Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/435

 MONEY AND CREDIT

95

Year ending March 31

1879 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898

England and Wales

Scotland

Ireland

United Kingdom

20,422,918 59,631,752 60,216,708 66,436,549 66,950,409 69,961,350

2,477,003 7,279,894 7,334,094 8,095,581 8,094,360 8,463,393

1,559,854 3,987,852 4,038,262 4,307,480 4,378,787 4,605,256

24,459,775 70,899,498 71,589,064 78,839,610 79,423,556 83,029,999

The total number of telegraph offices at post offices was (March 31, 1898), 8,172, at railway stations, 2,311 ; total, 10,483.

The telegraph department has 44 telephone exchanges, of which 40 afford connection with the trunk wires. In 1897-98 there were open for telephone business 264 post offices, served by 53,526 miles of trunk wire ; 5,898,247 trunk conversations were held. There are now 58 miles of pneumatic tubes in London, connecting the Central Office with others.

The revenue and expenditure of the Post Office in respect of the postal and telegraph departments respectively, have been as follows in five years, ending March 31 : —

1894

1895

1896

1897

1898

Postal receipts. . . Total receipts. . . Expenditure. ..

Net postal rev. .. .

Telegraph receipts. . Total receipts. . . I.Jpenditure ....

Net telegr. rev. .. . Net post & telegr. rev.

£ 10,472,876 10,734,885 7,759,712

£

10,748,074

11,025,460

7,955,344

£ 11.465,370 11,759,945 8,086,272

£ 11,876,656 12,146,935 8,246,356

£

12,206,694

12,420,376

8,689,713

2,975,173

2,534,264 2.579,206 2,757,645

3,070,116

2,598,985 2,646,414 2,788,052

3,673,673

2,835,749 2,879,794 2,920,341

3,900,579

2,922,449 2,967,353 3,111,810

3,730,663

3,030,352 3,071,723 3,381,261

- 178,439 2,796,734

-141,638

2,928,478

-40,547 3,633,026

-144,456 3,756,123

-309,538 .3,421,125

In the total receipts is included the estimated value of services to othe departments (postal, 213,682^., and telegraph 41, 371 Z. in 1897-98), and in the expenditure the cost of sites and buildings (postal, 187, 951Z., and tele- ^apli, 90,054Z. in 1897-98). Not included in the telegraph expenditure is the sum of 298,888Z. interest paid on stock created for tlie purchase of the telegraphs.

Money and Credit.

The following table shows the value of the money issued from the Royal Mint in the years named, and of the imports and exports of British gold and silver coin : —