Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 2.djvu/238

 words, she disposes of the capital and military resources of the regency. The power is therefore really in the hands of the French, the Bey and his agents being invested with the mere semblance ctf authority. Nevertheless, in certain respects, Tunisia may be said to have remained a distinct state. It has a political individuality with its own administration, special legislation, and interests now opposed to those of the neighbouring territory of Algeria. In the small towns the relations between the French and the natives are regulated by consuls and "civil controllers," in the same way as those between two foreign peoples. Objections are even raised to the "Bey's subjects " being made naturalised Frenchmen. Both French and Algerian merchandise is examined by the custom-house with the same rigour as if it came from England or Italy, and is charged with an ad valorem duty of 8 per cent. The weights and measures are even different, and the French metrical system, already adopted by some five hundred millions of people in the two hemispheres, has not yet been officially introduced into Tunisia. The civil tribunal of the capital and the six justices recently instituted in Tunis, Goletta, Bizerta, Siisa, Sfakes, and El-Kef, decide cases between Europeans and natives according to the French laws. Since 1885 the magistrates are even paid by the Tunisian budget as officers of the Bey's Government; but they are under the jurisdiction of the Algerian court of appeal. The consular tribunals of the various nations have been suppressed, and in the rural districts the administration of justice is entrusted to the kaids, assisted by the local khalifas and sheiks. The degrading punishment of the bastinado, which was always inflicted by the despised Jews, is no longer applied. The press, which in 1885 consisted of nine papers, is subject to official control.

There are no forms of parliamentary representation, but the absolute power of the Bey is held in check by the supreme authority of the resident general, who has alone the right to correspond with the French Government through the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The officers of the army and navy and all the higher officials are under his orders. The general in command of the troops occupying the country, as well as the archbishop, who is the head of a small army of priests and nuns, and spiritual guide of the whole Maltese community, also enjoy considerable influence in virtue of their respective functions. At the same time an appearance of authority is left to the Tunisian ministry, which superintends the finances, the press, the administration of justice, the public works, the army and navy. But the French governor presides over foreign affairs as the representative of the sovereign power. According to established usage, the office of Bey is inherited by the eldest male of the family, whatsoever may be the degree of his relationship. The present heir presumptive is the Bey's brother. His official title is "the Bey of the Camp," and till quite recently he commanded the forces which are sent from province to province to collect the taxes.

The financial difficulties of the Bey were one of the chief causes which led to the occupation of the country by the French troops. The French and other bankers, who had readily advanced him large sums at heavy interest, and who held mortgages over his property, at last assumed the collection of the taxes, and sought farther security in the indirect possession of the political power. Thus arose the