imports of foreign are double the imports of Indian piece goods. Half the exports consist of raw wool, the other half being mainly fruit and nuts.

The imports from Bokhára are stated to amount to nearly 4,000,000 roubles, and the exports to Bokhára to as much.

The rupee appears to be the usual currency, though Government demands are often paid in kind.

The Ameer's mint at Kabul is now under the supervision of an Englishman. According to official reports, the smallest silver coin yet struck has been the "kran," of the value of half the "Kabul" rupee, but in future there will be a smaller coin, equivalent to the threepence. In addition to these pieces, there will be a gold piece of the same value as the sovereign, and new silver pieces equal to the crown and half-crown respectively. Besides the small copper pice at present coined, of which 72 are reckoned as equal to "Kabuli" rupee, a large bronze coin will be struck of the size of a crown, and of the nominal value of about 5d.

one

The Khaibar and Bolan roads are excellent, and fit for wheeled traffic as far as Kábul and Kandahár respectively. There is, however, no wheeled carriage, except artillery, proper to the country, and merchandise is transported on camel or pony back. There are practically no navigable rivers in Afghánistán, and timber is the only article of commerce conveyed by water, floated down stream in rafts.

Books of Reference.

Bellew, Afghánistán and the Afgháns, London, 1879; and The Races of Afghánistán, 1880 Burnes, Cabool. 1843.

Curzon (Hon. G. N.), Russia in Central Asia. [Contains bibliography]. London, 1889. Forbes (A.), The Afghan Wars, 1839-42 and 1878-80. London, 1892,

Gore (F. St. G.), Lights and Shades of Hill Life in the Afghan and Hindu Highlands of the Punjab. London, 1896.

Gray (T.), At the Court of the Ameer. London, 1895.

Hensman, The Afghán War of 1879-80. London, 1881.

Kaye, History of the War in Afghánistán. 4th edition. 1878.

Mac Fall (C.), With the Zhob Field Force, 1890. London, 1895.

MacMahon (A. H.), The Southern Borderlands of Afghanistan. London, 1897.

Male (A.), Scenes through the Battle Smoke. London, 1891.
Malleson, History of Afghánistán. 2nd edition. 1879.
Mutchmore (S. A.), Moghul, Mongol, Mikado, and Missionary 2 vols. New York, 1891.
Oliver (E. E.), Across the Border, or Pathan and Bilúch. London, 1890.
Roberts (Field-Marshal Lord), Forty-nine Years in India. London, 1897.
Robertson (Sir G. S.), The Kafirs of the Hindoo Kush. London, 1896.
Thorburn (S.), Asiatic Neighbours. London, 1895.

Weir (T. S.), From India to the Caspian. Bombay, 1893.
Wheeler (S. E.), The Ameer Abdur Rahman. London, 1895.
Yate (Major C. E.), Northern Afghánistán. London, 1888.
Parliamentary Papers, Afghánistán, 1873-1897.

AFRICA, CENTRAL.

THERE still remain certain independent and quasi-independent States in Central Africa about which it may be useful to give here such information as is obtainable with respect to their political, religious, industrial and commercial condition. These are ABYSSINIA, which is noticed in its alphabetical place, and the CENTRAL SUDAN STATES-Bornu and Wadai (on which Kanem and Bagirmi are dependent); although as a matter of fact Bornu may be regarded as partly within the British and partly within the German spheres. The region lying between the eastern boundary of the French sphere in the Sahara, the western limits of Egypt, the country of Fezzan in the north, and the Central Sudan in the south, is still unannexed. It contains the mountainous inhabited region of Tibesti.

CENTRAL SUDAN STATES.1

BORNU.

Bornu, that is, Bar-noa, or 'Land of Noah,' if not the largest, is the most populous Mohammedan State in Central Sudan. It occupies the western and southern sides of Lake Chad, being conterminous on the south-east with Bagirmi, from which it is separated by the Shari River, and stretching thence westwards to the Empire of Sokoto. Approximate area, 50,000 square miles; population estimated at over 5,000,000. The bulk of the inhabitants, who call themselves Ka-nuri, that is, 'People of Light,' are of mixed Negro and Dasa (southern Tibu) descent, and speak a Tibu dialect that has been reduced to written form by the Protestant missionaries. The other chief elements of the population are the Tuareg Berbers in the north; the Arabs mainly in the south-east; the Makari and Marghi Negroes in the south; the Wanga, Beddé, and other pagan tribes in the east; and in the centre the Magomi, who claim kinship with the royal dynasty which for many centuries ruled over the united Bornu and Kanem States. These and the Kanuri are regarded as the most cultured people in Central Africa, and their woven fabrics, pottery, and metal ware are highly prized throughout the Sudan.

The Sultan, whose official title is Mai, but who is more commonly spoken of as the Sheikh, is in principle an absolute monarch. He is assisted in the administration by a Council comprising the Kokenawa, or military chiefs, the official delegates of the various subject races, and several members of the reigning family. The standing army of about 30,000 men is partly_armed with rifles, and the cavalry still wear armour, either imported from Eastern Sudan or manufactured in the country. There is also some artillery, and a few companies even wear European uniforms. In lieu of pay the men receive allotments of land.

Kuka (Kukawa), capital of Bornu, lies on the west side of Lake Chad. It has a population of from 50,000 to 60,000, and is one of the great_centres of trade in the Sudan. Wares of all kinds reach this mart from Europe, Egypt, and Turkey, chiefly by the caravan route from Tripoli and Fezzan, the shortest crossing the Sahara. By the same route are sent northwards con. voys of 1,000, 2,000, and even 4,000 slaves, besides ivory, ostrich feathers, and other local produce. The legal currency are the Maria Theresa crown, the Spanish douro, and cowries, at the rate of 4,000 to the crown.

Besides Kuka, there are several other towns with over 10,000 inhabitants, such as Birni, Bundi, Gummel, Mashena, Borsari, Surrikolo, Logon-Karnah, capital of the Logon territory, and Doloo, capital of the tributary Mandara State. The coast lands continue to be exposed to the incursions of the Kuri and Yedina pirates, who inhabit the archipelagoes in Lake Chad.

WADAI-KANEM.

The Sultanate of Wadai, at present the most powerful State in Central Sudan, occupies with the tributary States the whole region between Dar-Fur and Lake Chad, and extends from the southern verge of the Sahara southwards nearly to the divide between the Chad and Congo basins. Total area, including Wadai and Bagirmi, nearly 172,000 square miles; population estimated by Nachtigal at 2,600,000. The Arabs, here collectively called Aramka, have been settled in the country for over 500 years. Their traders (Jellaba) send caravans south to Dar-Banda and Bagirmi, and west to Bornu, For Sokoto, see NIGER TERRITORIES, under the British Empire.

bartering salt and manufactured goods for ivory, slaves, ostrich feathers, and copper. But the political power belongs to the Mohammedan Mabas, a Negro people who occupy the north-eastern parts of Wadai proper, and whose language forms the chief medium of intercourse throughout the State. the Arabs, the Mabas, who have lately joined the Senusiya 'revivalists,' are fanatical followers of the Prophet.

Like

Abu Said, who was proclaimed Sultan in January, 1899, has absolute power, limited by custom and the precepts of the Koran. But he rules directly only over the north-east of Wadai proper, which is divided into provinces named from the cardinal points and administered by Kamakels (viceroys), who have the power of life and death. The Sultan himself is assisted by a Fasher or Council, while the law, that is, the Koran, is interpreted by the College of Fakihs or Ulemas. The army, about 7,000 strong, is chiefly employed in levying tribute in kind (slaves, horses, cattle, honey, corn) from the provinces and vassal States.

The capital of the Sultanate is Abeshr (Abesheh).

Of the vassal States, the most important is Kanem, between Wadai and Lake Chad. Kanem, which is about 30,000 square miles in extent, occupies the eastern and northern shores of Lake Chad, and stretches north to the verge of the Sahara. Population about 100,000, chiefly Kanem-bu-that is, people of Kanem, akin to the Dasas (southern Tibus), and held in subjec tion by the Aulad-Slimân Arabs. Although they can now muster no more than 1,000 armed men, the Aulad-Slimân are perhaps the fiercest marauders in the whole of North Africa. Mao, residence of the political agent of Wadai, lies in the centre of Kanem, about a day's march south-east of Njimi the capital of the State.

REFERENCES.

Barth (H.), Travels and Discoveries in North and Central Africa. In "Minerva Library." 8. London, 1890.

Johnston (Sir Harry), History of the Colonisation of Africa. Cambridge, 1899.

Keltie (J. Scott), The Partition of Africa. 2nd ed. London, 1895.

Nachtigal (Gustav), Saharâ und Sûdân. Vol. II. 2 vols. 8. Berlin, 1879-81.

Reclus, Universal Geography. Vol. XII.

White (A. Silva), The Development of Africa. London, 1890.

ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.

(REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA.)

Constitution and Government.

The Constitution of the Argentine Republic, formerly known by the name of 'Provincias Unidas del Rio de la Plata,' bears date May 15, 1853, with modifications in 1860, when Buenos Ayres joined the confederacy. By its provisions, the executive power is left to a President, elected for six years by representatives of the fourteen provinces, equal to double the number of senators and deputies combined; while the legislative authority is vested in a National Congress, consisting of a Senate and a House of Deputies, the former numbering 30, two from the capital and from each province, elected by a special body of electors in the capital, and by the legislatures in the provinces; and the latter 133 members elected by the people. By the Constitution as revised in 1898, there should be one deputy for every 33,000 inhabitants. A deputy must be 25 years of age, and have been a citizen for four years. The deputies are elected for four years, but one-half of the House must retire every two years. Senators must be 30 years of age, have been citizens for six years, and have an annual income of 12,000 dollars. One-third of the Senate is renewed every three years. The two chambers meet annually from May 1 to September 30. The members of both the Senate and the House of Deputies are paid for their services, each receiving 12,000 pesos per annum. A Vice-President, elected in the same manner and at the same time as the President, fills the office of Chairman of the Senate, but has otherwise no political power. The President is commander-in-chief of the troops, and appoints to all civil, military, and judicial offices, and has the right of presentation to bishoprics; he is responsible with the Ministry for the acts of the executive; both President and Vice-President must be Roman Catholics, Argentine by birth, and cannot be re-elected.

President of the Republic.-General Julio A. Roca ; assumed office October 12, 1898.

Vice-President.-Norberto Quirno Costa.

The Ministry, appointed by and acting under the orders of the President, consists of eight Secretaries of State-namely, of the Interior, Foreign Affairs, Finance, War, Justice, Agriculture, Marine, and Public Works.

The President has a salary of 36,000 dollars, the Vice-President of 18,000 dollars, and each of the five ministers of 16,800 dollars per annum.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

The Constitution, with certain small exceptions, is identical with that of the United States. Such matters as affect the Republic as a whole are under

the superintendence of the Central Government. The governors of the various provinces are invested with very extensive powers, and in their constitutional functions are independent of the central executive. They are not appointed by the President of the Republic, but elected by the people of each province for a term of three years and four years. The provinces elect their own legislatures, and have complete control over their own affairs; they can contract loans (internal and external) under their sole and exclusive responsibility.

Area and Population.

At the census of 1869 the population of the provinces amounted to 1,736,922.

The following table contains a list of the fourteen provinces and nine territories actually composing the Argentine Republic, their estimated area, and the number of inhabitants according to the census of May 10, 1895:

The total in 1895 consisted of 2,088,919 males and 1,865,992 females. The Indian population is put at 30,000; the number of persons of whom