Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1378

 1022 SPAIN

national service, 21,569,000 letters and post-cards, and 20,?2?,000, printed papers and samples. There were 3,010 post-offices.

The length of lines of telegraphs in Spain on January 1, 1895, was 23,636 English miles ; and the length of wire 59,247 English miles. In the year 1894 the number of inland messages was 3,812,544 ; international, 1,988,300; official, 161,495; total, 5,962,339. The number of telegraph offices was 1,421.

Money and Credit.

On December 3, 1898, the condition of the Bank of Spain was as follows :— _ 1,000 Pesetas.

Cash in hand, gold, silver, and bronze. . . 574,862

Portfolio 1,794,738

Public Treasury 37,617

Advance to Treasury 150,00G

Property 14,198

Capital and reserve 165,000

Notes in circulation 1,437,139

Deposits and Accounts current .... 830,195 The nominal value of the money coined in Spain from 1868 to 1898 was : gold, 1,061,909,270 pesetas; silver, 1,050,291,120 pesetas.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The Peseta of 100 Ccntesimos is of the value of a franc, 9^f?., or 25*225 pesetas to the pound sterling.

Gold coins in common use are 20, 10, and 5-peseta pieces.

Silver coins are 5-peseta and single peseta pieces.

Both gold and silver coins are of the same weight and fineness as the corre- sponding French coins.

Theoretically, there is a double standard of value, gold and silver, the ratio being 15^ to 1. But of silver coins only the 5-peseta piece is legal tender, and the coinage of this is restricted.

On January 1, 1859, the metric system of weights and measures was introduced in Spain, But, besides these, the old weights and measures are still largely used. They are : — The Quintal = 101*4 lbs. avoirdupois ; the Libra =1*014 lbs. avoirdupois ; the Arroba, for wine s 3^ imperial gallons ; for oil = 2f imperial gallons ; the Square Vara = 1 '09 vara ^ 1 yard ; the Fanega =1^ imperial bushel.

Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

1. Of Spain in Great Britain. Ambassador. — Conde de Rascon.

First Secretary. — Marques de Guirior. AttacM. — A. Roberts Ferratges. Military Attachi. — Col. Rivera Lopez. There are Consular representatives at London (C.G.), Cai'difl", Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, ^N'ewcastle, Aberdeen, Newport, Swansea.

2. Of Great Britain in Spain,

Ambassador. — Right Hon. Sir Henry Drummond-Wolff", G.C.B., G.C.M.G. ; Envoy to Persia, 1887 to 1891 ; Envoy to Roumania, 1891-92, Appointed Ambassador to Spain January 1892,

Secretary. — Charles F. F. Adam.

Military AttaoM.—M.&jor W. L, White, R.A.

There are Consular representatives at Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Cadizj Coruna, Fernando Po, Malaga, Teneriffe.