Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1426

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SWITZERLAND

system, Swiss returns show, as far as can be ascertained, the trade between the Con- federation and Great Britain, though, since direct commercial intercourse is imjiossible, the name of Switzerland does not occur in the trade returns of the United Kingdom.

- .The following table shows the distribution of the special trade of Switzer- land (including bullion but not coin). Much of the trade with the frontier countries is really of the nature of transit trade : —

Imports from

Imports from

Exports to

Exports to

(1896)

(1897)

(1896)

(1897)

Francs

Francs

Francs

Francs

Germany.

30-4,970,622

306,370,949

172,260,751

175,566,627

France

177,612,458

192,416,315

81,016,009

83,648,498

Italy.

137,297,605

149,840,651

39,163,498

38,975,283

Austria-Hungary

71,412,602

66,848,406

40,413,159

41,274,346

Great Britain

51,706,813

54,043,646

147,008,247

146,070,952

Belgium.

24,169,525

24,561,248

11,354,102

13,048,465

Russia

65,150,838

66,915,219

24,394,400

24,451,336

Holland

3,452,670

3,123,370

4,670,222

4,876,044

Rest of Europe. Total Europe.

40,676,838

33,699,511

31,484,418

32,647,887

876.422,971

[897,819,315

551,764,806

560,559,438

Africa

15,607,634

12,895,438

5,585,323

6,020,733

Asia.

31,736,585

38,480,101

31,201,614

29,915,769

America

65,269,624

77,001,063

93,336,428

90,400,383

Australia.

4,822,371

5,023,638

2,492,846

2,930,422

Not stated Total.

—

—

3,907,018

3,346,308

993,859,185

1,031,219,555

688,261,035

693,173,053

Internal Communications.

In January, 1897. 2,351 miles of railway were open for traffic. The cost of construction of the lines, rolling stock, &c., up to the end of 1896 was 1,176,294,358 francs. The receipts in 1896 amounted to 118,393,713 francs, and expenses to 70,514,275 francs. In 1897 there were carried 12,568,109 tons of goods, and 46,231,354 passengers, the receipts from both amounting to 111,155,255 francs. On February 20, 1898, it was finally decided that the railways should be acquired by the State, but the transfer of the lines will not take place before May, 1903.

In 1897 there were in Switzerland 1,501 post-offices and 1,939 letter- boxes ; 3,157 higher functionaries, and 5,702 employes (letter carriers, &c.). By the internal service there were forwarded 84,436,307 letters, 18,592,127 post-cards, 29,943,463 packets of printed matter, 100,968,631 newspapers, and 3,421,280 sample and other parcels. In the foreign postal service there were transmitted 18,107,540 letters, 8,001,027 post-cards, 7,431,619 packets of printed matter, and 1,952,106 samples and other parcels. Internal post- office orders were sent to the amount of 521,947,514 francs, and international sent and received to the amount of 44,863,910 francs. Receipts, 1897, 29,117,203 francs; expenditure, 27,464,177 francs.

Switzerland has a very complete system of telegraphs, which, excepting wires for railway service, is wholly under the control of the State. In 1897 the length of State telegraph lines was 4,410 miles ; the total length of wire being 12,823 miles. Railway and private telegraph lines have a length of 1,204 miles, with 8,065 miles of wire. There were transmitted 1,665,333 inland telegrams, 1,487,793 international, and 576,068 in transit through