Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/1495

 BOOKS OF REFERENCE 1139

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The principal bank of issue is the Bank of Venezuela (capital 15,000,000 bolivars), which by contract made in April, 1897, for 5 years, collects and disburses the revenue (receiving 2 per cent, commission on receipts and pay- ments), and credits the Government on current account to the extent of 6,000,000 bolivars at 8 per cent, interest. In April, 1897, a contract was made for the establishment of a new bank of issue, the Bolivar Bank, with a capital of 20,000,000 bolivars, to administer the salt deposits, receiving 10 per cent, of the net salt revenue ; to credit the Government to the extent of 6,000,000 bolivars at 8 per cent, interest ; and to lend 10,000,000 bolivars to Venezuelan farmers and cattle-breeders.

In July, 1896, it was enacted that the issue of paper money by the State should cease, and that no more silver or nickel money should be coined with- out legislative enactment. The intention was to issue in future only gold coin and certificates representing gold in hand. The currency in 1896 was stated to consist of 12,000,000 bolivars in gold, and 8,000,000 bolivars in silver.

The Bolivar, approximately equal to 1 fr.

The old Spanish weights and measures in general use, but the legal ones are those of the metric system.

Diplomatic and Consular Hepresentatives.

1. Of Venezuela in Great Britain.

Mini'Stc'r in London. — General Pietri.

Secretary. — Seuor B, Planas.

Consul-General. — C. A. Villanueva,

Consul. — N. G. Burch.

There are Consular representatives at Birmingham, Cardiff, Dundee, Glasgow, Grimsby, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Queenstown, Southampton, Swansea.

2. Of Great Britain in Venezuela.

Minister and President. — W. H. D. Haggard, appointed July 1, 1897. Consul at Bolivar. — C. H. de Lemos.

There are vice-consuls at Barcelona, Bolivar, La Guayra, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Venezuela.

1. Official Publications.

Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom with Foreign Countries. 4. London.

Documents and correspondence respecting the Question of the Boundary of British Guiana and Veneznela. Also Maps and Errata. Nos. C. 7972, 7072.1, 8012, and 8106. London, 1806.

Deutsches Handels-Archiv for ^lay, 1896. 4. Berlin.

Foreign Office Reports, Annual Series. 8. London.

Statistical Annuarj' of the United States of Venezuela. Caracas, 1893.

Venezuela Bulletin No. 34 of the Bureau of American Republics. Washington, 1892.