Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 11.djvu/101

Rh special,&mdash;general including all exports and imports whatever, and special taking in only imports meant for home consumption and 5,196,629 were imports and 3,177,569 exports. An idea of the remarkable progress of its commerce may be obtained by comparing these figures with the following: In 1833 the total Greek commerce amounted to 671,499, and in 1840 to 1,036,374; in 1860 it was 3,147,000, and in 1870 5,354,000. England occupies the first place among countries trading with Greece, its transactions being more than double those of any other country, and amounting in 1873 to 41 per cent., and in 1875 to 38 per cent., of the whole commerce of Greece. Taking the average of the six years ending 1874, Wyndham calculates that 6075 per cent, of the exports of Greece go to England, and that 28 85 per cent, of its imports come from England. Turkey and Austria, its nearest neighbours, stand next. 25 per cent, of its imports are cereals and flour, the cereals from Russia, Turkey, and Roumania, the flour from France; and 20 per cent, are tissues, mainly from England. Though timber is so abundant, it still is one of the largest imports, amounting to 187,778 in 1875. The other chief imports are cattle, salt meat, rice, coals, butter, iron, and paper. The principal item of export, amounting to half the whole, is currants; this in 1875 was 1,350,467, of which 1,083,482 went to England ; then come oil, hides, lead, figs, valonia, wines and spirits, tobacco, cotton yarn, &c. The Greek coasting trade is not open to foreigners. The steamers of the Hellenic Company possess a monopoly of the coastage of those waters, the object being to encourage the development of native steam navigation.

1em (J. R.)

 

 

The early history of Greece is the first chapter in the political and intellectual life of Europe. In contrast with nations still in the tribal stage the Greeks have already the life of cities ; in contrast with the despotic monarchies of tli3 East they recognize the principle that no personal rule should be unlimited. From the first they appear as a people obedient to reason and to a native instinct of measure. In the political sphere this leads them to aim at a due balance of powers and tendencies in the state, at the definition of duties and the protection of rights. In the intellectual sphere it leads them to explore causes, to interpret thought in clear forms, to find graceful expression 