SOMALILAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 215, 9 August 1940, Page 6

SOMALILAND.

AFRICA’S EASTERN HORN. THE BRITISH TERRITORY. Tlie Italian offensive has brought Somaliland into the news, particularly the area under British rule and strategically important of its position in relation to the Gulf ot Aden and the Red Sea. Somaliland derives its name from the Somali tribes, its chief inhabitants. A Hamatic race of Mohammedans, they are identical with the people of Punt, who figure in early Egyptian history, and are composed of. nomads (who preponderate), traders, a few townsmen, and outcast tribes. British Somaliland lias an area of GS.OOO square miles and a population of 345 000. Stretching from fifteen miles cast of Jibuti to 49 degrees east longitude, and inland as far as 8 degrees north latitude, by tlie treaty of 1897 15.000 square miles wore banded over to Abyssinia. Since 1905 the territory, lias been administered by a Commissioner under tlie Colonial Office. It imports rice, dates, sugar, textiles, and specie, and exports skins, resins, ghee, sheep and goats, as well as products common to French Somaliland: The British territory has no railways. transport being by motor-car or camels. There are wireless stations at the capital Berbera. Hargeisa (now in Italian hands), Zeila (abo captured l>v the Italian forces). Ericavo. and Burao. as well as the ordinary telegraphs. A police of over 500 liolns the Administration and normally the Camel Corps (a mechanised force) lias a personnel of 400 officers and men, with a reserve of 150. THE FRENCH POSSESSION. The French territory commands the southern entrance to the Red Sea with its area ot 5800 square miles and population of 85,000. The protectorate comprises coast stations with a hinterland. Jibuti, on the Bay of Tajura, is the seat of Government, and from it runs the railway to Addis Ababa. For some time during and since, the Italian campaign in Abyssinia the conquerors of that unhappy State have been insistent that Jibuti should be ceded to Italy, and France’s capitulation may find the whole of French Somaliland demanded —and given—to Mussolini until the Axis Powers are finally overthrown, The territory has few industries, pearls, shells and mother-of-pearl being the most important. Salt, mines were opened in 193 2 at Lake Assal and were producing 34.000 tons of salt a few years ago. Cotton, dates, coconuts, mangoes, and vegetables come from the rich soil, and coast fisheries do a substantial trade with the inland regions. Some 130.000 square miles of. French Somaliland were lost to Abyssinia some years ago. Somaliland is traversed by a steep soar running west and east from near Harrar to Cape Guardafni. An arid desert known as the Hand lies immediately south of the highlands, which gradually slope down to the AA T ebi Shebeyli River. Level sorvb-stre'-n stretches separate this river from the Juba (Italian Somaliland) which forms the southern boundary. Hides, gums, ostrich feathers, ivory, cattle, spices, coffee, mother-of-pearl and gold ingots arc tlie chief exports of all Somaliland. ITALIAN SOMALILAND. The colony of Somalia or Italian Somaliland (area 35,000. sq. m.) lies along the east coast of Africa from British Somaliland to Dik’s Head, Kenya. The boundaries inland were settled by treaty with Abyssinia in 1908. and are roughly at some 180 miles from the coast; under the Treaty of London, 1915, and an agreement ; n pursuance of that treaty' after the Great AVar, Great Britain gave to Italy territory lying on the right bank of the Juba River, together with the port of Kismayu. Italian Somaliland comprises the territories of Northern Somalia, consisting of Mijertina, Nogal, and Obbia, administered by regional commissioners or a resident, and Southern Somalia (formerly Benadir) consisting of a foreign region (chief town Oddur), the Juba region, with the commissioner at Kismayu, and the central region, with the commissioner at Merca, and AYebi Shebelyi (chief town Mahaddci). The colony of Somalia is administered by a civil governor, resident at Mogadiscio (pop. 25,000). The chief occupations are stock-rais-ing and agriculture. Exports consist chiefly of sesame oil, gum, ivory, resin, hides, butter, cotton, and kapok. Government factories at A’ittorio d’Africa are being built fo.r dealing with agricultural products. At Brava there is a tannery at which sandals, bags, and cushions and other leather goods are made; and at Mogadiscio, Merea, and other places there arc engineering shops; but the most important industry in Somalia is the manufacture of sea salt, which is carried on in the Bay of Hafan with a yearly output of 300.000 tons or more. There is also fishing for tunny and mother-of-pearl. There are 113 kilometres of railways. The population . is 900,000. of whom 525.000 are in Benadin and 275.000 in North Somalia. Europeans (mostly Italians) number about 1500 normally.