Government Gazette, Protectorate of Southern Nigeria of December, 1905
Date
1905-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Calabar: The Secretary's Office, Protectorate of Southern Nigeria.
Abstract
• Circular Despatches: Including modifications to commercial agreements between the UK and Greece regarding duties on currants and other goods. • Appointments and Changes: Notifications of European staff arrivals (e.g., Marine Officer, Forestry Officers) and consulate appointments. • Public Notices: Including rewards for detection of illegal percussion cap imports and notices of public holidays. • Marine Notices: Information on new fairway buoys and vacancies in the Marine Department. • Official Reports: Specifically, a detailed report on the Southern Nigeria section of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition held at the Crystal Palace in 1905.
Description
This historical record is an official issue of the Government Gazette for the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, No. 35 of the Government Gazette published in Calabar on December 8, 1905. It serves as an official administrative record detailing the legislative, personnel, and diplomatic activities of the colonial government. A central feature of this edition is the publication of international commercial declarations between the United Kingdom and Greece, which aimed to modify existing trade agreements to benefit British origin goods, specifically regarding customs tariffs on items like codfish and currants.
This report details the Protectorate’s participation in a world-fair style event at the Crystal Palace in London, where it showcased its principal economic resources—palm oil, kernels, rubber, timber, cocoa, and cotton—to the British public. It highlights the awards received, including a Gold Medal for timber and a Grand Prize for the general exhibit, while also candidly discussing the failure of vegetable produce consignments due to poor refrigeration. Beyond trade, the Gazette records the bureaucratic life of the colony, from the notification of public holidays for Christmas and New Year to rewards for information on smuggling operations. This Gazette is an essential primary source for understanding the economic strategies and administrative routines of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate in the early 20th century.