178 THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — ASCENSION ISLAND
apricots) are grown, and oak-fed silk is produced. Seedlings of fir trees, acacias, willows, and plane trees have done well. Those of the inhabitants who are not farmers are mostly fishermen. Some rope and line making, boat building, and stone-cutting are carried on. The territory contains gold. The trade is carried on by junks and steamers. In 1919, 512 steamers of 487,528 net tons entered the port, exclusive of Admiralty colliers and government transports. 4,535 junks entered and cleared, as against 2,483 in 1918. The chief imports, 1919: cotton jam, 120,910?. ; raw cotton, 84,640?. ; groundnut kernels, 168,610?. ; piece goods, 61,895?. ; sugar, 23,520Z. ; Chinese wine, 22,590?. ; paper, 22,340?. ; flour, 46,068?. ; salt, 52,670?. ; kerosene, 17,580?. ; gunny bags, 24,910?. ; treasure, 57,590?. Chief exports, 1919, groundnut kernels, 308,810Z. ; fish, 18,720Z. ; sugar, 19,780Z. ; groundnut oil, 12,780Z. ; salt, 104.520Z. Total value of imports by junk and steamer, 1919, 1,074,828?. ; exports, 547,134Z. 1918, imports, 788,038?. ; exports, 572,936?. Weihaiwei is a duty-free port.
Good roads have been made round the coasts and into the interior of the Territory. The value of land is rising, which is a sign of the increasing pros- perity of the place. There is a regular weekly mail service to and from Shanghai. Many Europeans visit the place in summer on account of the excellence of the climate, which is unsurpassed in the Far East.
Commissioner. — Sir J. H. Stewart Lockhart, K.C.M.G.
Books of Reference. 9
Annual Report on Weihaiwei.
Bruce-Mitford (C. E.), The Territory of Weihaiwei. Shanghai, 1902, Johnston (R. F.), Lion and Dragon in Northern China. London, 1910. hueas (C. P.), Historical Geography of the British Colonies. Vol. I. 2nd ed. Oxford 1906.
AFRICA.
ASCENSION ISLAND.
Ascension is a small island of volcanic origin, of 34 squart miles, in the South Atlantic, 700 miles N.W. of St. Helena. It is entirely under the control and jurisdiction of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and is fortified. There is an excellent sanatorium up Green Mountain (2,820 ft.) for crews of ships visiting the island, whose health is impaired from service on the coast. There are 10 acres under cultivation, producing vegetables and fruit for the garrison. The population was estimated (August 1, 1918) at about 250, consisting of officers, their wives and families, seamen and marines, kroomen, members of the staff of the Eastern Telegraph Co., and servants. Garrison station, Georgetown, on north-we6C coast.
The island is the resort of the sea turtle, which come in thousands to lay their eggs in the sand annually between January and May. In 1914, 113 wore taken from 500 to 800 lbs. in weight ; they are stored in ponds, and eventually killed and distributed among the people, a few being sent to the Lords Com- raissionera of the Admiralty. Rabbits, wild goats, and partridges are more or less numerous on the island, which is, besides, the breeding ground ot the sooty tern or " wideawake," these birds comiug in vast numbers to lay their eggs about every eighth month. The island is included in the Postal Union, and is connected by the Eastern Telegraph Company with St. Helena, St. Vincent, Sierra Leone, and Buenos Aires ; with England and with the Cap* of Good Hope by telegraph.
Commandant.— Major H. G. Grant, R. M.L.I.
