlanders living in the same neighbourhood belong to the same Commune. Each Commune has a Commune Council, elected for four years by the native population from among themselves, although Danes who have lived in Greenland at least one year may be appointed members, provided that their number does not exceed one-third of the total membership of the Council. Under the supervision of the Inspector the Council manages the affairs of the Commune, and persons unable to provide for themselves are assisted out of the funds of the Commune.

In each of the two Inspectorates of the country there is a Council of not more than twelve members, presided over by the Inspector who has, however, no vote. The members of these councils, who must be native Greenlanders, are elected every six years in the County Constituencies by the native members of the Communal Councils within these Constituencies. The Inspectorate Council meets once a year in order to discuss the affairs of the Inspectorate, and it assists in the employment of the means of the Inspectorate funds, and makes recommendations regarding measures for the promotion of the interests of the whole of the Greenland population, these measures being provided for out of the joint Greenland funds.

As regards the administration of justice, persons of Greenland nationality including the offspring of mixed marriages come under the jurisdiction of Greenland, whereas Danes in Greenland are subject to Danish laws and have their venue in Copenhagen. For persons under Greenland jurisdiction civil cases and local police cases are dealt with by the Commune Council, whereas ordinary criminal cases are dealt with by a mixed Court, presided over by the Inspector and with the chairman of the Commune Council of the District and some of the Danes residing in the District as members. The Inspector also has the right to punish persons otherwise under Danish law who commit breaches of the regulations in force among the Greenlanders.

For ecclesiastical purposes Greenland is divided into two deaneries and at least ten parishes, in each of which there is a vicar, who may be either a Dane or a native, and curates according to local requirements. There is a Greenland Seminary in Copen

hagen for the training of the clergy and, at Godthaab, there is also a seminary for the training of native clergymen and teachers. Education is supervised in each parish by the vicar with the assistance of the members of the Commune Council. In the primary schools ordinary school subjects, and the Greenland language, are taught. All education, in the seminary and in the primary schools, is free.

As regards matters of public health, Greenland is divided into seven medical districts, each under the charge of a District Medical Officer appointed by the Crown for the purpose of supervising all matters relating to health, hospitals, sanitation, midwives, trained nurses, etc.

TRADE AND COMMUNICATIONS

The Greenland trade is carried on as a Government monopoly in accordance with a Decree of March 18th, 1776. But, like all other regulations concerning Danish rule in Greenland, the regulations which have, at various times, been enforced with regard to trade have had the object of protecting the native population and their interests, and making them capable of participating in the government of the country, and the question of profits has always been a secondary consideration. The trade consists in the purchase of Greenland products such as blubber, liver, fish, skins, eiderdown and feathers by the Monopoly Company, and the sale of European goods. In every Colony District there is a Colony Superintendent in charge of the trade of the District.

Communications with Denmark are in the hands of the Greenland Administration, the period of regular navigation lasting from about April 1st to late in the autumn. As trade is monopolised, admission to Greenland is subject to the permission of the Danish Government. The local traffic is carried on by means of motor boats, canoes or »Konebaade« (see above).

A very great improvement in the communications between Greenland and Denmark, and thus with the rest of the world, will be effected by the establishment of the wireless connection which has long been planned, and for which the necessary steps have now been taken, the Danish Parliament having now granted the necessary funds for the establishment of four wireless stations in Greenland: at Julianehaab, Godthaab and Godhavn on the

West coast, and at Angmagssalik on the East coast. The erection of these stations will be commenced in the summer of the present year. The station at Julianehaab will be in communication with the wireless station at Reykjavik, Iceland, through which messages will be transmitted in the ordinary course of traffic, but in case of emergency the Julianehaab station will also be able to communicate with the station at Thorshavn, in the Faroe Islands.

RESEARCH WORK IN GREENLAND

With regard to the exploration and mapping of Greenland, a great amount of work has been done in recent times by the Commission for the Direction of Geological and Geographical Research in Greenland, appointed by the Danish Government in 1876. This Commission has sent out numerous expeditions at the public expense, and these have collected very important scientific material, which is published by the Commission in the >>Reports on Greenland«, which in the course of time have become a huge work of no less than 60 volumes.

The following Danish expeditions to various parts of Greenland apart from the Holm »Konebaad« Expedition of 1883-85 and the Thule Expeditions already referred to, may be mentioned:

Ryder's Expeditions: 1886-87 to the Upernivik District, which explored up to lat. 742 N. in regions which before then had been completely unknown, and, in 1891-92, to the East coast with the expedition ship, the »Hekla«, which wintered at Denmark Island in Scoresby Sound, from where the whole of the interior of this fjord-system was explored and mapped. Numerous ruins of old Eskimo habitations were found.

The Danish Carlsberg Foundation's Expedition to East Greenland in 1898-1900, with Lieutenant G. Amdrup as leader. This expedition explored the practically unknown stretch from Angmagssalik, in lat. 652 N., to Scoresby Sound, in lat. 70-71 N. On the coast from 644 N. to Angmagssalik remains of earlier Eskimo habitations were found, and a rich collection of geological, zoological and botanical specimens was brought home to Copenhagen.

Mylius-Erichsen's Danish Literary Greenland Expedition, 1902 -04, to the West coast right up to Smith Sound, where the expedition wintered among the Polar Eskimos and collected abundant material regarding this primitive Eskimo tribe.