COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.

2 77

Year Dec. 31

Vessels

Tons

Dec. 31 Vessels Ton*

1

1859 1860 1861 1862 1863

10,498 10,838 10,830 10,987 11,558

997,211 1,052,281 1,088,543 1,106,958 1,296,330

1864 12,235

1865 12,477

1866 11,941

1867 12,169

1868 11,855

1,475,761 1,562,295

1,518,647 1 1,523,125 1,455,172 j

The growth of the colonial empire of Great Britain, the result of three centuries of peaceful and warlike enterprise, is illustrated in the subjoined table : —

Colonies and dependencies

Date and mode of acquisition

Europe :

1

Gibraltar ....

Capture . . . 1704

Heligoland ....

Cession . . . 1814

Malta andGozo

Capture . . . 1S00

Asia :

Ceylon .....

Capitulation . . 1796

Bengal .

)

Bombay .

■

Settlement and conquest

Madras .

•

at various periods from

N.W. Provinces

1025 to 1849

Punjaub .

)

Hongkong

'

Treaty. . . . 1843

Labnan .

Cession . . . 1846

Africa :

Cape of Good Hope

Capitulation . . 1806

Gambia .

Settlement . . . 1631

Gold Coast .

„ 1661

Natal .

., . . . 1838

St. Helena

„ 1651

Sierra Leone .

„ 1787 *

Mauritius

Capitulation . . 1810

America :

Bermuda ....

Settlement . . . 1609 J

British Columbia .

,. —

Canada, Lower

\

Capitulation and cession J 1763 I

Canada, Upper

New Brunswick

1

\

Newfoundland

Nova Scotia .

Settlement . . . 1497

Prince Edward Island

J

Guiana, British

Capitulation . . 1803

Falkland Islands

Cession . . - 1S37

West Indies :

Antigua . . . . .

Settlement . . - 1632

Bahamas . . . .

„ 1629

Barbadoes

■„ 1605 ;