The river traffic of the monarchy during five years was as follows: The following are railway statistics of Austria in 1897: State lines, 4,594 miles; companies' lines worked by the State, 933 miles; companies' lines worked by companies, 5,844 miles; total, 10,438 miles. The following table shows the length in miles and the total cost of construction in thousands of pounds sterling of the Austrian and mixed (partly Hungarian) railways : The following table shows the traffic on the Austrian railways: There were, in 1897, 5,754 post offices in Austria. The work of the Post Office in 1896 and 1897 was as follows: Newspapers In Austria in 1897 there were 4,942 telegraph offices, 31,484 miles of telegraph line with 92,052 miles of wire, and the number of messages was 13,771,084. Money and Credit. The following table shows the issues from the Austrian mint and the value of notes now in circulation : Bronze heller Two and single 1,199,447 State notes in circulation 372,098,255 303,305,896 193,539,593 Austro-Hungarian banknotes in circulation 772,704 1,365,672 1,072,942 1,441,626 138,949, 109 119,315,410 486,623,620 507,808,160 619,854,140 659,726,360 699,907,100 The following are statistics for December 31, 1895 and 1896, of the 56 Austrian joint-stock and private banks, in thousands of florins :— There are, besides (1894), 2,342 alliance banks in Austria. The following are the statistics of the Austrian post-office savings-banks : The Principality of Liechtenstein, lying between the Austrian province of Tyrol and the Rhine, though not incorporated with Austria by any treaty, practically forms a part of the Empire. Reigning Prince, John II., born October 5, 1840; succeeded his father, November 12, 1858. The reigning family originated in the twelfth century, and traces its descent through free barons who in 1608 became princes of Liechtenstein. From time to time various small domains were added to, or separated from, the territory, and in 1719 the principality as it now exists was constituted. The monarchy is hereditary in the male line. The constitution of 1862, modified in 1878 and 1895, provides for a Diet of 15 members appointed for four years (3 by the Prince, and 12 by indirect vote). The capital is Vaduz, but the chief direction of affairs is at Vienna by a Court of Chancellory. The Supreme Court of Appeal is at Innsbruck. The area is about 65 square miles; population in 1891, 9,434 (4,757 males and 4,677 females); population per square mile, 152. The population is of German origin, and nearly all Catholic. In 1896 the revenue amounted to 215,896 florins; expenditure, 199,538 florins. The principality forms part of the Austrian Customs Union, and receives at least 20,000 florins annually as its share of the Customs dues. There is no public debt. The Prince has estates in Austria and elsewhere yielding about 140,000l. sterling per annum. The inhabitants of Liechtenstein pay no direct taxes, nor are they liable to military service. The population is agricultural, the chief products of the country being corn, wine, flax, fruit, and timber. HUNGARY. Constitution and Government. I. CENTRAL AND PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT. The Constitution of the eastern part of the monarchy, or the kingdom of Hungary, including Hungary Proper and Croatia-Slavonia, dates from the foundation of the kingdom, about 891. The first charter or constitutional code is the Bulla Aurea' of King Andrew II., granted in 1222, which defined the form of government as an aristocratic monarchy. The Hungarian Constitution has been repeatedly suspended and partially disregarded, until, at the end of the armed struggle of 1849, it was decreed to be forfeited by the nation. This decree was repealed in 1860; and the present sovereign, on June 8, 1867, swore to maintain the Constitution, and was crowned King of Hungary. The Hungarian Parliament (Országgy Tülés) has legislative authority for Hungary, and for Croatia and Slavonia in matters which concern these provinces in common with Hungary. It consists of an Upper House (Förendiház) and a Lower House (Képviselöház). The House of Magnates, reformed by an Act passed in 1885, now includes the archdukes who have attained their majority, hereditary peers (the members of 213 noble families) paying at least 3,000 fl. a year land tax; those Hungarian princes, counts and barons, if of age, whose families obtained the right of hereditary peerage from the King, or, if not Hungarian subjects, from the legislature; 44 archbishops, bishops, and other dignitaries of the Roman Catholic and Greek Churches; 12 ecclesiastical and lay representatives of the Protestant Confessions; life peers appointed by the Crown not exceeding 50 in number; life peers elected by the Upper House; 17 members ex officio, being State dignitaries and high judges; and lastly, 3 delegates of Croatia-Slavonia. In the session of 1898 the number of archdukes was 18, and there were 228 hereditary peers holding the property qualification; and 79 life peers appointed by the Crown or chosen by the House of Magnates. The Lower House or House of Representatives of Hungary is composed of representatives of the nation, elected by the vote of all male citizens, of 20 years of age, who pay a small direct tax on house property or land, or on an income varying with occupation; but in all cases low. Certain large classes-professional, scientific, learned, and others-are entitled to vote without other qualifications. The number of the electorate, according to the last returns, was 891,732, or 1 in 18 of the population. New elections must take place every five years. By the electoral law now in force, the House of Representatives consists of 453 members, of whom 413 are deputies of Hungarian towns and districts, and 40 delegates of Croatia and Slavonia. Members of the Lower House receive 2,400 florins (2007.) a year, with an allowance of 800 florins (667. 13s.) for house rent. The Parliament is summoned annually by the King at Budapest. The language of the Parliament is Hungarian; but the representatives of Croatia and Slavonia may speak their own language. The executive of the kingdom is in a responsible ministry, consisting (January 1898) of a president and nine departments, namely: The Presidency of the Council.-Baron Desiderius Bánffy; appointed January 15, 1895. |