TUNIS.

(AFRIKIJA.)

Reigning Sovereign and Family.

Sidi Mohamed-el-Sadok, Bey of Tunis, born October 3, 1813, eldest son of Bey Sidy Ahsin; succeeded his brother, Mohamed, September 23, 1859.

Brother of the Bey.-Sidy Ali, second surviving son of Bey Sidy Ahsin, heir presumptive to the throne, born October 5, 1817.

The reigning family of Tunis, occupants of the throne since 1691, descend from Ben Ali Tourki, a native of the Isle of Crete, who, by force of arms, made himself master of the country, acknowledging, however, the suzerainty of the Sultan of Turkey, in existence since 1575. This suzerainty remained in force, with short interruptions, till the reign of the present Bey, who succeeded in obtaining an Imperial firman, dated October 25, 1871, which liberated him from the payment of the tribute paid by his predecessors and made him virtually independent. Besides formalities of investiture, the sole actual connection of Tunis with the Ottoman Empire exists in the treaty obligation of the Bey to furnish the Sultan with a certain number of troops in time of war.

Government, Revenue, and Army.

The Government of Tunis was a pure despotism till the accession of the present sovereign, who issued, immediately after assuming the government, an 'Organic Law,' establishing courts of justice, and guaranteeing individual and religious liberty. By the terms of this law the general administration of the country was vested, under the Bey, in a Ministerial Council, composed of six members, presiding over the departments of Foreign Affairs, held by the Prime Minister, of the Interior, of Justice, of War, of Marine, and of Public Works. There was likewise established, as a consulting body, a 'Conseil de la régence,' composed of all the foreign consuls, various Government officials, and the members of the municipality of the capital.

The total revenue of the Government in the financial year ending the 30th June, 1875, amounted to 273,2927., and the total expenditure to 251,8647. The principal sources of revenue and chief branches of expenditure were as follows, in the year 1874-75:

It will be seen that, besides the general administration of the country, carried on at a very small cost, the bulk of the expenditure was for the public debt. The public liabilities were mainly contracted between the years 1856 and 1868, and at the latter date amounted, exclusive of a floating debt, to 182,000,000 francs, or 7,280,000l., a portion of it contracted in Tunis, but the greater part in foreign countries, mainly France. No interest being paid to the creditors, the French and other Governments made reclamations, in pursuance of which the Bey consented to establish an International Finance Commission, to provide for the settlement and gradual extinction of the public debt. Called into existence in 1869, the Commission has been working since that time, with highly satisfactory results to both the Government of Tunis and its creditors. The International Finance Commission is divided into two departments, namely, the Administrative Section, composed of the Prime Minister of Tunis as president, of a French Inspector of finance, and another Tunisian functionary representing the Government; and the Section of Control, comprising six delegates elected by the English, French, and Italian creditors respectively. The Acts of the Administrative Section, having a reference directly or indirectly to financial matters connected with the interests of the foreign creditors, have no executive force unless they are approved by the Section of Control, particularly in respect of any new loans or financial operations, which may any way affect the public revenue. There is a sub-committee known as the Council of Administration of the Conceded Revenues,' composed of five members, namely, one English, one French, one Tunisian, an Italian, and one taken indiscriminately from among

in

the most respectable residents of any other nationality. They are named by the Finance Commission for three years, at the expiration of which period any of them may be re-elected for another year. A member of the Board of Control assists at its deliberations, besides which it submits its half-yearly accounts to the Finance Commission, which, after being audited and approved by it, are published for the information of the public.

Each foreign delegate of the Finance Commission receives yearly 240l. to meet his extra expenses, while the members of the subcommittee, who are expected to give up all their time to the performance of their several duties, receive a salary of 4007., and their president 4801. The total amount of the annual expenditure incurred by the sub-committee is 6,000l., inclusive of 2,2381., being the commission charged by the bankers for the payment of the coupons in Europe and other outlays.

Under the arrangements made by the International Finance Commission, the total public debt of Tunis stands fixed at present at 125,000,000 francs, or 5,000,000l., the whole bearing interest at five per cent. The annual surplus of revenue over expenditure is devoted to the gradual extinction of the debt.

The army of Tunis is divided into two distinct parts, the first consisting of regular, and the second of irregular troops. The first comprises seven regiments of infantry, of 3,900 men; four battalions of artillery, of 600 men; and a cavalry troop of 100 men. irregular army is computed to amount to 11,500 men, about onefourth of them horsemen.

The

Tunis possessed two small armed steamers, an aviso of 500 tons, with 8 guns, and engines of 160 horse-power, and a transport of 400 tons, with 2 guns, and of 140 horse-power, at the end of June 1878. It was reported at the same date that two ironclad monitors were being constructed in France by order of the government.

Area, Population, and Trade.

The kingdom or 'Regency' of Tunis, formerly one of the so-called Barbary States, comprises the tract of country included in the ancient Roman provinces of Zeugitana and Byzacium. It takes its present name from its modern capital Tunis, the Roman Tunes, the Aevron Túvnra of Diodorus of Sicily. The present boundaries are on the north and east the Mediterranean Sea, on the west the FrancoAlgerian province of Constantine, and on the south the great desert of the Sahara and the Turkish Pachalik of Tripoli; and reckoning its average breadth from west to east to be 100 miles, it covers an area of about 42,000 English square miles, including that portion of the Sahara which is to the east of the Beled Djerid, extending towards Gadamés.

The number of inhabitants is only known by estimates, no attempt of enumeration having ever been made. It is stated in the 'Almanacco Tunissino' for 1877, that the total population is calculated to number 2,100,000, comprising 2,028,000 Mahometans, 45,000 Jews, 25,100 Roman Catholics, 400 Greek Catholics, and 100 Protestants. But recording to other reports, there are, at the utmost 1,500,000 inhabitants. According to all accounts, the population, which numbered 17 millions in the tenth century, and 5 millions in the middle of the eighteenth century, is gradually decreasing. The majority of the population is mainly formed of Bedouin Arabs and Kabyles.

The capital, the city of Tunis, is situated 10 miles southeast of the site of ancient Carthage, built on the western side of a lake, some 20 miles in circumference, which separates it from its port Goletta. The city walls measure five miles in circumference, and the inhabitants are variously estimated from 100,000 to 120,000, comprising Moors, Arabs, Negroes, and Jews.

There are twelve ports open to foreign trade, but the bulk of the commerce passes through Tunis-Goletta. The total foreign trade averages 2,400,000l. per annum, comprising 1,100,000l. imports, and 1,300,000l. exports. The principal articles exported are wheat, olive oil, and barley. The foreign trade is carried on mainly with Italy, France, and Great Britain.

In the returns of the Board of Trade the commerce of Great Britain with Tunis is thrown together with that of Tripolis. The following table shows the exports from Tunis and Tripolis to Great Britain, and the imports of British home produce into Tunis and Tripolis, in each of the five years from 1873 to 1877 :

Imports of British home
produce into Tunis
and Tripolis.

£

64,604

The principal article of export from Tunis and Tripolis to Great Britain in the year 1877 was Esparto grass, for making paper, of the value of 438,7777., while the principal article of import of British produce consisted in cotton manufactures, of the value of 20,4551.

Tunis has three short lines of railway, running from the capital to Goletta, and other places in the environs, of a total length of 38 Engl. miles, open for traffic at the end of June 1878. A line to the Alge

rian frontier, 80 English miles, was under construction at the same date.

There were 650 miles of telegraphs in operation at the end of June 1878.

Diplomatic Representatives.

1. OF TUNIS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

There were no diplomatic representatives of Tunis in Great Britain in 1878. 2. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN TUNIS.

Political Agent and Consul-General.—Sir Richard Wood, C.B., K.C.M.G.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The money, weights, and measures of Tunis, and the British equivalents, are as follows:

The Piastre, of 16 karubs.

MONEY.

average value 6d.

The gold and silver coins of France and Italy are in general use.

The pic, or principal long measure, is of three lengths, viz., 0.7359 of a yard for cloth; 0.51729 of a yard for linen; 0.68975 of a yard for silk.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Tunis.

1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Almanacco Tunisino per l'anno 1877. 8. Tunis, 1877.

Report by Mr. Consul-General Wood on the trade, industry, and finances of Tunis, dated Tunis, September 27, 1875; in Reports from H.M.'s Consuls. Part I. 1876. 8. London, 1876.

Report by Mr. Vice-Consul Dupuis on the trade and commerce of Susa in 1875, dated Susa, January 1876; in 'Reports from H.M.'s Consuls.' Part IV. 1876. 8. London, 1876.

Report by Mr. Consul-General Wood on the exports and imports of Tunis; in 'Reports from H.M.'s Consuls.' Part I. 1877. 8. London, 1877.

Reports by Mr. Vice-Consul Dupuis on the commerce of Susa; in 'Reports from H.M.'s Consuls.' Part IV. 1877, and Part III. 1878. 8. London, 1877 and 1878.

Trade of Tunis and Tripoli with the United Kingdom; in 'Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions, for the year 1877.' Imp. 4. London, 1878.

2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

De Flaux (M.), La Régence de Tunis. 8. Paris, 1866.

Dilhan (Ch.), Histoire abrégée de la Régence de Tunis. 8. Paris, 1867.
Rousseau (F.), Annales Tunisiennes. 8. Paris, 1864.

Temple (Sir G.), Excursions in the Mediterranean. 2 vols. 8. London, 1856.