Government Gazette, Colony of Lagos. May 1886
Date
1886-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lagos state: Colonial Secretariat
Abstract
• A: Alien Children returns; Animals slaughtered/impounded; May Assize calendar; Auctioneers' Licenses. • C: Calendar of Prisoners; Constabulary changes; Foreign Consuls; Criminal statistics for May. • E: Escaped prisoner (KOSO); Appointment of Frederick Evans as Colonial Secretary. • H: Harbour Regulations; Queen Victoria's Birthday celebration; Hospital and vaccination returns; Meteorological observations. • S: Shipping Intelligence; Estate of Margaret Smith; Movements of Harbour Master Speeding. • T: Treasurer's Receipts; Rules for the Custody of Public Money.
Description
This historical document is the fifth issue of the Government Gazette for the Colony of Lagos, published on Monday, May 31, 1886. It serves as the official administrative record for the British colony during its inaugural year of separation from the Gold Coast Colony. The document is a critical resource for understanding the legal and operational framework of 19th-century colonial governance in West Africa.
A portion of this edition is dedicated to the Harbour Regulations dated March 11, 1886, which established strict health and safety protocols for ships in the Lagos Harbour. These rules include mandates for awnings to protect crews from the sun, sanitary inspections by Health Officers, and specific labor restrictions for "white crews" during peak heat hours. The Gazette also features a formal Proclamation by Administrator Cornelius Alfred Moloney confirming Ordinance No. 1 of 1886, which legally extended existing laws to the new colony.
The publication details the fiscal and social status of the colony through comprehensive trade statistics, showing quantities and values of imports like cotton goods, spirits, and building materials compared to the previous year. It also records official personnel changes, such as the appointment of Frederick Evans as Colonial Secretary and rewards for the apprehension of escaped prisoners. This Gazette provides a granular view of the bureaucratic routines, from the celebration of the Queen's Birthday to the daily meteorological observations recorded at the colonial hospital.