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 145,000, comprising Moors, Arabs, Negroes, and Jews; there are 25,000 Christians.

There are (1888) 47 primary schools, with 7,300 pupils (of whom 2,450 are girls).

The bulk of the commerce passes through Goletta. The number of vessels entered at the eight principal Tunisian ports in 1887 was 6,725 of 1,672,266 tons; and cleared, 6,956 of 1,674,323 tons; three-fourths of the tonnage was French, Italy coming next, and Great Britain third.

In 1885 the exports were valued at 882,9467., and imports at 1,098,0477.; in 1886, the former at 776,6591., and the latter st 1,208,6317. In 1887 the values of the total exports and imports, and of the principal articles exported and imported were :—

Of the above exports 340,000l. were to Italy, 220,000l. to France, and 140,000l. to England and Malta. Of the imports, 240,000 were from England and Malta, 230,000l. from France, 140,000! from Germany, 85,000l. from Austria, 110,000l. from Belgium, 80,0001. from Italy.

The commerce of Tunis with Great Britain has been as follows, according to the Board of Trade returns for the five years 1883

The principal articles of export from Tunis to Great Britain in the year 1887 were esparto grass and other vegetable fibres for making paper, of the value of 59,0331., and olive oil valued at 35,5987.; while the principal article of import of British produce consisted in cotton manufactures, of the value of 61,2581. In 1888 there were estimated to be 3,000,000 cattle, 20,000,000 sheep, and 5,000,000 goats in Tunis.

Tunis has several lines of railway, running from the capital to Goletta, and other places in the environs, with a line to the Algerian frontier; in all 260 miles.

There were 2,000 miles of telegraphs in operation at the end of 1885, and there are 32 post and telegraph offices.

British Consul-General for Algeria and Tums.-Lieut.-Col. Sir R. Lambert Playfair, K.C.M.G., residing at Algiers.

Consul at Tunis.— George Thorne Ricketts.

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., 07359 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.

Correspondence respecting the establishment of French tribunals, and the abrogation of foreign Consular jurisdiction in Tunis. London, 1884. Journal Officiel of Tunis. 1888.

Report for 1887 on the trade of Tunis, in No. 383 of 'Diplomatic and Consular Reports,' 1888.

Report on the Forests of Tunis, in No. 63; and on a Consular Tour in Tunis, by Sir Lambert Playfair, in No. 35 of 'Report on Subjects of General Interest.' 1887.

Report by Sir R. L. Playfair on the progress of Tunis since the date of the French Protectorate, in No. 97 of Reports on Subjects of General and Commercial Interest.'

1888.

Trade of Tunis with the United Kingdom; in 'Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions, for the year 1887.' Imp. 4. London, 1888.

2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS.

Broadley (A. M.), Tunis, Past and Present. London, 1882.
Charmes (Gabriel), La Tunisie et la Tripolitaine. Paris, 1883.

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

Dilhan (Ch.), Histoire abrégée de la Régence de Tunis. 8. Paris, 1867. Hesse-Wartegg (Chevalier de), Tunis, The Land and the People. London,

1882.

Leroy-Beaulieu (Paul), L'Algérie et la Tunisie. Paris, 1887.

Michel (Léon), Tunis. 2nd edition. Paris, 1883.

Playfair (Lieut.-Colonel Sir R. Lambert), Handbook (Murray's) for Algeria and Tunis. London, 1887.

Playfair (Lieut.-Colonel Sir R. L.), Travels in the Footsteps of Bruce in Algeria and Tunis. London, 1877.

Reclus (Elisée), Geographie Universelle. Vol. XI. L'Afrique Septentrionale, Paris, 1885.

Rousseau (F.), Annales Tunisiennes. 8. Paris, 1864.

Tchihatcheff (M.), Algérie et Tunis. Paris, 1880.

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

Tissot (Charles), Exploration Scientifique de la Tunisie, 2 vols. Paris, 1884-87.

ZANZIBAR.

Government, Revenue, and Population.

THE Sultan, or more correctly, the Seyyid, Khalifa bin Saïd, brother of the late Sultan Burghash, succeeded to the Sultanate on the death of Burghash, on March 26, 1888. He is 42 years of age. The Sultan's only surviving brothers are Seyyid Ali, who is 33 years of age, and is living at Zanzibar with him, and acts as H.H.'s Secretary, and one who lives at Muscat, Abdul Aziz by name.

The present dominions of Zanzibar were conquered, towards the close of the last century, on the decay of the Portuguese power, by the Imams of Muscat from the native chiefs, mostly of Arab extraction, who held sway over it. They were held as an appanage of Muscat until the death of the last ruler, when, on a dispute as to the succession arising between the two eldest sons, the dominions in Africa were made independent of the present State and placed under Majid, brother of the present ruler, by an arbitration of Lord Canning, then Governor-General of India. The island has an area of 625 square miles, but the Sultan's authority nominally extends along the coasts of the mainland, from Warsheikh, in 3° N. lat., to Delgado Bay, in 10° 42' S. lat. The population of the Zanzibar dominions consists of Somalis and Gallas in the north, and of negroes of many tribes further south. Until 1886 the Sultan's dominions were undefined inland, his influence extending but a little way from the coast, except along a few trade routes. But in 1886 it was agreed that Germany was to have a recognised sphere of influence in the country stretching inland from the river Rovuma northwards to and including Kilimanjaro, England's sphere of influence extending northward from Kilimanjaro to the Tana River, while Zanzibar was recognised as holding a continued strip ten miles inland from Cape Delgado to Kipini on the Ozi River. Northwards of Kipini the Sultan of Zanzibar retains several points where he has hitherto kept garrisons. These places are-Lamoo, Kismayu, Brava, Merka, Mukdusha, Warsheikh. The German East African Association, in virtue of a concession signed in May 1888, has acquired the right to administer the mrinia or coast (including the customs of the Sultan's ports) from the Rovuma to the town of Wanga to the north, including the southern slopes of the Kilimanjaro mountains. The British East African Company has acquired the right to administer the coast from Wanga to Artu

annual payment to the Sultan.

for 50 years, on condition of an The population of the island is estimated at 200,000, and that of the island of Pemba 40,000. There is a considerable foreign

population, mostly engaged in trading. Of British-born subjects in 1884 there were 90, and the total British-protected subjects exceed 6,000. There were also 35 French, 12 German, and 9 American subjects, besides 700 Goanese. The town of Zanzibar has a population estimated at 100,000, and Bagamayo, on the opposite mainland, 10,000. There are besides on the coast of the mainland many large and important towns, three of them ports of call for British mail

steamers.

The revenue of the Sultan is mainly derived from customs dues and taxes on produce (now mainly let out to the British and German East African Comparies), besides a considerable private income, the total annual amount being about 220,0007.

Mahometanism is the religion of the country, the natives of the coast and islands being Sunnis of the Shafi school, while the Sultan and his relatives are schismatics of the Ibadhi sect. There are Christian Missions (Church of England, Wesleyan, Independent, and Roman Catholic) on the island and far into the mainland. There is a regular army of about 1,200 men.

Commerce.

British trade and consular jurisdiction are regulated by the provisions of the Commercial Treaty of 1886, and by orders in council. The value of the imports in 1880 is stated in a consular report to have been 709,9007., and exports, 870,3501. In 1882 the imports were estimated at 800,000l., the exports at 1,000,0001.; in 1883 the former at 1,220,000l., and the latter at 800,000. The principal imports in 1883 were raw and bleached cotton, 46,3381., and manufactured goods, 84,6281.; chief exports, ivory, 215,130, caoutchouc, 153,1007., skins, 10,6417., sesame seed, 13,3321., cloves, 10,6327., orchilla, 9,6441. The largest trade is with Great Britain, Germany, America, France, India, and Arabia. British trade with Zanzibar is included in the returns for East African Native States, and as Abyssinia is excluded, these refer almost entirely to Zanzibar. The exports from these States in 1887 to Great Britain amounted to 55,570l., and the imports from Great Britain to 105,2381. In 1887 118 vessels entered the port, of which 44 were British, 9 German, 13 French, 8 American, 43 Zanzibari.

There is a special coinage issued under the Sultan's authority, of which the dollar is the unit, of equal value with the American gold and silver coins; but the British Indian rupee is the coin now universally current, though in all business transactions the dollar