In 1894, 833,705 letters, 11,500 post-cards, and 676,597 newspapers, &c. (exclusive of internal communications) passed through the Post Office; there are 306 offices, The Sol. Money, Weights, and Measures. MONEY (SILVER COINS). 100 centesimos; nominal value, 4s.; actual value, 22 d. In the beginning of 1888 the paper money was withdrawn from circulation, except as payment of 5 per cent. of customs duties, at the rate of 35 paper soles for one of silver. The currency is in convertible silver. The French metric system of weights and measures was established by law in 1860, but has not yet come into general use, except for the customs tariff. Diplomatic Representatives. 1. OF PERU IN GREAT BRITAIN. Envoy and Minister -Don José F. Canevaro. Secretary.-Wenceslao Melendez. Consul-General.-F. A. Pezet. There are Consular representatives at Belfast, Cardiff, Dublin, Dundee, Glasgow, Liverpool, Queenstown, Southampton, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Montreal, Port Elizabeth, Sydney. 2. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN PERU. Minister and Consul-General.-Captain H. M. Jones, V.C. Appointed October 24, 1894. There is a Consul at Callao, and Vice-Consuls at Lima, Payta, Arequipa, Mollendo, Pisco, and Salaverry. Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Peru. 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS, Demarcacion politica del Perú. Edicion oficial de la direccion de estadistica. Fol. Lima, 1874. Paz Soldan (Mariano Felipe), Diccionario geográ co-estadístico del Perú: Contiene ademas la etimologia Aymara y Quechua de las principales poblaciones, lagos, rios, cerros, &c. 8. Lima, 1879. Peru. No. 60 of the Bulletins of t'e Bureau of the American Republics. Washington, 1892. Raimondi (Antonio), El Perú. 3 vols. Published at Lima, 1874. Report by Sir C. Mansfield on the auriferous deposits of Peru. No. 167 of 'Reports on Subjects of General and Commercial Importance.' 1890. Reports on the Trade of Pern In Foreign Office Reports, Annual Series. London, 1895. Trade of Peru with Great Britain, in Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions for the year 1894.' Imp. 4 London, 1895. 2. NON-OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Albertini (L. E.), Pérou en 1878. Paris, 1878. London, 1882. Bates (H. W.), Central and South America. Cherot (A.), Le Pérou Productions, guano, commerce, finances, &c. El Economista. Weekly. Lima. Evans (P. F.). From Peru to the Plate. 8. London, 1889 8. Paris. 1876. Fuentes (Manuel A.), Lima, or Sketches of the Capital of Peru: Historical, Statistical, Administrative, Commercial, and Moral. 8. London, 1866. Grandidier (E.), Voyage dans l'Amérique du Sud, Pérou et Bolivie. 8. Paris, 1863. Guillaume (H.), The Amazon Provinces of Peru as a Field for European Emigration London, 1888. 2 vols. 8. London, 1860. 8. London, 1874. Hill (S. S.), Travels in Peru and Mexico. Markham (C. R.), The War between Peru and Chili, 1879-81. London, 1883. Markham (Clements R.), Travels in Peru and India, while superintending the Collection of Cinchona Plants and Seeds in South America, and their Introduction into India. London, 1862. Paris, 1862 Menendez (D. Baldomero), Manuel de geografía y estadística del Perú. 12. Middendorf (E. W.), Peru: Beobachtungen und Studien über Das Land und Seine Bewohnern, während eines 25 Jahrigen Aufenthalts. Berlin, 1893. 12. Ordinaire (Olivier), Du Pacifique à l'Atlantique par les Andes peruviennes et l'Amazone. Paz Soldan (Mariano Felipe), Historia dei Perú Independente. 3 vols. Squier (E. G.), Peru: Incidents of Travels and Exploration in the Land of the Incas. London, 1877. S. Temple (Edmond), Travels in various Parts of Peru. 2 vols. London, 1830. Tschudi (Joh. Jakob von), Reisen durch Südamerika. 5 vols. 8. Leipzig, 1866-68. Ursel (Comte C. d', Sud Amérique : Séjours et voyages au Brésil, en Bolivie, et an Peron. 12. Paris, 1879. Wappaeus (Joh. Eduard), Die Republic Peru; in Stein's Handbuch der Geographie nnd Statistik.' Part III. 8. Leipzig, 1864. Wiener (Charles), Pérou et Bolivie. Paris, 1880. PORTUGAL. (REINO DE PORTUGAL E ALgarves.) Reigning King. Carlos I., born September 28, 1863, son of King Luis I. and his Queen Maria Pia, daughter of the late King Vittorio Emanuele of Italy, who still survives; married, May 22, 1886, Marie Amélie, daughter of Philippe Duc d'Orléans, Comte de Paris; succeeded to the throne October 19, 1889. Children of the King. I. Luis Philippe, Duke of Braganza, born March 21, 1887. Brother of the King. Prince Affonso Henriques, Duke of Oporto, born July 31, 1865. Aunt of the King. Princess Antonia, born February 17, 1845; married, September 12, 1861, to Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, born September 22, 1835. Offspring of the union are three sons:1. Prince Wilhelm, born March 7, 1864. 2. Prince Ferdinand, born August 24, 1865. 3. Prince Karl, born September 1. 1868. The reigning dynasty of Portugal belongs to the House of Braganza, which dates from the end of the fourteenth century, at which period Affonso, an illegitimate son of King João, or John I., was created by his father Count of Barcedos, Lord of Guimaraens, and by King Affonzo V., Duke of Braganza (1442). When the old line of Portuguese kings, of the House of Avis, became extinct by the death of King Sebastian, and of his successor, Cardinal Henrique, Philip II. of Spain became King of Portugal in virtue of his descent from a Portuguese princess. After 60 years' union under the same kings with Spain, the people of Portugal revolted, and proclaimed Dom João, the then Duke of Braganza, as their national king, he being the nearest Portuguese heir to the throne. The Duke thereupon assumed the name of João IV., to which Portuguese historians appended the title of the Restorer.' 828 Queen From this João the present rulers of Portugal are descended. Maria II., by her marriage with a Prince of Coburg-Gotha, Fernando, Duke of Saxe, united the House of Braganza with that of the Teutonic Sovereigns. Carlos I. is the third Sovereign of Portugal of the line of Braganza-Coburg. Carlos I. has a civil list of 312,000 milreis; while his consort has a The whole grants to the royal family amount to grant of 48,000 milreis. 456,800 milreis. The following is a list of the Sovereigns of Portugal since its conquest from the Moors : A.D. Henri of Burgundy 1097 Affonso I., the Conqueror' 1140 Philip III. 1621 Sancho I., 'the Colonizer' 1185 Affonso II., 'the Fat 1211 IV. House of Braganza. Sancho II., Capel' 1223 Affonso III., the Bolonian' 1248 Diniz, the Farmer' 1279 Affonso VI. 1656 Affonso IV., 'the Brave' 1325 Pedro II. 1683 Pedro, the Severe' 1357 Joan V. 1706 Ferdinando I., the Hand José 1750 some' 1367 Maria I. and Pedro III. 1777 Maria I. 1786 II. House of Avis. Joan, Regent 1799 Joan I., of Happy memory' 1385 Joan VI. 1816 Duarte 1433 Pedro IV. 1826 Affonso V., 1826 Joan II., 'the Perfect' 1481 Miguel I. 1828 Manoel, the Fortunate' 1495 Maria II., restored 1834 Joan III. 1521 Sebastian, the Desired' 1557 V. House of Braganza-Coburg. Cardinal Henrique 1861 Philip I. (II. of Spain) 1580 Carlos I. 1889 Constitution and Government. The fundamental law of the Kingdom is the 'Constitutional Charter' granted by King Pedro IV., April 29, 1826, altered by the additional Acts, dated July 5, 1852, July 24, 1885, and by laws of 1895 (March 28, September 25). The crown is hereditary in the female as well as male line; but with preference of the The Constitution recognises male in case of equal birthright. 6 four powers in the State, the legislative, the executive, the judicial, and the 'moderating' authority, the last of which is vested in the Sovereign. There are two legislative Chambers, the Camara dos Pares,' or House of Peers, and the Camara dos Deputados,' or House of Commons, which are conjunctively called the Cortes Geraes. The law of July 24, 1885, provided for the abolition of hereditary peerages, though only by a gradual process. The law of March 28, 1895, made without the concurrence of the Parliament, alters considerably the past constitution of the two houses. The number of life peers appointed by the King will be 90, not including princes of the royal blood and the 12 bishops of the Continental dioceses. The nominated peers, who must be over 40 years of age, may be selected without limitation as to class, but certain restrictions and disqualifications are imposed. The elective portion of the Chamber ceases to exist. The members of the second Chamber are chosen in direct election, by all citizens twenty-one years of age who can read and write, or who pay taxes amounting to 500 reis: convicts, bankrupts, beggars, domestic servants, workmen in the Government service, and non-commissioned soldiers are not electors; electors must register themselves. The deputies must have an income of at least 400 milreis per annum ; but lawyers, professors, physicians, or the graduates of any of the learned professions, need no property qualification. Peers and certain Government employees cannot be deputies, and deputies cannot accept any paid employment from Government during the session or 6 months after. Continental Portugal is divided into 17 electoral districts, which, with Madeira and the Azores, return 14 deputies, or 1 deputy to 45,000 people; there are also 6 deputies for the Colonies. The annual session lasts three months, and fresh elections must take place at the end of every four years. In case of dissolution a new Parliament must be called together immediately. But from November 1894 to January 1895 the Parliament did not meet. The General Cortes meet and separate at specified periods, without the intervention of the Sovereign, and the latter has no veto on a law passed twice by both Houses. A committee composed of members of the two houses decides in case of conflict, the King having the final decision if the committee does not come to a decision. The executive authority rests, under the Sovereign, in a responsible Cabinet, divided into seven departments, in charge of the following ministries: Premier and Minister of Finance.-E. R. Hintze Ribeiro. Foreign Affairs.-Luiz Pinto de Soveral. Interior.-J. F. Franco Pinto Castello Branco. Justice and Worship.-A. d'Azevedo Castello Branco. War.-Colonel L. A. Pimentel Pinto. Marine and Colonies.-Jacinto Candido da Silva. Public Works, Industry, and Commerce.-Campos Henriques. The Sovereign is permitted, in important cases, to take the advice of a Council of State, or Privy Council, consisting, when full, of thirteen ordinary and three extraordinary members, nominated for life. The leading ministers, past and present, generally form part of the Privy Council. |