Money, Weights, and Measures. Greece entered in 1868 the Latin Monetary Union. The Drachma, of 100 leptá, is equivalent to the franc (25 225 francs = 17. sterling). 100 new drachmai=112 old drachmai. The currency drachma is worth about 64d., but variable. By Royal decree of January 30, 1893, the gold coins of Great Britain, Austria, Germany, Denmark, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Egypt, and the United States are accepted by the Treasury and by private persons as legal tender, one-fourth per cent. being deducted from their nominal value. In September, 1898, it was announced that it had been decided to introduce the metric system as regards measures of length, weight, and capacity. The change from the old system is to be gradual, commencing with measures of length. The old system is as follows: There are Consular representatives of Greece at Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Southampton, and other towns. 2. OF GREAT BRITAIN IN GREECE. Envoy and Minister.-Sir F. E. H. Elliot, K. C. M.G., appointed November, 1903. Secretary.-C. L. des Graz. Vice-Consul (acting).-A. Martelaos. There are British Consular representatives at Calamata (Kalámai), Cephalonia, Corfu, Ergasteria (Laurium), Patras, Milo, Piræus, Pyrgos, Santorini, Seriphos, Syra, Volo, Zante, Zea. Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Greece. 1. OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS. Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries and British Possessions. Imp. 4. London. Commerce spécial de la Grèce avec les pays étrangères. Bulletin trimestriel. Athens. The Ministry as constituted December 29, 1904, is as follows:— Minister of Worship and Instruction.-M. Carapanos (interim). Area and Population. At the census of 1879 Greece had a population (including that of Thessaly in 1881) of 1,973,768; in 1889, 2,187,208; in 1896, 2,433,806. In 1896 the population consisted of 1,266,816 males and 1,166,990 females; estimated population in 1903, 2,645,175. The territory detached from Turkey, consisting of most of Thessaly and a strip of Epirus, was added to Greece by a treaty with Turkey, executed-under pressure of the Great Powers-June 14, 1881. The Kingdom was divided into 16 nomarchies till 1899. In 1889 and 1896 the area and population were as follows:: By the law of July 17, 1899, N.S., there is a new division into 26 nomarchies, viz., Attica, Boeotia, Phthiotis, Phocis, Ætolia and Acarnania, Eurytania, Larisa, Magnesia, Trikkala, Karditsa, Arta, Achaia, Elis, Triphylia, Messenia, Lacedæmon, Laconia, Arcadia, Argolis, Corinthia, Euboea, Cyclades, Kercyra (Corfu), Leucas, Kephallenia, Zacynthos. are subdivided into 69 districts and 450 communes. These The number of foreigners living in Greece (exclusive of Thessaly and Epirus) in 1879 was 31,969, of whom 23,133 were Turks (that is, most part Greek, but subject to the Ottoman Porte), 3, 104 Italians, 2,187 English, 534 French, 364 Austrians, 314 Germans, 101 Russians, and 71 Servians. The male population in 1889 according to occupation was as follows:Agricultural and pastoral, 444,096; artizans, 64,211; traders and their employés, 117,979; workmen and servants, 31,321; professions, 15,735; officials, 12,109; clergy, 10,059; defence, 34, 624. From a linguistic point of view, at least, the nationality of Greece is Hellenic. Most of the Albanians who have, at various dates during the last 400 years, migrated into Greece, have become Hellenised. At present there are not more than 200,000 of Albanian nationality in the whole of Greece, of whom only 40,000 speak the Albanian language. These are scattered in small communities chiefly over Attica; northwards as far as Thebes; then across the Isthmus of Corinth, throughout the ancient Argolis, in the southern districts of Eubœa, and a few of the neighbouring isles, Salamis, Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Spetsai, Andros. On the other hand, there are large numbers of Greeks in the Ottoman Empire, raising the whole Greek nationality to over 8,000,000, as under:-Greece, about 2,200,000; Asia Minor, 2,000,000; Crete, Cyprus, Samos, and other Ottoman islands, 650,000; European Turkey, 4,000,000; total 8,850,000. In recent years there has been considerable emigration. According to United States statistics, the number of Greek immigrants into the States was, in 1901-02, 8,014; in 1902-03, 14,090; in 1903-04, 11,450. The principal towns are the following, with populations, 1896 :— The great majority of the inhabitants of the Kingdom are adherents of the Greek Orthodox Church. Before the census of 1889 there were 1,902,386 belonging to the Greek Orthodox Church; 14,677 other Christians, mainly Roman Catholics; 5,792 Jews; 24,165 Mohammedans; and 740 of different religious beliefs. By the terms of the Constitution of 1864, the Greek Orthodox Church is declared the religion of the State, but complete toleration and liberty of worship is guaranteed to all other sects. Nominally, the Greek clergy owe allegiance to the Patriarch of Constantinople, though he now exercises no governing authority; he is elected by the votes of the bishops and optimates subject to the Sultan; his jurisdiction extends over Thrace and other countries, including Bosnia and Crete, as well as the greater part of Asia Minor. The real ecclesiastical authority, formerly exercised by him in Greece, was annulled by the resolutions of a National Synod, held at Nauplia in 1833, which vested the government of the Orthodox Church, within the limits of the Kingdom, in a permanent council, called the Holy Synod, consisting of the Metropolitan of Athens and four archbishops and bishops, who must during their year of office reside at the seat of the executive. The Orthodox Church has nine archbishops and eight bishops in Northern Greece; six archbishops and six bishops in the Peloponnesus; one archbishop and five bishops in the islands of the Greek Archipelago; and five archbishops and ten bishops in the Ionian Island. There are (1901) 171 monasteries and 9 nunneries, with 2,205 monks and 191 nuns. Instruction. All children between the ages of five and twelve years must attend school, but the law is not well enforced in country districts. Of the army recruits 30 per cent. are illiterate, and 15 per cent. can read only. There were (1902) 3,263 primary schools with 4,346 teachers (of whom 800 were of the female sex) and 210,570 pupils (47,570 females), 285 of the so-called Greek schools with 22, 039 pupils and 833 teachers, 39 gymnasiums with 5,556 pupils and 300 professors, besides 16 private Greek schools with 860 pupils, 8 private gymnasiums with 290 pupils, and 1 commercial school. There were 4 normal schools (having 4 model primary schools annexed with 22 teachers and 530 pupils), the normal schools having 25 professors and 490 students; under-normal schools with 6 directors and 294 pupils (annexed were 6 infant schools with 6 teachers and 180 pupils); 3 normal schools for females with 380 students. There are 2 agricultural schools in Greece with, together, 50 pupils. The Trade and Industrial Academy, founded in 1894 by private initiative at Piræus, with 40 teachers to give instruction in the industries relating to wine, spirits, beer, soap, perfumes, dairy-keeping, cattle and silkworm rearing, and in the duties of com mercial clerks, was transferred to Athens in 1896. The Government Trade Schools at Athens and Patras have together 126 pupils. The ecclesiastical Rizari Seminary (founded 1849) had (1900-01) 15 professors and 82 students. In 1902 the University of Athens (founded 1836) had 57 ordinary professors, 48 lecturers, and 2,574 students studying medicine, law, philosophy, theology, and chemistry. Of the total number, 800 were from abroad, chiefly from Turkey. The Polytechnicum Mezzovion with 22 professors, and 170 students, provides instruction in painting, sculpture, and mechanics. The cost of primary instruction is borne by the communes, with a subvention from the State. In 1903, the State spent for primary instruction 2,459 drachmai, and for higher instruction, 3,467,962 drachmai. Finance. In accordance with the peace preliminaries between Greece and Turkey, and the Greek Law of Control of March, 1898, the financial commission of delegates representing Germany, Austria-Hungary, France, Great Britain, Italy, and Russia (the mediating powers) is established at Athens in direct relation with the Greek Minister of Finance. To this commission were assigned, for the payment of the interest on the external debt, the revenues from the salt, petroleum, and other monopolies, the tobacco duty, the stamp duty, and the import duties at the port of Piræus. The collection of the assigned revenues and the administration of the monopolies is entrusted to a Greek Company, called the "Société de Régie des Revenues affectés au Service de la Dette Publique," which is under the control of the international commission. The ordinary revenue (exclusive of receipts from loans, &c.) and expenditure (exclusive of debt service) in recent years have been (in currency drachmai of fluctuating value, say 6d.):— For the year 1904 the estimated total revenue and expenditure were as follows: The gold debt of Greece at the end of 1903 (exclusive of the debt of 1833 due to the three powers) amounted to 29,294,1207. At the end of 1903 the paper debt amounted to 176,304,210 drachmai (including the forced currency loan of 85,775,975 drachmai). The service of the gold debt in 1903 (including amortisation) amounted to 16,444,273 gold drachmai or francs, exclusive of 900,000 francs for service of the debt due to the three Powers. The service of the currency loans and floating debt for the same year amounted to 7,641,174 paper drachmai. In 1903, the communal revenues amounted to 21,257,137 drachmai, and the communal debts to 20,721,618 drachmai. Defence. There is universal liability to service on all able-bodied males aged 21 years and upwards. The total service comprises 2 years in the active army, 10 years in the reserve of the active army, 8 years in the National Guard, and 10 years in the reserve of the National Guard. The effective number is fixed annually by the Chambers. Those who (as determined by lot) are in excess of the number required pay a tax of 100 to 1,000 drachmai, and pass |