The foundation of a railway system constructed at the cost of the State was laid in 1865, at the end of which year there were 46 English miles of railway open for traffic. At the end of 1869, the number of miles open for traffic was 113, and at the end of June 1873 it had increased to 562. The total length of railways open for traffic on January 1, 1877, was 1,137 miles, of which 965 miles were in Europe, and 172 miles in Asiatic Turkey. Through the cessions of territory ordered by the Treaty of Berlin, the length of the railways in Europe was reduced to 786 English miles, and the total length in the Empire to 958 miles. The following is a list of the various lines in Europe and Asia which were open for traffic at the end of the year 1878:

The line from Smyrna to Aidin, in Asia Minor, known as the Ottoman railway, 145 miles long, was constructed by an English company, under guarantee from Turkey. New lines, of the length of 174 miles were ordered, in 1875 and 1876, to be built at the expense of the Government, but their construction was not proceeded with for want of funds.

The length of telegraph lines in Turkey on the 1st of January 1877, was 17,950 miles, and the length of wires, 31,782 miles. The total number of despatches carried in the year 1876, was 1,210,756, of which 488,520 were official despatches, 491,898 internal, and 230,338 international messages. The number of telegraph offices was 401 on the 1st of January 1877. The receipts from the telegraphs

amounted to 244,070., and the working expenses to 197,9697. in the year 1876.

An international postal service was established by the Government in September 1876, up to which time the post-office of Turkey was almost entirely managed by foreigners. There are no returns respecting the work of the post-office, though it is known that the number of letters, newspapers, &c., forwarded is very small in comparison with other countries. There were only 430 post-offices throughout the whole Empire on the 1st of January 1878.

principal of these offices, at Constantinople, belonged to Austria-Hungary, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, and Russia.

TRIBUTARY STATES.

I. EGYPT.

SEE PART II.-Africa.

II. BULGARIA.

Reigning Prince.

Alexander I., born April 5, 1857, son of Prince Alexander of Hesse, brother of the Empress of Russia (see page 152); entered the German army in 1870, and the army of Russia in 1877. Elected Prince of Bulgaria by unanimous vote of the Constituent Assembly, April 29, 1879; assumed the government, June 28, 1879.

The Prince has the grant of an annual civil list of 6,000,000 lei, or 24,0007., with maintenance of a palace, or 'konak,' at Sofia.

It is enacted by the constitution of 1879 that 'the Prince must reside permanently in the Principality. In case of absence, he must appoint a Regent, who will have his rights and duties determined by a special law. The Princely title being hereditary falls on the eldest son. In case the Prince succeeds in his minority, a Regency will be appointed until his majority.'

Constitution and Government.

The Principality of Bulgaria was created by the Treaty of Berlin, signed July 13, 1878. It was ordered by Art. 1 of the Treaty that Bulgaria should be 'constituted an autonomous and tributary Principality under the suzerainty of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan. It will

have a Christian Government and a national militia.' Art. 3 ordered, The Prince of Bulgaria shall be freely elected by the population and confirmed by the Sublime Porte, with the consent of the Powers. No member of any of the reigning Houses of the Great European Powers can be elected Prince of Bulgaria. In case of a vacancy in the Princely dignity, the election of the new Prince shall take place under the same conditions and with the same forms.'

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By the constitution of 1879, the legislative authority is vested in a single chamber, called the National Assembly of Bulgaria. The members of it are elected by universal manhood suffrage, at the rating of one member to every 20,000 of the population, counting both sexes. The Prince has the right of nominating, in addition, a number of deputies equal to half the number returned by the popular vote. The time of duration of the Assembly is four years, but it may be dissolved at any time by the Prince, when new elections must take place within four months.

The executive power is vested, under the Prince, in a Council of seven ministers, namely, 1. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Public Worship; 2. Minister of the Interior; 3. Minister of Public Instruction; 4. Minister of Finance; 5. Minister of Public Works and Agriculture; 6. Minister of Justice; and 7. Minister of War.

It was ordered by Art. 9 of the Treaty of Berlin, that the amount of the annual tribute which the Principality of Bulgaria shall pay to the Suzerain Court-such amount being paid into whatever bank the Porte may hereafter designate-shall be fixed by an agreement between the Powers Signatory of the present Treaty at the close of the first year of the working of the new organisation. This tribute shall be calculated on the mean revenue of the territory of the Principality. Bulgaria must bear a portion of the public debt of the Empire, and when the Powers fix the tribute they will take into consideration what amount of that debt can, in fair proportion, be assigned to the Principality.'

Area and Population.

The boundaries of the Principality were fixed by the Treaty of Berlin as follows:-'The Principality of Bulgaria will include the following territories-The frontier follows on the north the right bank of the Danube from the ancient frontier of Servia up to a point to be determined by a European Commission to the east of Silistria, and from thence runs to the Black Sea to the South of Mangalia, which is included in Roumanian territory. The Black Sea forms the eastern boundary of Bulgaria. On the south the frontier follows upwards from its mouth the waterway of the brook near which are situated the villages of Hodzakioj, Selam-Kioj, Aivadsik, Kulibe,

Sudzuluk, crosses obliquely the valley of the Deli-Kamcik, passes south of Belibe and Kemhalik and north of Hadzimahale after having passed the Deli-Kamcik at 2 kilom. above Cengei, reaches the crest at a point situated between Tekenlik and Aidos-Bredza, and follows it by Karnabad Balkan, Prisevica Balkan, Kazan Balkan, to the north of Kotel as far as Demir Kapu. It proceeds by the principal chain of the Great Balkan, the whole extent of which it follows up to the summit of Korica. There it leaves the crest of the Balkan, descending southwards,' &c., &c. The accurate settlement of the frontiers of the Principality was left to a European Commission, appointed by the signatories of the Treaty of Berlin.

The estimated area of the Principality of Bulgaria is 24,360 English square miles, and the population is calculated to number 1,859,000. Under the existing provisional arrangements, Bulgaria is divided into nine provinces, namely, Widdin, Sistova, Rustchuk, Varna, Tirnova, Sofia, Philippopolis, Slivno, and Skoblia or Usküp. Each of these is subdivided into several arrondissements, or circles. Capital of the Principality is the city of Philippopolis, on an island of the river Maritza, here navigable, with a population of 45,000. The other principal towns are Varna, with an estimated population of 18,000; Shumla, with 20,000; Rustchuk, with 25,000; Tirnova, with 30,000; Gabrova, 15,000 to 20,000; and Widin, 25,000 to 30,000. Besides these, there are 15 to 20 small towns of from 2,000 to 3,000 inhabitants each. The great majority of the population live by the cultivation of the soil and the produce of their flocks and herds.

Bulgaria formed an independent kingdom from the middle of the seventh century till the year 1018, and again from 1,196 till the middle of the fourteenth century. It then became subject to Hungary, until it was conquered by the Turks in 1392. The great majority of the people are adherents of the Greek Church, and speak the Servian language.

Trade and Industry.

The principal article of trade is corn, of which 1,500,000 tons are exported annually. The other exports consist of wool, tallow, butter, cheese, hides, flax, and timber. The principal imports are textile manufactures, iron and coals. The number of sheep kept is very large, and their wool is exported chiefly to Austria, while the finer qualities are shipped to France. The principal mineral productions of the Principality are iron and coal. Deposits of coal have been discovered in the neighbourhood of Widdin, Travua, and between Varna and Baltchick on the Black Sea. But,' says a British Consular Report of the year 1877, 'such has been the

inattention of the Government to this important subject that little, amounting, in fact, to nothing, has been done to develop these valuable productions of nature. In the hands of respectable companies the working of these mines would be attended with very favourable results."

Bulgaria has one line of railway, from Rustchuk to the port of Varna, on the Black Sea, 140 English miles in length. It was constructed by a private company for the Turkish Government, and by Art. 10 of the Treaty of Berlin all the outstanding obligations of the railway fall to the charge of the Government of the Principality.

Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

1. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN BULGARIA.

Political Agent and Consul General.—William Gifford Palgrave, formerly Consul in the Philippine Islands; appointed June 20, 1879.

There were no Bulgarian representatives in Great Britain at the end of 1879.

III. EASTERN ROUMELIA.

Constitution and Government.

Eastern Roumelia was created by the Treaty of Berlin, signed July 13, 1878. It was ordered by Art. 13 of the Treaty that a State, or 'Province,' should be formed south of the Balkans, which will take the name of "Eastern Roumelia," and will remain under the direct political and military authority of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, under conditions of administrative autonomy. It will have a Christian Governor-General.' By Articles 15-17 of the Treaty it was further provided that the Sultan will have the right of providing for the defence of the land and sea frontiers of the province by erecting fortifications on those frontiers and maintaining troops there. Internal order is maintained in Eastern Roumelia by a native gendarmery assisted by a local militia. Regard shall be had to the religion of the inhabitants in respect to the composition of these corps, the officers of which are named by the Sultan, according to the localities. His Imperial Majesty the Sultan engages not to employ irregular troops, such as Bashi-Bazouks and Circassians, in the garrisons of the frontiers. The regular troops destined to this service must not in any case be billeted on the inhabitants. When they pass through the province they will not be allowed to sojourn there.' It was provided by Art. 16 of the Treaty:-The Governor-General will have the right of summoning the Ottoman troops in the event of the internal or external security of the province being threatened. In such an