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MONEY, WEIGHTS, AND MEASURES

Commerce.

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In 1896 the imports amounted to 46,444,548 francs, and the exports to 34,507,532 francs. The chief imports and exports were as follows:

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Of the imports 25,563,000 francs in value were from France; 1,536,000 francs from Algeria; 3,832,000 francs from Great Britain; 5,284,000 francs from Italy; 2,483,000 francs from Malta; 2,012,000 francs from Russia. Of the exports, 20, 223,000 francs went to France; 5,796,000 francs to Algeria; 1,472,959 francs to Great Britain; 3,656,000 francs to Italy; 1,260,000 francs to Malta. According to French statistics, the special imports into France from Tunis in 1897 amounted to 28,493 935 francs, and the special exports from France to Tunis to 24,385,957 francs.

The commercial intercourse between Tunis and the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, according to the Board of Trade Returns, was as follows:

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The principal imports into Great Britain in 1897 were: esparto grass and other materials for making paper, of the value of 60,7221. The principal British export to Tunis consisted of cotton manufactures, of the value of 147,2977.

In the year 1897 there entered the 16 ports of the Regency 9,540 vessels of 1,996,929 tons; of these vessels 1,421 of 964,971 tons were French; 2,189 of 756,003 tons were Italian; and 170 of 147,577 tons were British. The merchant shipping of the Regency comprises 403 vessels of from 10 to 150 tons.

Length of railways, 883 miles, of which 866 miles belong to the State. The State lines are worked by an Algerian company. The short lines (about 16 miles in all) connecting Tunis with Goletta and other suburbs belong to the Italian Rubattino Company.

There are 2,060 miles of telegraphs and 3,670 miles of wire; 94 telegraph offices; messages (1897), 526,634. There were in 1897, 244 post offices; letters sent, internal service, 3,084,539; external, 9,732,873.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The legal coinage consists of pieces similar to the French, the pieces being coined in France.

The ounce = 31 487 grammes; the multiples of the ounce are the various denominations of the Rottolo, which contains from 16 to 42 ounces.

The Kaffis (of 16 whibas, each of 12 sahs) = 16 bushels.

The principal measure of length is the pik: the pik Arbi for linen = 5392 yd.; the pik Turki for silk 7058 yd.; the pik Andoulsi for cloth = 7094 yd. French weights and measures have almost entirely taken the place of those of Tunis, but corn is still sold in kaffis and whibas.

Consul-General at Tunis.-Sir H. H. Johuston, K. C. B. ; appointed 1897. Vice-Consul.-Gerard Lascelles.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Tunis. Correspondence respecting the Establishment of French Tribunals, and the Abrogation of Foreign Consular Jurisdiction in Tunis. London, 1884.

Journal Officiel Tunisien.

1898.

Foreign Office Reports. Annual Series and Miscellaneous Series No. 447. London, Paris.

Annuaire Statistique de la Tunisie

Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions. Imp. 4. London.

Rapport du Résident-Général de France à Tunis. Annual.
Ashbee (H. S.), Bibliography of Tunisia. 8. London, 1889
Bazaban (L.), A travers la Tunisie. 8. Paris, 1887.

Baedeker's Handbook for Southern Italy. [Contains chapters on Tunis.] 11th ed. London, 1893.

Boddy (A.), To Kairwân the Holy. 8. London, 1885.

Broadley (A. M.), Tunis, Past and Present.

London, 1882.

Charmes (Gabriel), La Tunisie et la Tripolitaine. Paris, 1883.

Daubiel (J.), Notes et Impressions sur la Tunisie. Paris, 1897.

Faucon (N.), La Tunisie avant et depuis l'occupation française. 2 vols. 8. Paris, 1893. Graham (A.) and Ashbee (H. S.), Travels in Tunisia. 8. London, 1887.

Hesse-Wartegg (Chevalier de), Tunis, the Land and the People. London, 1882.

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

Lapie (P.), Les Civilisations tunisiennes. Paris, 1897.

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

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

Olivier (L.), La Tunisie. Paris, 1898.

Ortroz (F. Van), Conventions Internationales Concernant l'Afrique. Brussels, 1898. Playfair (Lieut.-Colonel Sir R. Lambert), Handbook (Murray's) for Algeria and Tunis. London, 1895.

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

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Reclus (Elisée), Géographie universelle. Vol. XI. L'Afrique septentrionale. Paris, 1885. Saurin, Manuel de l'émigrant en Tunisie. Paris.

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

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

AMERICA.

GUADELOUPE AND DEPENDENCIES.

Guadeloupe, situated in the Lesser Antilles, consists of two islands separated by a narrow channel, that on the west being called Guadeloupe proper or Basse-Terre, and that to the east, Grande-Terre, with a united area of 150,940 hectares (583 sq. m.); it has five dependencies consisting of the smaller islands, Marie Galante, Les Saintes, Désirade, St. Barthélemy, and St. Martin, the total area being 688 square miles. Population (1894) 167,000, including about 15,000 coolies. It is under a governor and an elected council, and is represented by a senator and two deputies. Instruction is given in 1 lycée with 350 pupils, and 97 elementary schools with 11,000 pupils. The colony is divided into arrondissements, cantons, and communes; its chief town is Pointe-à-Pitre (17,100) with a fine harbour, Revenue and expenditure

GUINANA-ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON

569 balanced at 5,774,564 francs in the local budget of 1898; debt, 1,000,000 francs; expenditure of France (budget of 1899), 1,627,037 francs. Chief cultures: sugar grown on 25,400 hectares in 502 properties employing 42,560 persons; coffee on 3,500 hectares, employing 4,936 persons; cacao, 1,634 hectares. For local consumption there are grown bananas, sweet potatoes, manioc, tobacco, indian corn, and vegetables. The forests are interspersed with valuable timber, which is little worked. The trade of France with Gaudeloupe in 1897 amounted to 13,085,051 francs for imports, and 11,287,915 francs for exports. Guadeloupe is in direct communication with France and England by means of two steam navigation companies. Within the islands traffic is carried on by means of roads and navigable rivers. Silver coin has disappeared from circulation; treasury notes for 2 francs, 1 franc, and 50 centimes are authorised up to a total emission of 800,000 francs.

GUIANA.

In

Population estimated at 22,714, in addition to a few mountain tribes. Cayenne has 12,351 inhabitants. Population of the penitentiaries and the liberated convicts about 4,500. A strip of territory now included in the colony is claimed by Brazil, and in April, 1897, a convention was signed at Rio Janeiro submitting the dispute to arbitration. The colony is under a Governor, with a Council-General and municipal councils, and is represented by one deputy. It is poorly cultivated, and its trade insignificant. 1896, 101,938 oz. of gold were exported; of this amount, about 58 per cent. came from the disputed territory. The trade of France with French Guiana in 1897 amounted to 1,648,848 francs for imports, and to 10,849,482 francs for exports. Local budget (1898), 2, 453, 261 francs; the expenditure of France (budget for 1899) being 6,368,139 francs, of which 4,915,000 francs was for the penal establishment.

MARTINIQUE.

The colony is under a Governor and municipal councils with elected General Council; divided into 32 communes. Represented by a senator and two deputies. Area 381 square miles; population in 1895, 187,692 (90,373 males and 97,319 females), with floating population of 1,907; only 1,307 were born in France. Births (1895), 6,026; deaths, 5,007; marriages, 624. There is a law school (at Fort-de-France) with 76 students; 3 secondary schools, with 487 pupils; a normal school; 38 primary schools, with 10,304 pupils; also 13 clerical and private schools. Chief commercial town, St. Pierre (25,382 inhabitants). Sugar, coffee, cacao, tobacco, cotton, are the chief culture, besides 15,067 hectares under the food-producing crops. In 1896, 34,429 tons of sugar and 3,765,000 gallons of rum and arrack were exported. The trade of France with Martinique in 1897 amounted to 18,997,565 francs for imports, and 12,965,952 francs for exports. The local budget for 1898 balanced at 5,096,048 francs; expenditure of France (budget of 1899), 2,581,848 francs; debt (annuity), 95,000 francs.

ST. PIERRE AND MIQUELON.

The largest islands of two small groups close to the south coast of Newfoundland. Area of St. Pierre group, 10 sq. miles; population in 1892, 5,700; area of Miquelon group, 83 sq. miles; population, 550; total area, 93 sq. miles; population, 6,250 (720 English). There is a Governor with a Council-General, and municipal councils. Births (1895), 214; deaths, 185; marriages, 42. Chief town, St. Pierre. There is a colonial college for

primary and secondary education with 42 pupils, a higher class school for girls with 76 pupils, and an 'ouvroir,' or workroom for training girls, with 40 pupils. Primary instruction is free. There are 3 communal schools for boys, and 3 for girls with (in all) 23 teachers and 720 pupils. There are, besides, infant schools, 'salles d'asile,' frequented by 342 children.

The

The islands, being mostly barren rock, are unsuited for agriculture. chief industry is cod-fishing, mainly in vessels from France. The total exports (mostly colonial produce) amounted, in 1895, to 11,188,087 franes ; total imports, 8,165,792 francs. In 1897 the trade of France with the islands amounted to 26,954,415 francs (including the catch of cod, &c.), for imports, and 7,527,491 francs for exports. In 1895 there entered at St. Pierre, in the foreign trade, 1,544 vessels of 47,868 tons. In addition, the French and local vessels entered numbered 1,986 of 116,774 tons. Local budget for 1898, 500,710 francs; expenditure of France (budget 1899), 290,791 francs.

Books Concerning French America.

Annuaire de la Guadeloupe et Dependences.

Annuaire de la Martinique. Fort-de-France.

Basse-Terre.

Annuaire des Iles St. Pierre at Miquelon. St. Pierre.

Coudreau (H. A.), Dix ans de Guyane. Paris, 1892.-Chez nos Indiens: Quatre ans dans la Guyane française. Paris, 1893.

Garaud (L.), Trois ans à la Martinique. Paris, 1892.

Guet (M. J.), Origines de la Martinique (1625-1720). Vaunes, 1893.

Mimande (P.), Forçats et Proscrits. [In Guiana.] Paris, 1897.

Mismer (C.), Souvenirs de la Martinique. Paris, 1890.

Stoddard (C. A.), Cruising among the Caribbees. London, 1896.

AUSTRALASIA AND OCEANIA.

NEW CALEDONIA AND DEPENDENCIES.

New Caledonia is a French penal colony, the government is in the hands of the Governor, with a Council-General and municipal councils or commissions. Area, 6,000 square miles. Population (January 1, 1896), European : civilian, 8,384; military, 1,506; penal, 10,757; Asiatics, &c., 3,041; natives, 27,345; total, 51,033. Capital, Noumea, 6, 679 inhabitants. The expenditure of the mother country in the budget of 1899 amounted to 7,392,361 francs, of which 4,425,323 franes was for the penal establishment. The local budget for 1898 was 2,807,955 francs. Coal and other minerals are worked, rough ore, nickel, chrome, and cobalt being largely exported to Europe and Australia. About 1,900 square miles are appropriated to 1 atives and colonists; 600 square miles of land suited for agriculture or pasturage remain uncultivated; the rest is mostly forest or mountain. Wheat, maize, and other cereals are cultivated, as also pine-apples, coffee, sugar, coco-nuts, cotton, manioc, vanilla, vines, and other sub-tropical cultures. There are 120,000 head of cattle. The chief imports are haberdashery, wines and spirits, flour, dried vegetables, alimentary goods. Chief exports :-nickel, preserved meat, chrome ore, silver lead ore; the ores and minerals exported in 1897 amounted to 3,900,000 francs. According to French statistics the trade of France with New Caledonia in 1897 amounted to 11,993,728 franes for imports, and 10,416,844 francs for exports. In 1897, 127 vessels of. 134,656 tons entered, and 157 of 183,091 tons cleared at the port of Noumea.

Dependencies of New Caledonia are:-The Isle of Pines, area 58 square miles, 44 to the miles south-east; the Loyalty Archipelago, three principai and many smaller islands, total area 756 square miles, 100 miles to the east ; the Huon Islands, 150 miles to the north-east, and the Chesterfield

SOCIETY ISLANDS AND NEIGHBOURING GROUPS

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Islands, 500 miles to the north-west, both groups uninhabited and covered with guano; the Wallis Archipelago, north east of Fiji, placed under the protectorate of France definitively in 1887.

SOCIETY ISLANDS AND NEIGHBOURING GROUPS.

These are officially known as the French Establishments in Oceania.. They consist of the Society Islands-Tahiti, Moorea, the Tetiaroa Islands, and Meetia-and Raiatea and Tubuai-Manu, Huahine, Bora-Bora, and other islands to the north-west; the Marquesas, Tuamotu, Gambier, and Tubuai groups, and the island of Rapa.

Tahiti, the principal of these islands, has an area of 412 square miles,, and Moorea, 50 square miles. Population of Tahiti, 10, 287; Moorea, 1,596. There is a Governor for all the establishments in Oceania, with a council for consultation. There is also a general council elected by universal suffrage. The chief town and port of Tahiti is Papeete. The expenditure. of France (budget for 1899) is 856,080 francs. The local budget for 1898. amounted to 1,229,625 francs. The total exports in 1897 amounted to 3,150,668 francs; imports, 3,800,639 francs. The chief exports were: mother-of-pearl, 1,127,736 francs; copra, 686,041 francs; cotton, 147,946 francs; vanilla, 894,051 francs; oranges, 41,113 francs. The imports are breadstuffs, tinned and salt provisions, wines, pareus cloth, timber, sugar, calico. The imports are mainly from the United States, Great Britain and colonies, and France and colonies. The trade of France with these settlements in 1897 amounted to 179,600 francs for imports, and 592,500 francs for exports. In Tahiti and Moorea 7,000 acres are under cultivation, the chief crops being vanilla, sugar, coffee, and copra. In 1897, 286 vessels of 29,585 tons entered the port of Papeete.

Books of Reference_concerning New Caledonia and

Dependencies.

British Colonial Reports. Annual. London.

Haurigot (G.), Les Etablissements français en Océanie. Paris, 1891.

Hort (D.), Tahiti, the Garden of the Pacific. London, 1895.

Jeannency (A.), La Nouvelle Caledonie agricole. 16. Paris, 1894.

Legrand (M. A.), Au Pays des Canaques. La Nouvelle Calédonie en 1890. 8. Paris, 1893. Marin (A.), Auloin: Souvenirs des Iles Marquises. Paris, 1891.

Mimande (P.), Criminopolis. Paris.

Monchoisy (), La Nouvelle Cythère. Paris, 1888.

Saliris (P. A. de), Marins et Missionaires: Conquête de la Nouvelle Calédonie, 1843-1853 S. Paris, 1892.

Vuillod (J.), La Nouvelle Calédonie et ses produits en 1890. 8. Saint-Cloude, 1891.

Books of Reference concerning the French Colonies generally.

Annuaire de la Marine et des Colonies. Paris.

Annuaire du Ministère des Colonies.

Paris.

Les Colonies françaises. Notices publiées par ordre du Sous-Sécrétaire d'Etat des Colonies. 5 vols. Paris, 1889-90.

Revue coloniale. (Weekly). Paris.

Statistiques coloniales. Annual. Paris.

Tableaux de population, de culture, &c., sur les Colonies françaises. Paris, 1896.
Deschamps (L.), Histoire de la Question coloniale en France.

sommaire de la Colonisation française. 12. Paris, 1894.

8. Paris, 1891. Histoire

Dubois, Géographie de la France et de ses Colonies. 8. Paris, 1892.
Gaffarel (P.), Les Colonies françaises. 4th edition. Paris, 1888.

Gasquet (A.), Géographie de la France et de ses Colonies et Protectorats. 8. Paris, 1892. Girault (A.), Principes de Colonisation et de Legislation coloniale. S. Paris, 1896. Joanne (P.), Dictionnaire géographique et administratif de la France et de ses Colonies. Paris, 1895. [In progress.]

Lalanne, La France et ses Colonies. Paris.

Malrolle, La France et ses Colonies.

Paris.

Petit (E.), Organisation des Colonies françaises et des Pays de Protectorat

1894, &c.

8. Paris,

Rongier (J. C. P.), Précis de Legislation et d'Economie coloniale. 12. Faris, 1895. Zay (E.), Histoire monétaire des Colonies françaises. S. Paris, 1892.

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