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LEFT GREECE 393 GREECE was completely isolated by land from the rest of Europe, but in 1916 a rail- road was completed between Gida on the Saloniki-Monastir line, and Papapuli on the Thessalian frontier, a distance of 56 miles, by which Greece was joined with the European railroads. In 1920 projects for nev/ lines to the extent of 400 miles were under consideration. There are about 17,347 miles of telegraph wire and about 7,002 miles of telephone. Finance. — The revenue in 1919 was £45,908,000, and the expenditure £61,- 656,000. The external debt of Greece in December 31, 1919, was £41,916,520. In 1918 the governments of Great Britain, United States, and France agreed to advance to Greece about £30,000,000, the control of which was lodged in a financial and military commission. Prac- tically all this sum was loaned to Greece. years, and in the Council of State. The Boule meets annually for a term of not less than three nor more than six months. History. — The Greek nation boasts of the highest antiquity, and in the early and mythic period of their history it is almost impossible to separate fable from fact. The Pelasgi were the first in- habitants, succeeded by the Hellenes. Having gained the advantage over the Pelasgi, and driven them to the islands, they peopled the continent with their own nation, who were divided into four tribes, viz., .^olians, Dorians, lonians, and Achaians. The Hellenes spread in different directions over the country, and were soon joined by colonists from Egj-pt and Phoenicia. The first consti- tution of Greek cities is beyond the reach of exact history; but it seems THE ACADEMY AT ATHENS Education. — Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 12 years, but the law is not well en- forced. The percentage of illiteracy is high. There are about 7,000 primary schools and about 9,000 teachers. For secondary education there are about 75 high schools and about 425 middle schools, with about 60,000 pupils. There are agricultural schools, trade schools, and commercial schools. The univer- sities are those of Athens, the National University, and the Capodistria Univer- sity. The annual appropriation for education is about 10,000,000 drachmai. Government. — The government is a constitutional monarchy, the present constitution dating from 1864. The ex- ecutive power is vested in the king and a ministry of 9 departments, Interior, For- eign Affairs, Communication, Education, Economy, Agriculture, Assistance, Fi- nance, and Justice. The legislative au- thority is vested in a chamber, called the Boule, consisting of 316 members, elected by universal suffrage for a term of four that monarchy was the earliest form; and Sicyon is stated to have founded 2000 B. c. Athens, Thebes, Sparta, Cor- inth, and Argos. Of the mythic or heroic period, the principal events are the siege of Thebes, and the Trojan war, com- mencing 1198 B. c. The confusion aris- ing from the latter event deprived many kingdoms of their princes, and en- couraged the ambition of the Dorian hei'aclidae to such an extent that they enslaved or expelled the inhabitants of the Peloponnesus. A fresh impulse was given thereby to emigration ; large bodies of people crossed the -^gean, and colonized the shores of Asia Minor; and as the governments changed with the rulers, the states of Greece now began to partake of that republican form which was aftenvard their peculiar characteristic. The civil policy of Sparta and Athens, the growing power of which latter now began to lessen the influence of the other states, military knowledge, the arts of refinement ar.>J politics, advanced rapidly, and the quick