LAGOS, a town in the district of Faro, which is coextensive with the province of Algarve, in Portugal, is situated on the south coast of the kingdom, on a bay which forms its harbour. The town is fairly well built; but beyond one or two churches, the batteries that defend the port, and an aqueduct 800 yards long, it has no special features of interest. It holds the formal rank of city, and enjoys a respectable historical position from its connexion with Prince Henry the Navigator, whose caravels generally sailed from its harbour. The material prosperity of the town was injured by an earthquake that laid it in ruins in 1755. The inhabitants are engaged in the tunny fishery and in vine raising. The population in 1878 was 7881. Lagos is held to be situated on or near the site of the Roman colony Lacobriga....
LAGOS, a British settlement on the west coast of Africa, united since 1876 with the Gold Coast colony, and by the terms of the. charter comprising all British possessions between the second and fifth degrees of east longitude. The actual settlement is situated on a low island within the mouth of the so-called Lagos river, which is really a lagoon of considerable extent, into which the Ogun and several, other rivers discharge. The seaward entrance is about 3 miles wide, but it requires skilful pilotage to take a vessel across the bar into the smooth and deep water. Lagos was formerly the chief seat of the slave trade in the Bight of Benin. In 1851 it was captured by the British, and in 1861 the “king” Docemo was practically constrained to give up his territorial jurisdiction, and accept a pension of 1200 bags of cowries, or about £1030. There is now a flourishing settlement. The mangrove swamp has been cleared away from a large part of the island; a well-kept road runs for a mile along the shore in front of the European quarter; wooden wharves have been built; marshy spots have been turned into gardens, and among the houses are a number of bright stucco-fronted villas.
Immediately after the proclamation of the British annexation, c steady current of immigration from the mainland set in, and ir. 1871 the population of Lagos proper was 13,520 males and 14,998 females. Within the Lagos district are Badagry (1148 males 1343 females), Palma (814), and Leke (165), making a total for the settlement of 31,998. Besides the local tribes the population contains Sierra-Leonians, Krumen, and Fanti, as well as from 4000 to 6000 Brazilian emancipados. 1he trade of Lagos consists mainly in the exportation of palm oil and palm kernels, and the importation of liquors, tobacco, and cotton goods. Most of the business is in the hands of German and French houses. The average value of imports for 1875-1879 was £512,857, and of exports £620,644. In 1879 the Church of England had 13 churches in the settlement, the Wesleyans 7, the Roman Catholics (who are largely recruited by the Brazilian immigrants) 2, and the Baptists 1. The schools numbered 28, several being subsidized by the Government. The 8000 Mohammedans have 27 mosques and about 37 small Koran schools. During the five years from 1875 to 1879 the aggregate revenue of the settlement was £253,445, the aggregate expenditure £227,523.
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