The following table gives the details of the budget for the year 1885:

It will be seen that there has been almost constant deficits in recent years in the ordinary budget. A deficit of 321,6117. was expected in 1885. The deficit was to be partly reduced by the application of 179,1207. unused amortisation funds. The deficit of 1,592,5947. in the extraordinary budget was to be covered by a loan. The personal tax is similar to that of the Netherlands.

The following table shows the total amount of the national liabilities of the kingdom in 1884 :

The 21% old debt, and the first series of the 4% debt, represent the share which Belgium had to take in the national liabilities of the Netherlands, after separating from that kingdom. Almost the entire remainder of the debt of Belgium was raised for, and devoted to works of public utility, particularly the construction of state railways. There is a sinking fund attached to all descriptions of the debt, with the exception of the 21% old debt. The Floating Debt, consisting of Treasury Bonds issued in 1882, at 4 per cent., amounts to 2,432,7467.

The total debt amounts to 157. per head of population, and the annual charge to 14s. 9d.; but the interest is more than covered by the revenue from railways alone. The total exports of home produce average 107. per head.

Army.

The standing army is formed by conscription, to which every able man who has completed his nineteenth year is liable, and also voluntary enlistment. Substitution is permitted. The legal period of service is eight years, of which, however, two-thirds are allowed, as a rule, on furlough. The following is the composition of the Belgian army :-Infantry: 1 regiment of carabineers, of 4 active and 4 non-active battalions and 1 depôt; 1 regiment grenadiers, 3 regiments chasseurs à pied, 40 regiments of the line, each of 3 active and 1 non-active battalions and 1 depôt; 2 sedentary companies; a corps of discipline and correction; a school for army pupils. Cavalry: 2 regiments of chasseurs, 4 regiments of lancers, 2 regiments of guides, each of 5 active squadrons. Artillery: A special staff; 4 field regiments, 2 of 8 mounted batteries and 2 batteries of reserve, and 2 of 2 horse and 7 mounted batteries, and 1 reserve battery; 4 special companies; a train battalion, consisting of a staff and 7 companies. Engineers: A special staff; 1 regiment of 3 battalions of sappers and miners, of 4 companies and a depôt; 5 special companies, telegraphists, railway corps, &c. Administrative battalion, consisting of a staff and 8 special companies, each of 4 sections. The following is the peace-strength of the Belgian army according to the budget of 1885:

To this should be added 9,000 horses and 204 guns. In time of war the total strength is 103,860 men, 13,800 horses, and 240 guns.

Besides the standing army, there is a 'Garde Civique,' numbering, March 31, 1883, 32,108 men. The Gendarmerie consists of 2,004 officers and men and 1,300 horses (1884-5). The chief military arsenal of the kingdom is Antwerp.

Area and Population.

Belgium has an area of 29,455 square kilomètres, or 11,373 English square miles. The kingdom is divided into nine provinces, the area and population of which were as follows at the census of December 31, 1880, and by estimate on December 31, 1882 :

In 1882 there were 2,825,722 males and 2,829,475 females. The density of population in 1882 was thus 497 per square mile; in Brabant and East Flanders the density is about 800 per square mile.

During the five years 1876-80 the total rate of increase was 3.4 per cent.

According to the census returns of 1880 there are 2,237,867 Belgians who speak French only; 2,479,747 who speak Flemish only; 41,046, German only; 420,339, French and Flemish; 35,324, French and German; 2,809, Flemish and German; 13,410 who speak all three languages; and 6,412 who do not speak any of the three.

The census returns according to occupation are tabulated as follows:

The difference between the above total and that of the population is no doubt accounted for by the fact that many persons are entered under more than one head.

It is estimated that about 800,000 people are directly engaged in agricultural pursuits.

Land in Belgium is divided, according to an estimate of 1882, between 1,160,149 freehold proprietors, who possess 2,615,931 hectares of land, out of a total of 2,945,516 hectares. The State owned (1864 the latest returns) only 39,289 hectares, and the communes 290,296 hectares. In 1882, there were 21 landowners to every 100 inhabitants, the highest number being in the province of Luxembourg, 47 to every 100, and the lowest in Antwerp and West Flanders, 14 to every 100 inhabitants.

The following table gives the number of births, deaths, and marriages in each of the five years from 1878 to 1882:

In addition to the above births and deaths in 1882 there were 8,469, or 4.5 per cent. of total births still-born; 14,279, or 8·1 per cent. of the living births were illegitimate.

In 1882 there were accused before the assize courts 191 persons, of whom 143 were convicted; and before the correctional tribunals 44,361, of whom 36,599 were sentenced, one half to fines only.

In 1882 there were 9,920 entries into the depôts of mendicity, the mean number during the year being 3,173.

The following table shows the immigration and emigration of 1878-82:

The following are the populations of the most important towns, January 1, 1883:

The value of the general commerce in the year 1882 was represented by 114,064,000l. of imports, and 102,556,000l. of exports. The special commerce was as follows in the year 1882: