and in Summer from 78°-88°F although the summer heat is tempered by sea breezes and there is usually a drop of 10°F at night. The average rainfall is 50 inches. Excellent beaches for bathing and swimming are to be found on all the major islands and there are very good facilities for yachting, diving, fishing and hunting. There are some fifteen hotels and several guest houses, about half of which are in Road Town, Tortola, and the remainder scattered over the other islands. Charter boat services are available on Tortola and Virgin Gorda. In 1967 the population was estimated at 8,895, with a birth rate of 22.32 per thousand and a death rate of 6·52 per thousand. The principal town and port is Road Town on Tortola which has a population of approximately 2,000. The great majority of the people are of Negro stock. English is the main and official language. The Methodists are the largest religious denomination, followed by the Church of God; the Anglican, Baptist, Adventist and Roman Catholic Churches are also represented in the territory. Medical services are mainly provided by the Government and the general health of the population is good. There is a 35-bed cottage hospital on Tortola and in 1968 total estimated expenditure on the medical services was $US215,760. Primary education is free and universal and the illiteracy rate is virtually non-existent. All 14 primary schools and one secondary school are directly maintained by the Government although most occupy church buildings. There are also three private schools. In 1964 a total of 2,510 (87-7 per cent) pupils were enrolled in all schools. Secondary schools provide education to G.C.E. Ordinary level standard and several scholarships tenable at universities in the U.S.A., Canada and in Puerto Rico and the University of the West Indies are awarded. There is a library at Road Town and library deposit stations in the out-islands. There are four direct steamship services, one from the United Kingdom, one from Holland and two from the United States. Launches and a new hydrofoil maintain a daily passenger and mail service with St Thomas (United States Virgin Islands). An external telephone service links Tortola with Bermuda and the rest of the world, and cable communications also exist to all parts of the world. There are airports suitable for small aircraft on Beef Island, Virgin Gorda, and Anegada. The main airport at Beef Island has been recently extended by the Royal Engineers and it now accommodates aircraft as large as the AVro 748 carrying 50 passengers. Two scheduled air services operated by PRINAIR and LIAT provide direct daily communication with Puerto Rico and the Eastern Caribbean. The territory possesses approximately 40 miles of roads, but no railways. Although the territory is not served by a television network, a radio broadcasting station is located at Baugher's Bay, Tortola, and its transmissions reach the United States Virgin Islands and the northern Leeward Islands. A television licence has been issued to a private company and TV broadcasts will commence in due course. The main crops are bananas, vegetables and coconuts, although livestock and fish are the most important exports. In 1967 exports of livestock were valued at US $44,985, whilst the other principal exports were fish, including turtles and shellfish, US $87,829; fruit US $4,842; and vegetables US$1,173. Exports are almost entirely confined to the United States Virgin Islands and the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Industry is extremely limited and consists of a rum distillery on Tortola, 15 plants making hollow concrete blocks, a mineral water factory, and three stone-crushing plants and one paint factory opened in 1969. Two printeries are in operation and a joinery works has been built. A bulk cement bagging plant is expected to be in operation by early 1971. The chief imports are timber, foodstuffs, machinery, motor cars and alcoholic beverages. The income tax law has been amended to provide generous family allowances of up to $7,000 with medical and schooling deductions of up to $2,000 and $1,000 respectively. Taxable income bears income tax at a flat 12%. Gross income is taxed at 3% under a separate law. Companies pay a flat rate of 12 cents in the Dollar. In 1968 recurrent Government revenue was US$1,357,198 and expenditure US$1,685,746, the deficit being made up by a grant-in-aid from the United Kingdom. The estimated figures for 1969 are US2,282,095 and US$2,526,128 respectively. The six-year development plan for 1966-71 envisages a total expenditure of almost US$18 million of which US$5.6 million would be in the public sectors: of the latter, nearly half is allocated to communications including the extension and improvement of the airport at Beef Island and improvement of the territory's road system and port facilities. HISTORY The Virgin Islands were discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus who named them Las Virgenes in honour of St Ursula and her companions. In the early years of European settlement in the West Indies, the group appears to have been a haunt of buccaneers and pirates. In 1672 the Governor of the Leeward Islands, Colonel Stapleton, formally annexed the island of Tortola, demolished the fort and forced the inhabitants to move to St Kitts. In 1680 a few planters moved with their families from Anguilla in the Leewards to Virgin Gorda, starting a stream which by 1717 had raised the European population of that island to 317 and that of Tortola to 159. In 1773, on their second petition, the planters were granted civil government and constitutional courts with a completely elected House of Assembly (12 members) and a partly elected and partly nominated Legislative Council or ‘Board' which met for the first time on 1st February 1774. The islands became part of the Colony of the Leeward Islands in 1872 and continued as such with various constitutions until 1st July 1956 when the Leeward Islands were defederated and the presidencies of Antigua, St Kitts, Montserrat and the Virgin Islands became separate colonies. The island continued to be administered by the Governor of the Leeward Islands until January 1960 when this office was abolished and the Administrator of the Virgin Islands became directly responsible to the Colonial Office. The territory did not, unlike the other former Leeward Islands, become part of the West Indies Federation which was dissolved in 1962. CONSTITUTION The new constitution, which came into effect in April 1967, provides for the first time for a ministerial system. The Administrator remains responsible for defence and internal security, external affairs, the civil service, the administration of the courts and finance, and continues to have reserved legislative powers necessary in the exercise of his special responsibilities, but on other matters is normally bound to act in accordance with the advice of the Executive Council. The Executive Council is comprised of the Administrator as Chairman, two ex-officio members (the Attorney-General and Financial Secretary), the Chief Minister appointed by the Administrator as the elected member who appears best able to command a majority and two other ministers appointed by the Administrator on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Legislative Council consists of a Speaker chosen from outside the Council, two ex-officio members (the Attorney-General and Financial Secretary), one nominated member appointed by the Administrator after consultation with the Chief Minister and seven elected members returned from seven one-member electoral districts. Justice was formerly administered in the territory by the Supreme Court of the Windward and Leeward Islands, the Court of Summary Jurisdiction and the Magistrate's Court and a Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court visited the islands twice year. With the replacement of the Supreme Court by the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court arrangements have been made for this Court to serve the Virgin Islands. LAND POLICY British subjects may acquire land without restriction, but aliens are required to obtain a licence under the Aliens Land Holding Regulation Act. Applications under this Act are however readily granted, usually on condition that the applicant undertakes appropriate development within a certain period. Similar licences are being contemplated for application to all non-B.V. Islanders. Most of the land is in private ownership but Crown lands are estimated at 15,121 acres and are normally leased for a period not exceeding 99 years. Rental is based either on tender or on 5 per cent of the unimproved value of the land which is reviewed at intervals of 10 years. GOVERNMENT A General Election was held on 14th April 1967. The United Party secured four seats, the Democratic Party two seats and the People's Own Party one seat. Administrator: J. S. Thomson, CMG, MBE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL The Administrator (Chairman) Minister for Natural Resources: Hon. I. Dawson Minister for Communications, Works and Industry: Hon. T. B. Lettsome LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Nominated Member: Hon. J. R. O'Neal, OBE Elected Members: Hon. H. L. Stoutt; Hon. I. Dawson; Hon. T. B. Lettsome; British Virgin Islands Biennial Reports 1961-62 and 1963-64. Report of the Development Advisory Committee for the period 1966-71 (obtainable from the Administrator's Office, British Virgin Islands). EGGLESTON, GEORGE T. Virgin Islands. Princeton. D. Van Nostrand, 1959. PHILLIPS, William T. A. Report on the British Virgin Islands with Recommendations for Accelerating Economic and Social Development. O'LOUGHLIN, Dr Carleen. A Survey of the Economic Potential, Fiscal Structure and Capital Requirements of the British Virgin Islands 1962. SUCKLING, GEORGE. An Historical Account of the Virgin Islands. Benjamin White, 1780. Report of the Fiscal Review Committee 1967-68. Triennial Report, 1966-1967-1968 (Now in progress). DOOKHAN, ISAAC: A History of the British Virgin Islands, 1968. T CAYMAN ISLANDS HE Cayman Islands consist of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman and they lie in the Caribbean Sea between latitudes 19° 15' and 19° 45' North and longitudes 79° 44′ and 81° 27′ West, 110 to 156 miles to the north-west of the west end of Jamaica. Their total area is about 100 square miles. All the islands are low lying and do not reach a height of more than 60 feet above sea level except in Cayman Brac where the eastern end rises to 140 feet. The principal island-Grand Cayman-is about 178 miles to the west of Jamaica, it is about 22 miles in length with a breadth varying from 4 to 8 miles: very low lying, it is difficult to sight from the sea. Most of the west end of the island is taken up by North Sound, a shallow bay, 36 square miles in area, protected by a reef. North Sound provides a safe haven for small craft and a convenient area for turtle 'crawls' (corrals). Little Cayman has a similar geographical formation to Grand Cayman. Cayman Brac is distinguished from the other islands by a massive central limestone bluff. The coasts are for the most part rock-bound, protected by coral reefs enclosing a few fair harbours. Grand Cayman has a magnificent six-mile beach. There are no rivers in any of the islands. Many species of birds are found, including 12 indigenous to the Caymans. Grand Cayman is divided into six districts: George Town with a population of 4,000, West Bay with a population of 2,791, Prospect (the population figure is included with George Town), Bodden Town with a population of 1,022, and North Side and East End with populations of 521 and 744 respectively. Cayman Brac is divided into four districts, Stake Bay, West End, Creek and Spot Bay. The total population of these is 1,327. Little Cayman is divided into two districts, South Town with a population of 16 and Jacksons which has no inhabitants. The Caymans are cool from November to March, the prevailing winds being from the north and temperatures range from 65° to 75°F. From May to October the range of temperature is some 10° higher and during certain periods mosquitoes abound. The rainfall at George Town averages 50 inches a year. The hurricane season lasts from July to November and the islands have occasionally been hit, e.g. in 1876, 1903, 1909, 1917, 1932 and 1944. In October 1952 they narrowly escaped severe damage, catching the edge of a hurricane whose centre passed only 40 miles to the West of Grand Cayman. A meteorological station at George Town operated jointly with the Government of Cuba makes an important contribution to the Caribbean hurricane warning system. During 1956 a combined British and American weather station specifically for hurricane research was established on Grand Cayman. The last population census in the Cayman Islands was carried out in 1970 and gave the following preliminary figures: Grand Cayman 9,084; Cayman Brac 1,323; Little Cayman 16. In 1969, 231 births and 40 deaths were registered. Since 1891 a census has been taken six times at intervals which varied from 9 to 20 years. The official and spoken language of the Cayman Islands is English; the currency is Jamaican Decimal Currency introduced on 8 September 1969. Education is compulsory for children between the ages of five and 15. It is provided free in nine Government primary schools and there are five churchsponsored primary schools in which fees are charged. There are three Government secondary schools (one grammar and two secondary modern). Selection for the grammar school is by examination and 40 children a year are admitted. There is one private secondary school. Enrolment in all schools in 1969 was 2,181, of whom 659 were receiving post-primary education. Recurrent expenditure in 1969 was J$204,548. The Medical Department consists of a Government hospital and dental clinic in George Town and six health centres. Four of these are in outlying districts of Grand Cayman and two in Cayman Brac. Expenditure on medical and health services during 1969 was J$153,954-84. The hospital has accommodation for 34 patients. The Government Medical Officer was previously seconded from Jamaica but from mid-1965 he has been appointed direct by the Grand Cayman Government on recommendation from the Ministry of Overseas Development in Great Britain. The staff at the hospital consisted of three medical officers and a fourth one was appointed in 1970. A District Medical Officer, to whom a retainer from public funds is paid to relieve the Government Medical Officer, has been in practice in Grand Cayman since 1957. In George Town there is a dentist engaged in private practice. Tropical diseases are virtually absent from the Caymans. The chief industry next to the tourist industry is catching turtle which are brought to Grand Cayman before export. Some of the inhabitants engage in other fishing pursuits and in agriculture, but the main basis of the economy at |