FREE TOWN

[s. 260] : Capital of the British Colony of Sierra Leone, W. Africa. It is situated on the south side of the estuary of the Sierra Leone enclosed landward by encircling has pure water and the climate is equable, but the town partly overlooks the marshes of Kroo Bay. It has a good harbor and The pop is the greatest seaport in West Africa. The Europe ans, half-castes, ulation is 34,500. and immigrants occupy distinctive quarters of the town. The Church Mi ionary Society commenced its work in 1816, which is now conducted mainly in educational institutions, as a Sierra Leone native church has been organized. A college at Fourah Bay, two miles above Free town, was built in 1840, and is the principal college in connection with the West African Mi ion. In 1876 it was reorganized and affiliated with Durham University. The native church withdrew finally from the CMS in 1889 so far as receiving aid from the parent society is concerned. It numbers (1902) 3,920 profe ing Christians. The CMS now’(1902) has at Free town 5 mi ionaries, men and women; 18 native workers, men and women (besides 16 in the native church); 752 profe ing Christians, and 4 schools. Free town IS also a station of the CA and the African Methodist Episcopal Church of the US, of which no statistics are i ued. Station also of the WMS, with 9 mi ionaries and 66 native workers, men and women; also of the United Brethren (1854) with 7 mi ionaries, men and women, and 12 native workers; also of the United Methodist Free Church (1859), with 5 mi ionaries, men and women. These six societies maintain, besides the CMS College above named, 16 schools and (including the number given above) have connected with them about 11,000 profe ing Chris River. It mountains. is It tians. 260