Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1427

 MONEY, WEIGHTS AND MEASUKES

1071

Switzerland. Number of offices, 1,997. In the telephone service there were 276 exchanges, 28,846 subscribers, 7,368 miles of line, and 47,564 miles of wire. The receipts of the telegraph and telephone services amounted (1897) to 7,887,190 francs, and the expenses to 7,512,741 francs.

Money and Credit.

From 1850 to 1894 the coins issued by the Swiss Confederation were of the nominal value of 65,245,766 francs, 23,000,000 francs being in 20-franc gold pieces, 10,630,000 francs in 5-franc silver pieces, and 25,000,000 francs in fractional silver pieces, while 6,615,766 francs Avere in nickel and copper coin. In 1897 the issue was of the nominal value of 8,190,000 francs, 8,000,000 francs being in 20-franc gold pieces, and the remainder in nickel and bronze coin.

On December 31, 1897, there were 34 banks with a paid-up capital of 164,275,000 francs, and note issue of 222,450,000 francs. For 1897 the average of their general monthly balances was : —

Assets

Francs

Liabilities

Francs

Cash and notes Short-dated debts. Bills of exchange. Other debts .... Investments .... Capital not paid up

Total ■. . ..

120,370,557

28,277,624

212,592,411

904,169,495

11,511,666

10,375,187

Note issue .... Short dated debts. Bills of exchange. Other debts .... Paid-up capital, reserves, &c. Capital not paid up

Total ....

208,282,237 128,691,643

24,009,999 726,218,451 189,719,423

10,375,187

1,287,296,940

1,287,296,940

Banks of issue are subject to Federal inspection ; the notes of 20 banks (cantonal) are secured by the cantons ; of 9 banks, by deposit of securities ; of 4 banks (of limited operation), by portfolio.

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The Franc, of 10 Batzen, and 100 Happen or Centimes.

Average rate of exchange, 25'22i francs — £1 sterling.

The 20-franc piece is '900 fine, the 5-franc silver piece is '900 fine, the silver 2 -franc, franc, and half-franc are "835 fine, Switzerland belongs to the Latin Monetary Union.

The Centner, of 50 Kilogixtmmes and 100 Pfuncl = 110 lbs. avoirdupois. The Quintal — 100 Kilogrammes = 220 lbs. avoirdupois. The Arpent (Land) = 8-9ths of an acre.

The Pfund, or pound, chief unit of weight, is legally divided into decimal Grammes, but the people generally prefer the use of the old halves and quar- ters, named Halbpfand, and Vicrtelpfund.

Diplomatic and Consular Representatives.

1. Of Switzerland in Great Britain. Minister Resident. — Charles D. Bourcart.

Secretary. — F. de Salis.

2. Of Great Britain in Switzerland.

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. — Fred. R. St. John, appointed January 1, 1893.

Consul-General at Zurich ; Consuls at Berne and Geneva ; Vice-Consul at Lausanne.