TRANSITION TO THE BELGIAN CONGO 65 
and by steamer to international trade; and numerous distant 
places had been brought into communication with the world 
by roads, boats, and the telegraph. The trade of the country 
was carefully protected and cultivated, so that the combined 
imports and exports, which in 1895 were only about $4,200,- 
000, and at the time of annexation approximately $13,500,- 
000 reached $22,000,0001n 1912. Yet the colony was still far 
from being a financial success. The expenditures for 1911, 
1912 and 1913 exceeded the revenue by a total of $9,780,- 
000; and the public debt had already reached $53,800,000 
in 1912. But King Albert, at least, was not satisfied with 
the progress achieved. At his New Year reception in 1914, 
he said to the Vice-President of the Chamber of Deputies, 
“It is my duty to tell the Chamber that modifications in the 
charter of the Congo Colony are necessary. ... It is indis- 
pensable that a government be constituted on the spot, 
which shall formally receive from the home Legislature 
really effective power. The intensive tutelage of the 
mother country over the local administration cannot en- 
dure on African soil. A responsible autonomy must be 
able to assert itself under the direction, control, and sov- 
ereignty of the motherland.” 1 
The decentralization of the colonial administration had in 
fact already begun. In July, 1914, it was continued, with a 
reduction of the Colonial Office staff in Brusséls and the 
redivision of the Congo into 4 provinces, 22 districts, and 176 
territories. These divisions have as their heads vice- 
governors, commissioners, and administrators, respectively, 
each with a staff. These staffs do not exceed ten on the 
average. The territories average over 5000 square miles 
each and the total number of officials is about one to every 
4500 natives. Each head has a deputy, and the rule is that 
either the head or the deputy shall always be on tour of 
! The Times (London), January £2, 1914.