Belgian 7 Congo 109 GENERAL REMARKS only by firms so powerful as that of Messrs. Lever. Delay in development need not be regarded as in itself a great evil. Slow but sure progress is probably the wisest course for the Colony.

(v) Financial Difficulties.--- The financial position of the Government is unquestionably serious ; the receipts for 1914 showed a falling off by 9,966,824 francs from 1913, and 1915 saw a further decline by 11,700,000 francs. The loss of revenue is due in part to abiding causes such as the inevitable loss of revenue on ivory (due both to the necessity of lowering the duties and to the actual diminution of the amount available ) and the decision to sacrifice the revenue from trade spirits, in part also to the decline in the price of rubber, which may be temporary and is clearly due to various causes, such as the coming on the market of large supplies from other sources, the invention of synthetic rubber, &c. The deficit in 1914 was 22,500,000 francs, and in 1915 not under 25,000,000 francs, and since the annexation there has been no success in balancing revenue and expenditure, the deficit being madegood from loans, althoughmuch of the expenditure is unproductive. On the other hand , increase of revenue can be confidently expected from ( i) the growth of land revenue of a legitimate character ; ( ii) the mineral royalties ; ( iii) the native taxation, which will increase as the country is effectively brought under administra tion, and as the rate is raised, as it legitimately can be when the native is able to earn more money ; and (iv) import duties , which will develop with the growth of the spending power of the natives . It must, how ever, be remembered that at any time sleeping-sickness may develop and produce demands on the Colony which it would be difficult to meet .